Sydney Film Festival 2019 - Film Review - Mystify: Michael Hutchence

INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence

The talent, rise and ultimately tragic end of INXS lead singer, Michael Hutchence is the subject for this documentary by Richard Lowenstein. Using archival public and previously unseen private footage with voice-over narratives delivered by the key people in Hutchence's life, his boundless energy and talent is demonstrated over the period of his performing career.

The narratives, linked to specific periods of time with appropriate film clips, are provided by his parents, his brother and sister, the band members of INXS, Bono of U2 fame, producers and agents and most tellingly by his lovers, Kylie Minogue and Helena Christensen. There is genuine affection held by all and not a little sadness about the past particularly from Kylie Minogue.

The magnitude and ultimate impact of the brain injury which Michael Hutchence sustained with an unprovoked assault by a taxi driver in Denmark, is given the importance it demands. Hutchence had wanted the diagnosis kept as secret as possible but the effect was clear to all those around him.

This documentary is essentially a tribute film which touches on, but does not go into too much depth on the intense controversies in his life particularly the use of drugs, his relationship with the late Paula Yates and his ultimate death in Sydney in 1997.

With a running time of 110 minutes, the film is not long or too short with good pacing and music by Hutchence which has not previously been broadcast or released.