Review: Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat

Official synopsis: Jazz and decolonization are entwined in this historical rollercoaster that rewrites the Cold War episode that led musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach to crash the UN Security Council in protest against the murder of Patrice Lumumba.

Do yourself a favor and read up on this time in history BEFORE watching this documentary, because boy does it move fast. I'm someone who was not well versed in these stories, I had a hard time keeping everything straight. It's a lot of information, a lot of "wtf" and a lot of great music.

This video essay is made almost entirely of archived footage, but it's edited in one of the most engaging ways I've ever seen. I daresay this might become the gold standard on how you seamlessly stich archival footage together. It's very flashy, yet every transition is smooth, and of course there's the jazz music that accompanies it. You can't go wrong with that.

I normally don't start my reviews with what I consider the negative, but having watched this film twice, I did enjoy it much more once I had a refresher on some of the historical things that went on. It just helped jog my memory and I wasn't having to go "wait, who was this again?" 

This doc will demand your attention for every second of its runtime, but you'll be glad you watched it by the end.

Grade: B-