One day there will be a definitive and authoritative theatrical documentary made on the art and culture of rap and hip-hop music. If a truly great one does exist, I have yet to see it. As a fan of the art of rap music, and not always its content, I hope that someday a filmmaker finds a way to tap into the mainstream appeal of what makes this culture so continually vibrant and popular, as well as deeply controversial.

Director Paul Kell’s “5 Sides Of A Coin” is a nice and noble attempt to provide the background into how rap music became such a vital art in American culture. Kell attempts to break down rap music, and its history, into 5 specific categories: Emceeing, Beatboxing, Breakdancing, Graffiti Art, and Deejaying. Kell makes the case repeatedly, with an impressive array of talking heads, that rap and hip hop is so much more than just controversy and misogyny — it’s as vibrant and important an entry into American pop culture as Jazz, Blues, and Rock and Roll. In perhaps the film’s strongest moments, Kell shows how the hip-hop culture has spread internationally, interviewing hip-hop artists and from Europe and other places around the world.

Kell doesn’t completely seal the deal however. “5 Sides…” runs a mere 70 minutes and at times, feels more akin to something that would be produced for the PBS crowd. In essence, Kell plays it almost too safe here. Perhaps, it is a misguided criticism of the film that it does not delve deeper into the controversies and polarizations that the culture bring to the surface even in 2009. “5 Sides Of A Coin” is not a bad documentary at all, just narrowly focused.

Should I See It?

Informative on a topic that a lot of people are frankly, misinformed about, the film offers some strong insight into the origins and cultural impact of the hip-hop movement.

Made for fans. If you have no interest in the topic or are annoyed by rap music, this is not for you.

if you grow weary of the “talking head” style of documentaries.