"The great virtue of this...documentary is that it is direct, as lively as the moment and full of Kerouac himself--drunk and introspective, yet heartfelt and noble." (David Thomson, World Premiere, S. F. International Film Festival Fall Premiere Showcase '85). Maybe a true celebration of the poet laureate of Beat has to be a candid one, artful and honest as the man himself. In this film portrait, the reminiscences of Kerouac's family and cronies (including Neal and Carolyn Cassady, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs and many others), take us beyond admiration, beyond the man's well documented weakness for alcohol, to reveal "what happened" when fame (or notoriety) was thrust upon an essentially reticent man, an artist. Kerouac speaks for himself most eloquently, as for example in television appearances with Steve Allen and William Buckley. And the filmmakers also speak for Kerouac, in a fine visual tribute, featuring his poetry on the soundtrack, and re-envisioning the "moment" when Beat was invented. The result is a captivating film about an irresistible man whose influence is still strongly felt.