Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him)?

John Scheinfeld's affectionate documentary about the musical career of Harry Nilsson isn't groundbreaking, but it is valuable for providing ample evidence of the clever, sweet-voiced singer-songwriter's immense talent. In the 1970s, Nilsson achieved critical acclaim and had a few big singles, including "Everybody's Talkin'," from the soundtrack to Midnight Cowboy, and the novelty hit "Coconut." The Beatles were fans of his work, and Nilsson eventually became a good friend and collaborator of both John Lennon and Ringo Starr. He could be a charming and roguishly fun companion, but, as the film amply documents, Nilsson was also a volatile figure, whose emotional instability and taste for drugs and alcohol resulted in a sadly foreshortened life of personal tumult. Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him)? offers few moments of insight into the man's creative process, but the movie's painstaking assemblage—of rare performance footage, reminiscences of friends and colleagues, and audio of Nilsson wryly describing his life—portrays a fascinating figure who never quite achieved the status he deserved. Nilsson's fans will be thrilled, while anyone interested in the history of pop music will be entertained and should be intrigued enough to seek out his work.