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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsIn Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon is an unusually expansive, music-first portrait of a songwriter at work and a career in retrospect. Alex Gibney’s documentary follows Simon making Seven Psalms, then folds that present-day process into a long look back at Simon & Garfunkel, his solo work and Graceland. Its roughly three-and-a-half-hour length is a real commitment, but viewers who want to hear the music and watch the creative process unfold will find a great deal to reward it. The trade-off is that the film’s affection for Simon sometimes leaves difficult parts of his story less examined.
What is In Restless Dreams about?
Directed by Alex Gibney, In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon uses the making of Simon’s album Seven Psalms as its present-day narrative spine. The sessions provide access to Simon at work, while archival footage and recollections carry the story across more than six decades of music, including his partnership with Art Garfunkel and his solo career.
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36 Greatest Hits of Paul Simon | $19.97 | Buy on Amazon |
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This is not a conventional concert film or a brief greatest-hits overview. Its emphasis is on songs, decisions and the act of making music, with the career history giving that process context. Universal describes the film as including previously unseen career footage as well as access to the creation of Seven Psalms (Universal Pictures at Home).
Does the filmmaking make the length worthwhile?
The film’s musical focus is its strongest reason to spend the time. The present-day sessions are more than a framing device: they let the viewer observe Simon thinking through a piece of work while the archival passages show how his musical life has changed over time. Screen Daily praised the film’s weave of past and present and its attention to the music (Screen Daily).
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The runtime is substantial. Universal lists it at 3 hours 30 minutes, while Screen Daily gives the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival version a runtime of 209 minutes. The sources do not explain the difference, so “about three and a half hours” is the fairest shorthand rather than a single exact figure.
That duration gives the film room to linger on a body of work spanning decades, but it also makes the viewing experience dependent on what you want from a music documentary. The Guardian argues that the long running time feels justified by the material; viewers seeking a brisk biography or a tightly compressed account may feel the opposite (The Guardian). The film’s pace makes most sense for someone willing to spend time with performances, process and recollection rather than simply collect career milestones.
Rank #2
How balanced is its portrait of Paul Simon?
In Restless Dreams is personal and warm, and that warmth helps make Simon’s working life compelling to watch. It also creates the film’s main limitation. RogerEbert.com describes the portrait as reverential and notes that some conflicts and rocky stretches in Simon’s career receive limited exploration (RogerEbert.com).
That matters if you expect a probing biography that subjects its central figure to sustained challenge. This documentary’s center of gravity is the music and the creative process, not a comprehensive airing of every difficult relationship or dispute. Its breadth and access make it an unusually rich account of Simon’s artistic life, but they do not make it a fully adversarial one.
Rank #3
Is it worth watching?
For viewers interested in how Paul Simon makes music, the answer is yes. The sessions for Seven Psalms give the film a living present, while the history of Simon & Garfunkel and the solo work—including Graceland—gives that present depth. Gibney’s approach is generous and musically attentive, even when it is less searching about the tensions behind the career.
Go in expecting an affectionate, wide-ranging portrait rather than a compact or relentlessly critical biography. If the music and process are the draw, the length feels like space to settle in; if you want a short introduction or a more confrontational account, this is a less natural fit.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where can you watch In Restless Dreams?
Universal lists a Blu-ray + Digital edition and digital purchase options on its official page. The digital purchase is a limited license subject to the retailer’s terms, and availability can vary by territory (Universal Pictures at Home).
The documentary was associated with MGM+ at release, but current streaming availability depends on country and date. Check local MGM+ and retailer listings rather than assuming it is currently included with a subscription. Jigsaw Productions lists March 17, 2024 as the release date (Jigsaw Productions).
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