It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley is a deeply moving 2025 documentary by Amy Berg. The film chronicles the life of singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley, from his birth in 1966 to his rise into the music industry and, eventually, his untimely death in 1997.
There is nothing scarier than having a film made about one of your favourite singers. Often, directors manipulate celebrity documentaries to present a certain narrative, and there is a level of disconnect between the director and their subject. When I first watched the trailer for It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley, I knew this was not the case. If I wasn’t sure then, my tear-stained cheeks when the lights came up were a definite signifier.
Berg’s Techniques
The film is composed of a series of interviews undertaken by Berg with those closest to Jeff. This includes his bandmates and close friends, as well as two of his former partners, Rebecca Moore and Joan Wasser.
Most of the information, however, comes from his mother, Mary Guibert, who provides details of his youth before he entered the spotlight. The film starts quite literally at the start of Jeff’s life, with his conception, and the consequent tumultuous relationship he had with his absent father, singer Tim Buckley, throughout his youth.
Alongside clips from the interviews, Berg montages archival footage while the interviews act as voiceovers. Included in the archival footage are interviews, live performances, photos taken by photographer Merri Cyr, home videos and excerpts from Jeff’s diary. Berg also layers his lyrics over performances, tying the connection between his songs and personal life together.
Combined, these private, unheard stories give the film a level of intimacy that is often unheard of in documentaries about famous people. Rather than exploiting his death, the film allows audiences to get to know the man behind the music and highlights the tragedy of his loss.
Destined for Greatness
There is a large focus on Jeff’s relationship with music within the documentary. From a young age, his mother says, he was singing. He continued into his teenage years, joining a band and writing his own music.
While living in New York, he started performing at Sin-é, where he worked, and gathered a following. Music is presented as something Buckley used to express himself, not wanting to give in to corporate demands. He did not strive for fame, in fact, he only wanted his music to be known. The driving forces of his music were his emotions in day-to-day life.
Berg’s repeated inclusion of a clip in which Jeff talks about his influences reinforces this: “love, anger, depression, joy and dreams… and Zeppelin”. It is undeniable that his music came from the soul.
There is a large focus on his musicality and ability to replicate the sounds of those he looked up to: Nina Simone and Led Zeppelin, amongst others. In a touching sequence, Joan recalls Jeff meeting Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, one of his biggest idols. Despite the language barrier, Jeff was able to connect with him through his music, showing the importance of music in connection.
Berg also honours his influence over other artists. She credits one of his performances inspiring Radiohead’s Thom Yorke to write ‘Fake Plastic Trees’, and Robert Plant’s compliments to Jeff backstage at a concert.
Not included in the film is David Bowie saying Grace is the one album he would take to a desert island. It was an album respected by some of the greatest faces in the music world.
The Man Behind the Music
More than this, It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley discusses Jeff’s experience with what we now recognise as Bipolar Disorder. In states of psychosis, he would see visions and didn’t think that he would be alive for much longer.
In a particularly heart-breaking sequence at the end of the film, Jeff reaches out to his friends and family following a psychotic break, telling them of his inspiration to get help and create music once more. His mother sits at a table with a box full of memories as she hears her son tell her he loves her for the last time.
Above all, the film honours his kindness and personality. His concern about the treatment of butterflies at Memphis Zoo, saying he could treat them more gently, as well as his close relationship with his mother, are just two of the many examples within the film that highlight his good nature.
It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley is a truly beautiful tribute to a man whose artistry has defined generations of music. The fact the story is told by those who knew him closely and appreciated him means the film is driven by the emotions of those who loved and lost him. This is where the strength of the film lies; you could walk into the cinema not knowing who Jeff Buckley was, and leave feeling as though he was a close friend.
It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley is in cinemas across the UK now, don’t miss it!
Feature Image Credit: Magnolia Pictures
