(This is one of those streaming films Amazon will not allow you to review at their website, unless you watched it using a Paramount subscription gotten at Amazon. I got my half-off subscription direct from Paramount.)

This documentary has some really nice parts, but, all in all, it was a bit too long and a bit too much. It was easy to go from thinking what a great song "American Pie" was to thinking it wasn't THAT great. This film makes it seem like it was the greatest song ever written about America, if not the greatest song ever written. I have half a dozen Don McLean songs on my iPod. "American Pie" is not one of them.

The best parts of the documentary are the ones focusing on the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and "The Big Bopper" J. P. Richardson, and the parts about Don McLean's childhood and song writing methods. He would write lyrics out by hand, and then type them up on a little typewriter on a little school desk with rockers attached. (Don't expect anything in this film about the singer's personal life as an adult, including abuse charges by his daughter and ex-wife.)

There's lots of good looks back at the '50s-'70s, too, and the singer even discusses the meaning of some of the lyrics to the song. No, the references to the "joker" and the "girl who sang the blues" weren't about anyone famous. It's really too bad the film makers didn't realize all the praise for the song went too far and lasted too long. Nevertheless, it's a worthwhile documentary to watch, especially if you lived through those three decades.

Is there anyone who doesn't know much of this story?

OK, interesting enough to rehash it again but this attempt was just too long. The same things, especially the the song's refrain are repeated ad-nauseum. It sure felt like a documentary that was really a last attempt by Maclean cash in on this one trick pony.

It felt like an attempt go milk the story dry.

A very scatter shot Doc that was also repetitive. I don't want to sit through it twice to verify, but I'm pretty sure they cut to the same quotes from Garth Brooks 4 times in some cases. A lot of time watching... some female artist... recording her version because... maybe she's famous in Europe? Even, if instead of her, it was Paul McCartney, we didn't tune in to see Paul in the studio. We want to hear Don talk about the song. We all know about the Genesis of the first verse, but if you didn't already know the song, you'd be pretty sure it must be 90% about Buddy Holly.

{Side note: They obviously talk a lot about Buddy Holly and some about Ritchie Valens - and play a little of two of his songs - but - though the mention "The Big Bopper" they don't even tell you/mention the name of any of his songs - odd}

Near the end they remembered they should ask Don what some of the imagery was about and he rushed through it like he knew they had to catch a plane.

A wasted opportunity.