kittenkongshow Ok, So trying to fit in Eric Clapton's life in 2hrs has to squeeze the story down but the omissions (as mentioned in other reviews) are suprising as are the errors (George Harrison is credited as Paul McCartney in one voice over is one example...Surely Eric must have seen at least a rough cut of the film!)...Also Eric comes across badly...He goes for what he wants Sod everyone else...Which at least makes an honest film not a puff piece. In all a decent Doc but could have been so much better but if it makes anyone discover The Yardbirds, John Mayall, Cream...etc then it's job is done...I saw it on BBC2 and I hope he had a sales boost after the showing like these docs usually give there subjects.

TheFilmRejects I'm bored to write reviews. I have rated over 4000 films in IMDB, but this is my 1st review because this docu made me furious. First of all a WARNING: this is not a docu about Clapton as an artist, but as a person in his social life with just a pinch of his music. So, the title has nothing to do with 12 bars (I'm a guitar player and Clapton IS one of my gods), rather than his social life, like a cheap American reality show. I can accept the director's view and differentiation of how Clapton behaved in his social life, however when you do a docu about a world class musician and famous person , you do it to show how and why he became famous, in our case because of his music and guitar playing, and NOT because of his affairs. You can mix some of that inside, but the main scope should be the artist's work. I couldn't care less if he was "drifting" with various ladies, his mother issues, drugs, and other stuff, as long as he was writing music history, which he did every step of the way. I want to see his music legacy, period. We know Clapton because of his music and NOT because of his affairs. I can't stress more how many "vital" for his career persons, were never mentioned in this docu, like Delaney & Bonnie, JJ Cale, and others. Moreover, the film shows irrelevant videos to various eras (you see 1967, and in the video, you see Clapton in 1973, etc). It goes back and forth with no chronological order and messes up everything. You never get an explanation about the famous graffiti "Clapton is God" despite the fact that this was the beginning to gain world fame as a player (with the record John Mayall with Eric Clapton), or why he was named "Slowhand". At the end, even if he was an irresponsible person in his life, we know him and his name is in music history with gold, because of his tremendous soulful playing, his songs and the Blues revival from England. Do we judge artists for their social life or for their work (question applies to all past and present artists from Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison to Kevin Spacey....) ?? I prefer to judge them for their work and legacy, and not for their social behavior.....(which is their own business....)

vanessastonefox I didn't learn anything new from this documentary. It also seemed longer than it actually was, which is not a good thing.Delaney & Bonnie & Friends aren't even mentioned. This is criminal since Eric is supposedly telling his own story. The legendary Derek & the Dominos were all members of that band and that's how they met. Delaney Bramlett produced Clapton's first solo album which begat the Dominos and the All Things Must Pass sessions.Delaney & Bonnie opened for Blind Faith on their summer 1969 US Tour. Clapton liked what he saw. He was disgusted with the direction of both Cream and Blind Faith. He hopped on the more rootsy Delaney & Bonnie & Friends bandwagon for tours of Europe and the US in 1969-1970. Delaney & Bonnie were the frickin' catalyst to his new direction. Clapton and the film makers didn't even take the time to mention them once. That is an insult.I don't recall J.J. Cale mentioned in the documentary either. Weird since Clapton copped Cale's whole vibe in the 1970's.

jack_haber Excellent. Incredible insight into Eric as a man. And as a musician. Intertwining the man and his music. His passion playing through his guitar. It's that passion that drives the emotional response so many people have to his guitar and his music. Welll beyond just virtuosity. That's why he's Eric Clapton. That's why you need to see this. Whether you're a fan or not, an extremely well done, sensitive, interesting documentary on Eric. Thank you for making this movie.