A Head Full of Dreams: Coldplay Movie Review

By: Christian Silva

From rehearsing in a small, cramped room in the UK to playing at a sold-out Wembley Stadium, Coldplay’s journey is breathtaking, inspirational and marvelous. The British band’s documentary film “Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams” is not just a spectacular and powerful message exclusive to musicians but to anyone with a dream, to never give up. The film directed by Mat Whitecross, a friend and companion since the band was formed, the film shows how the group came to be and the story that leads to the Coldplay we know today, including the hardships they had to overcome.

Beautifully directed and edited, the film has musical transitions that whether you’re a Coldplay fan or not, will make you shiver with excitement and leave you in awe. Whitecross had over 1,000 hours of footage of the band members Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Will Champion and Johnny Buckland since before their 1998 debut under the name “Coldplay.” What makes this documentary unique is that we see a group of people with a dream become a band that is loved by millions all over the world. The footage recorded by Whitecross allows viewers to be fully immersed with the band members as if you knew them personally, giving you a sense of togetherness and intimacy that at the end will make you truly appreciate and understand who the band is.

Released in 2,000 selected theatres for a one night showing Nov. 14, “Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams” is a vibrant film from start to finish. @coldplay

Throughout the film, we see an inside view of songs being recorded such as “Hymn for the Weekend,” “Viva la Vida,” “Fix You” and many songs from their latest album “A Head Full of Dreams.” In one particular scene, we see footage of Beyonce recording inside of Chris Martin’s son’s bedroom, where her takes were transitioned into one of the concert’s footage. It’s quite interesting to hear a song go from its first draft in a small recording studio to a loud and excited crowd singing along, making these transitions powerful and passionate. While not all of their songs were played throughout the film, the film will surely have a song that you love or have heard before making you want to tap your feet to the beat. The documentary also gives viewers the sense of being at their concerts. The original footage edited in is real making the story feel lively and very personal with graphics, animations, and transitions from “A Head Full of Dreams” combining elements from home video and massive study filmmaking, creating a large yet close knitted film.

We hear the journey through the four band members along with Phil Harvey, the not so known “fifth” member, a friend since their first gig and creative director who dropped college to help them out. They recount their memories, struggles, success and thoughts of each part of their career, going through each album’s process: “Parachutes,” “A Rush of Blood to the Head,” “X and Y,” “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends,” “Mylo Xyloto,” “Ghost Stories” and “A Head Full of Dreams.” Many bands go through different musicians, labels and managers but Coldplay is one of those few bands that have had the same group of people since their establishment. The film consists of voice-overs that are masterfully integrated with the music and video, creating a stunning visual and sound experience. The story gives hope to anyone struggling to find their way that even influential bands such as them went through challenges that could have dissolved their band from existence. This message is subtly placed throughout the film where the last scene bursts creating a vibrating realization, making the film come back around to one of the starting scenes. This one-of-a-kind documentary film is highly recommended as the story itself is wonderful, making any non-Coldplay fan appreciate their story. The film will be available exclusively on Amazon Video Friday, Nov. 16.

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