'May It Last' paints a portrait of the Avetts' brotherly love

On the evening of Sept. 12, hundreds of theaters across the nation were packed with music-loving movie-goers for the one-night-only premiere of “May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers” (2017). Fans of the folk rock band filled the Kendall Square Cinema in Cambridge, lounging comfortably in their reclining seats as they awaited the start of the highly-anticipated film. The theater’s cozy and intimate atmosphere perfectly matched the sweet and wholesome story this documentary told of two brothers who followed their dreams to play in a band together.

The film begins backstage at Madison Square Garden as The Avett Brothers prepare to perform there for the first time in April 2016. The New York crowd’s excitement awaiting their performance is reflected in the audience members watching the big screen. Then the opening melody of “Laundry Room” plays as the film shifts scenes, with the inaudible collective sigh from the audience palpable at the first notes of the familiar song.

Directors Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio do an excellent job of making the viewer feel like a part of the film’s journey through time and space by using the band’s distinct, gorgeous tunes as touchstones to each new moment. The audience is taken back to early 2014 at the brothers’ North Carolina home to experience the early stages of recording The Avett Brothers’ latest album, “True Sadness” (2016). The documentary spans the album’s recording process up until its release in 2016, interweaving moments of happiness, heartbreak, trial and triumph that band members experience in their personal lives.

Scott Avett and Seth Avett formed The Avett Brothers in 2001. Throughout the band’s more than 15-year history, they’ve added permanent members Bob Crawford and Joe Kwon, as well as three touring members.

The film highlights the rare success that Scott and Seth have found as a band of brothers, noting that many family bands throughout history, such as the Bee Gees and Oasis, ended in bad break-ups. Interviews of the other members of the band explain why these brothers are an exception: one band member described Seth as “sweet,” while Scott was described as “a carnival,” noting that one of the secrets to their band’s success is that “because they’re different, they fit together perfectly.”

Like most siblings, Scott and Seth did not always get along when they were younger, and it was not until the brothers were 18 and 14 years old, respectively, that they became friends. Scott and Seth’s strong sibling bond is “beautiful, and rubs off on everyone [in the band],” remarked one member. Seth notes in the film that when it came to starting a band, Scott was the only person with whom he wanted to pursue his dreams.

The film showcases a scene of Scott and Seth writing a song together, Scott filling in lyrical gaps Seth could not complete himself. The brothers write like puzzle pieces, fitting into the spaces one leaves for the other, creating a final product that has been molded by each Avett into an honest, profound piece of music. Dolphus Ramseur, the manager for the band from 2002 to 2009, said of the brothers’ talent: “I consider Scott the best songwriter in North Carolina, and I consider Seth the best songwriter in North Carolina. I’m just glad they’re in the same band.” It took a long journey, however, for these brothers to find their sound.

Scott and Seth originally rejected their country roots, thinking that the only way to succeed as musicians was by being a loud rock band that screamed rather than sang its set lists. When Seth was 14 years old, he met country music legend Doc Watson, who shattered Seth’s earlier notions of what it meant to make quality music. Seth remarks in an interview, “I thought volume and power were synonymous. I learned that power comes from character. With this music, you can’t hide behind the volume.”

This echoes the raw emotion that The Avett Brothers are known for displaying in their music, both in the lyrics of their songs and in their heartfelt performances. The brothers state in the film that one thing they've become professionals at is "reading [their] diaries onstage.” The talent of the band is unparalleled, yet their music has always remained on the outskirts of mainstream. The Avett Brothers did not sign with a formal record label until 2009 because they were told they would have to compromise their art if they wanted to be successful. Rick Rubin, the band’s current producer, was able to see that their sound was not meant to be tinkered with by the industry’s higher powers. Rubin articulates in the film that The Avett Brothers’ music “felt handmade, like a one-of-a-kind act.”

The documentary ends back where it begins: with The Avett Brothers performing at Madison Square Garden, singing “Ain’t No Man,” the band’s first No. 1 hit on a Billboard chart. This full-circle ending reiterated the wholesome way The Avett Brothers approach their art — with honesty and integrity.

“May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers” is a beautiful account of brotherly love. It is a tribute to the band’s music as a backdrop for their lives, and to their lives as a backdrop for their music. Due to the success of the film’s one-night only premiere, Oscilloscope Laboratories announced, on Sept. 15, encore dates at theaters all over the country.