Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving the Police (2012) User Reviews

from the other guy's point of view

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 31 January 2019]

It's the end of 1983 and the members of The Police decide to take a break at the height of their popularity. It's expected to be a couple of months to a couple of years. Next, it's 2007 when they finally reunite for a tour celebrating their 30th year anniversary. This documentary is told from Andy Summers' point of view. At first, I'm uncertain with telling their story from the least famous band member but it probably makes the most sense. Andy is older by far. He's from another generation working the ups and downs of a life on the fringes of popular music. He's the least egotistical although he gets into plenty of scraps with the other two powerful personalities. His black and white photography also helps tell part of the story. He's the last to join and the runt of the group, not only due to his height. It's all here; the drugs, the infighting, the ego, and the dreaded going solo. Andy's personal life also has its ups and downs. He may be downplaying the reason for his divorce as mostly distance. His many trysts with groupies may have something to do with it. I'm certain that there is some holding back. The time between '83 and '07 probably had some dark times but this does not get into that. There are several 'reunions' over that time. Andy probably has the least reason to lie and this is a relatively truthful telling without going overly dramatic. He's the least charismatic of the group which helps to give this a level-headed look in a heady time in music.

Belushi in Bali?! Yes.

[misstoes · 8/10 · 1 November 2022]

If you read any of the pro reviews here, read the one from Aisle Seat dot com. My amateur take on this is that I wish I had seen it when it first came out. The Police were definitely one of the "soundtracks of my youth" bands. I saw them in 1983 in Syracuse NY and yes, they were amazing and yes, I could see they were doing it rather robotically. Summers is a full ten years older than Sting and Copeland, having played in the Animals, and at London's Flamenco Club back in the day. His perspective is a little more seasoned, let's say, but still, when stardom hit, he was no less susceptible to its dangers. He's clearly very talented in multiple ways (his photography is really great). His narration, which others call dull, is actually a counterpoint to the astonishing events he found himself caught up in. He's frank about the drugs, the women, the neglect of his wife and daughter. The conflicts with his band mates were baked into pie, so to speak. The surprise isn't that bands break up, it's that they stay together at all after touring.

There's a rather emotional finish, and I loved that the very last song was a hat tip to another "working musician" from "Casablanca" amazingly enough.

An Intimate Look at The Police

[tkdlifemagazine · 6/10 · 20 January 2023]

An intimate look at the influences, rise, and demise of the British rock band, The Police. It is based on the memoir of band member, Andy Summers, and takes place at the point of the reunion tour for The Police in 2007. Aside from enjoying the music of this trio, I enjoyed the back story, and the intimate documentary footage. This one is, obviously, from the perspective of Summers, who may be an unreliable narrator; however, that doesn't lessen the enjoyment. The film does make you feel that the short life of this band deprived its fans of some great content that never was, and never will be. If you are a Police fan you should add a half a star.

Fascinating and entertaining

[Phil_Chester · 22 November 2018]

I was a huge fan of The Police in their day, having bought all of their albums. But I never knew any of their story, so this was fascinating. It was really entertaining to hear their music again, but all the tracks felt cut short, which was a shame. If you're not a fan of them already, this film won't convert you, but if you are a fan this is a wonderful trip down memory lane.

Gotta Sting to know you were just the guitar player

[gittarzan · 7/10 · 27 January 2022]

Andy is a really good guitar player, but if you google "who wrote the police songs", you will see that Sting penned basically all of their great songs by himself. It's not even close. For the other 2 to have any jealousy or anger that Sting got all of the attention, it is just too bad, Sting is a genius, the other 2 guys are awesome but are not what made the band what they are. I wouldn't say they were replaceable but I would say that The Police could have been just as good without either of them. Regarding the movie, it just didn't capture any of the magic that this band had, and just showed Andy to be a disillusioned partier.

A Must-View for Police Fans

[anthony_ian · 10/10 · 18 April 2021]

Great, professionally shot documentary detailing the Police from start to finish from Andy's perspective--narrated by him.

