Bob and the Monster

Six years in the making, “Bob and the Monster” follows outspoken indie-rock hero Bob Forrest, lead singer of the much-admired Thelonious Monster, through his life-threatening struggle with addiction to his transformation into one of the most influential and controversial drug counselors in the U.S. The film melds contemporary footage, animation, and compelling interviews with archival performances and personal videos from Forrest’s past to reveal the complex layers of this troubled but hopeful soul. Testimony from his peers – including Courtney Love; Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis, Flea, and John Frusciante; and members of Jane’s Addiction, Fishbone, and Guns n’ Roses – adds further texture. The Hollywood Reporter writes: “Taking the ‘Behind the Music’ rise/fall/comeback format to deeper, more soulful places, Keirda Bahruth’s ‘Bob and the Monster’ …uses drug addiction not as human-freakshow fodder but as the starting point for a provocative argument about treatment strategies.”