“Where are the good old days?”
“They’ve fucking gone, mate. And what did you used to eat in the good old days?”
“Booze. And I’m still here!”
With these lines, “Ozzy: No Escape From Now” hurls us back into the Osbourne home like we never left it. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen former Black Sabbath lead singer Ozzy and his wife and manager Sharon — the king and queen of heavy metal — in such an intimate light, not since “The Osbournes” changed reality TV as we know it.
The documentary, released Oct. 7, starts with Ozzy’s health struggles that stemmed from a fall in 2019 and worsened as symptoms of his Parkinson’s disease progressed. He struggles in every facet of his life, from walking to sitting comfortably to even eating. Forced to reschedule his farewell tour multiple times, Ozzy wasn’t on stage for years.
In February 2019, Ozzy’s life flipped upside down in the midst of his farewell tour. One night at his home in Los Angeles, on his way back from the restroom, he fell straight onto his head. He was rushed to the hospital and learned that he had broken vertebrae in his neck. He went into surgery to repair it, and “woke up completely fucked.” This botched surgery dictated the remainder of his life.
The rest of the documentary centers around the ramifications of this injury and his struggle to get back on stage, even just for one last time. His family — Sharon and children Jack, Kelly and Aimee — reflect on watching the man they love deteriorate. We see the toll Ozzy’s injury has on the whole family, especially Sharon, as she handles his artistic, personal and medical affairs. Friends and collaborators including producer Andrew Watt, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, and legendary Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi talk of him and his fight with reverence. They all paint Ozzy as he always was and wished to be: an ordinary man, but a warrior nonetheless.
The film also highlights the creative processes that kept Ozzy going. His collaboration with Post Malone on “Take What You Want,” for one, led to his friendship with Watt, who produced his subsequent albums, “Ordinary Man” and “Patient Number 9.” In spite of his illness, Ozzy found joy doing what he did best.
In between shots of his work, the film offers a glimpse into Ozzy and Sharon’s home life. Ozzy’s hobbies included shooting pellet guns and drawing to stay relaxed during his whirlwind of medical issues. We see the most intimate parts of his life, down to his physical therapy sessions. Watching the man we all thought to be invincible struggle to walk, lift his head or even lay down comfortably is unbelievably painful. Yet, the filmmakers provide glimmers of hope. Ozzy’s last-minute performance at the UK Commonwealth Games is astonishing, and the way he joins on singing “Mama, I’m Coming Home” during rehearsals for his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction shows us that, though feeble, he’s still got it.
This hope pays off, as Sharon does the impossible and organizes a massive, ten-hour show headlined by Ozzy himself. He plays two sets: one solo, and one with all four original members of Black Sabbath, for one final performance in their hometown of Birmingham, England. The Prince of Darkness delivered to the 50,000 fans in attendance and millions on livestream, and got a real opportunity to say goodbye. Seventeen days later, he passed away from a heart attack at home.
The documentary closes beautifully with footage of Ozzy’s funeral procession through Birmingham as “See You on the Other Side” blares. Thousands of fans lined the streets amid a sea of flowers as his hearse went through the city, his family mourning and absorbing the love from those that gathered.
As a journalist, I probably shouldn’t make this personal, but I cannot help it. I sobbed like a baby. This man has provided the soundtrack to my life. He felt like family. “Ozzy: No Escape From Now” is as close to a perfect tribute to him and his family as perfect can get. See you on the other side, Oz.
Contact Joe Paladino at [email protected].