filmcritic . com presents a review from staff member jeremiah kipp . you can find the review with full credits at <a href= " http : //a . filmcritic . com/misc/emporium . nsf/2a460f93626cd4678625624c007f2b46/bd7281de2f9dea768825693d0014ea8b ? opendocument " >http : //a . filmcritic . com/misc/emporium . nsf/2a460f93626cd4678625624c007f2b46/bd7281de2f9dea768825693d0014ea8b ? opendocument</a> one of the biggest surprises at the sundance film festival was debut filmmaker aiyana elliott's documentary portrait of her cantankerous folk singer dad , the ballad of ramblin' jack . it was curious to see how well the audience responded to this deeply personal , lyrical film of lonesome highways and tough talking cowboys . aiyana elliott previously made an impression on the festival circuit with her ferocious short , tough , which offered a strong visual sensibility influenced by the washed out look of the golden era of '70s filmmaking . she knew how to truthfully portray a modern dysfunctional family , with naturalistic performances and startlingly honest dialogue , a unit whose means of communication is handled through shouting . it's not surprising to see that these themes continue in her current feature . if ms . elliott's documentary fares less well , it's perhaps because her instincts are stronger as a narrative filmmaker with control over the subject matter and , perhaps , autobiographical implications . the fact is , her dad doesn't really like to talk about herself . he flagrantly shows his lack of connection and wary affection . at nearly two hours , the film is too long , and jack elliott rambles and evades to the point where we genuinely " get it " after an hour or so . from then on , the ballad of ramblin' jack seems redundant . aiyana elliott makes herself a character in the film , along for the ride during a midwest tour and chronicling her daddy's life on the way . ramblin' jack was a big folk singer i'd never heard of . bob dylan was his pupil , and he was apparently a huge influence on the rolling stones , dylan and other rock/folk performers . kris kristofferson and arlo guthrie are among the celebrities waxing philosophical about ramblin' jack , usually saying that they never saw someone speak so well about absolutely worthless horseshit . there's a personal history unfolding , breaking through the '50s into the beatnik era and the swinging '60s , to the trippy '70s style which influences the entire movie . aiyana elliott tries to get sun flare in almost every shot which tracks down the desolate patches of road and field in the heartland of america . the interviews have a range from the honest to the superficial , which you'll find in many documentaries . when people try to get into the depth of jack's persona or personality , it feels pretty thin and rote . still , aiyana elliott is able to capture the gravity of silences , when people aren't sure what to say . there's a brilliant sequence where she asks her mom how good of a husband and father he was , and she can't answer for a good minute , trying to control her fits of laughter . there's a wonderful , definitive moment where aiyana and her dad are driving around trying to find the first house she lived in . it's important for her , a touch of personal nostalgia , and he can't find it . he finally gives up after having promised her to track it down . he's a pill , even a bit of a prick . boy , does he annoy aiyana onscreen , but the moment plays out sad and funny . that's the tone of the ballad of ramblin' jack , which earns the moment where jack sings a lonely tune for his daughter at the last concert . he's too mean to be sentimental , but the heartstrings get tugged nonetheless . 
