Jan Wenner might have been the boss of Rolling Stone Magazine. But Ben Fong-Torres was the heart and soul.
The Grateful Dead wouldn’t talk to Rolling Stone unless it was with Ben.
The character William Miller in “Almost Famous” is partly inspired by Ben Fong-Torres. Cameron Crow of “Almost Famous” is interviewed.
Trailer for “Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres”
I recommend you watch the trailer on Netflix here:
https://www.netflix.com/title/81601418 (if you subscribe to Netflix).
I couldn’t find a good trailer anywhere else.
Watch the Ben Fong Torres Documentary
You can watch the Ben Fong-Torres documentary on Netflix at https://www.netflix.com/title/81601418
If you don’t see it there, go to https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/like-a-rolling-stone-the-life-and-times-of-ben-fong-torres for the latest streaming options.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 94/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 100/100 (Users); 100/100 (Critics)
Release Date: June 2, 2021
My Review of “Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres”
“Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres” shows how a Chinese immigrant’s son became the most trusted voice in rock journalism.
He earned the respect of stars who wouldn’t talk to anyone else.
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- Ray Charles would only do interviews at 3 AM, calling Ben directly at home
- The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane refused to talk to Rolling Stone unless Ben wrote the story
- Tina Turner revealed to Ben that she secretly taught Mick Jagger his signature dance moves
- Jim Morrison showed up drunk at Ben’s apartment for an unscheduled interview
The Early Days
The story starts in San Francisco’s Chinatown.
We watch young Ben move between two worlds – helping at his family’s restaurant while dreaming of something bigger than serving chow mein.
What happens next seems like pure fiction.
A college kid with perfect grammar lands a gig at a new magazine called Rolling Stone.
The year is 1969. The place is San Francisco. The timing is perfect.
Director Suzanne Joe Kai (known for her work on “American Masters”) spent 12 years making this 98-minute doc.
The wait was worth it. She digs deep into the archives and comes up with gold.
The Golden Years
The footage will blow your mind. There’s Ben interviewing Bob Dylan in 1969, looking more comfortable than anyone else who’s sat across from the legend.
We see him chatting with Paul McCartney in 1973, getting the ex-Beatle to open up about the band’s breakup.
But what makes this doc special isn’t just the big names. It’s the small moments that show why Ben became the most respected music journalist of his era.
Behind the Scenes
Watch him prep for interviews, filling notebooks with research.
See him type until 4 AM, getting every quote exactly right.
The film shows why artists trusted him. No gotcha questions. No celebrity worship. J
ust honest curiosity and deep research.
That’s why Elton John calls him “the only writer who really understood us.”
More Than Music
At its heart, this is a story about identity. Ben moves between worlds – his traditional Chinese family and the wild world of ’70s rock.
He never fully belongs in either, but that outsider perspective makes his writing special.
We see him navigate racism in journalism. Learn about his brother Barry’s unsolved murder.
Watch him build bridges between cultures through his writing.
The Lesser Known Stories
Here’s where the doc really shines. We learn how Ben:
- Created a filing system for every interview he ever did, organizing quotes by topic and date
- Kept a separate notebook just for musicians’ phone numbers, becoming the only journalist many would call back
- Helped launch the careers of Cameron Crowe and other young writers
- Maintained relationships with artists long after interviews, becoming a trusted confidant
The Big Move
The doc captures a crucial moment in 1977. Jann Wenner decides to move Rolling Stone from San Francisco to New York.
Ben stays behind as West Coast Editor, but the magic is fading. Three years later, he joins Parade Magazine.
The Legacy Lives On
We see Ben today, still writing, still interviewing. A scene shows him teaching journalism students his interview techniques.
Another shows him prepping for a radio show with the same detailed notes he used fifty years ago.
Annie Leibovitz shares stories about working with Ben, revealing how he fought to give photographers better credits and pay at Rolling Stone.
The Technical Stuff
The film mixes new interviews with archival footage perfectly. The pacing keeps you hooked.
The soundtrack, featuring many artists Ben interviewed such as The Dead, The Stones, Elton John Ray Charles and Marvin Gaye.
Director Kai uses animation sparingly but effectively, especially when illustrating Ben’s early life in Chinatown.
The doc never feels like a history lesson – it moves like a story.
Wrap Up
I believe “Like a Rolling Stone” is the best documentary on music journalism’s golden.
It shows how one writer’s dedication to getting the story right helped shape how we understand rock history.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc