Jimmy Barnes: Working Class Boy

A raw, reflective documentary that feels like a painful confession set to music, balancing harrowing memories with a quiet sense of survival.

Directed by

Mark Joffe

Genres

Documentary, Music

Starring

Jimmy Barnes, David Campbell, Mahalia Barnes

Tagline

To understand the man, you must meet the boy.

Overview

With nine #1 albums to his name, Jimmy Barnes is one of Australia’s greatest rock icons. But his success masked a life of hardship and abuse, where the music that once saved him from oblivion almost came back to destroy him. Before Jimmy Barnes was Jimmy Barnes, he was James Dixon Swan, a troubled kid from the mean streets of Glasgow – and the even meaner streets of North Adelaide – trying to survive against a backdrop of addiction, alcoholism, poverty and abuse. For Jimmy, escape was the only option and he found it with a band called Cold Chisel. But the rock’n’roll lifestyle has its own temptations and the scars of childhood are always waiting to take you home. Based on the bestselling memoir and directed by veteran Australian filmmaker Mark Joffe, Working Class Boy is both an inspiring story of rock and redemption told in Barnes’ own words and an unflinchingly honest reflection on fame, creativity and depression.

How it feels

Melancholic, dark, earnest and uplifting. Measured and needs your attention.

About

Trauma, addiction, family, politics

Content

Mild violence and language. No gore or sexual content.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)