Jagged

Directed by Alison Klayman, Jagged explores the early days of pop singer Alanis Morissette and, specifically, the creation of her seminal 1995 album Jagged Little Pill. Filmmaker Klayman delivers a slightly overlong yet mostly compelling documentary that succeeds mostly because of Morissette herself, as the singer/songwriter’s open, endlessly charming demeanor in the interview segments elevates the proceedings on a fairly continual basis (ie she’s just a compelling figure, ultimately). It’s clear, too, that Jagged benefits from its all-encompassing look at Morissette’s early career and the eventual production of Jagged Little Pill, and it’s worth noting, certainly, that Klayman does an effective job of gearing the picture towards Morissette’s followers and detractors alike. And although the film does wear out its welcome to a slight degree in its closing stretch, Jagged is nevertheless a solid music documentary that generally fares better than one might’ve initially anticipated.

*** out of ****