Bob and the Monster: Film Review

4:12 PM PDT 3/15/2011 by John DeFore

The ultimately uplifting doc about songwriter Bob Forrest -- known today more for TV's "Celebrity Rehab" than the L.A. band, Thelonious Monster, that seemed poised for success in the mid-'80s -- features interviews with the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, Courtney Love and Dr. Drew.

AUSTIN -- Taking the Behind the Music rise/fall/comeback format to deeper, more soulful places, Keirda Bahruth’s Bob and the Monster begins with a sad tale of blown showbiz opportunity but, for once, uses drug addiction not as human-freakshow fodder but as the starting point for a provocative argument about treatment strategies. Theatrical potential is limited, but the inspirational film holds appeal for small-screen play.