Some classic footage (even some that I've never seen) that details also how The Police came to an end, mostly because it was a matter of time before Sting went solo.

Bonus: the score is often Andy (I'm assuming) playing solo guitar versions of some Police songs.

If you're not a hardcore fan this may not interest you but if you are, it's gold.

Crimes & Misemeanors- an arresting memoir of The Police

[george.schmidt · 10/10 · 22 March 2015]

CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU : SURVIVING THE POLICE (2015) ***1/2 Rock star Andy Summers provides the angst and archival footage of his memoir of being a member of supergroup The Police based on his book with insights to how he became a guitarist, the impossible odds of becoming a steady working musician and ultimately how the band originated and became a worldwide phenomenon including sold-out tours, interviews, vintage photography taken by Summers and some fun and funny moments captured on the fly during the reunion tour of 2007-08 (one for the film vault is of Summers blithely walking down an street to hear "Every Breath You Take" emit from a karaoke bar and find himself singing along with its drunken denizens!) (Dirs: Andy Grieve & Lauren Lazin)

A

[pduesbury · 9/10 · 27 January 2021]

Your review is too short ree to the Conditions of Use. The data I'm submitting is true and not copyrighted by a third party

Just Spectacular

[atomicis · 10/10 · 20 February 2021]

Wow, I really could not see any way to improve on this film. The only omission, and it may be that this never really happened, was that Sting never was shown during one of his trademark nose picking moments. I wonder if Mr. Summers has considered another edit where the songs are each played in their entirety? Might be worth buying the DVD if so. I had almost forgotten how much I loved this band's music. I think I'll be changing several of the CDs in my car's changer today...

Yawn!

[dsmcg · 3/10 · 16 November 2018]

I like the Police and I like Andy Summers, but after viewing this I can understand why they broke up. Andy manages to make himself seem like such a bore. He describes how they pretended to be punk and then they pretend to be reggae and when Sting kicks in with the pop songs they go through the roof. Then they pretend to be pop stars. He whines about Sting being independent and not letting him get his songs on the albums but it is clear Sting doesn't need either of them and the problems they bring despite the fact they are excellent musicians, so why bother? The references to smoking lots of pot as if there are some stakes in this story are laughable. His stoic diary method of narrating makes this like sitting in some old guys house while he shows you slides of his whole life. Although he did just happen to spend a lot of time with Sting. The music doesn't save it as it is poorly used. The indulgence in his own boredom with life leading to taking pictures as if he has attained some magic art form about sums up the overall interest stirred up in this conceit. Basically, Andy didn't allow an actual director to make an interesting film and like their music overly controls the life out of it.

not enough for me

[cyclops-69-588292 · 5/10 · 7 July 2019]

I watched this documentary in 2019. I didn't even know who the Police were in the late 70s when my friend took me to a concert in NYC at a relatively small theater. It was some show. The entire band was magnetic and I became an immediate fan. This film doesn't capture much of that wonder and excitement. I tried to watch as much as I could without becoming annoyed with the voice of this sad sack Andy. Sheesh does his limo have to be so huge? I assume he's not hurting for money but he seems to want to get even for something. I agree with the reviews that point out he was not particularly charismatic in later years and that in the early days he was a bit of a snarky goof (at least most of the scenes he chose to share showed him as one.) He does comment on Sting's looks more than once, but honestly all the band members were "cute" if that's important now. There's an underlying bitterness to the whole thing; but Andy wouldn't get to make a film like this if they hadn't become famous. He wouldn't have the photos (which I thought most of those shown in the early days were great...later years...not so much) and he wouldn't have much to grouse about. I would still watch it, I guess, if you're a fan. But there are no great long concert scenes where they and the audience really connect. Probably due to music rights NOT shared with Andy.

All together...

[eldonscott · 2/10 · 13 January 2022]

Awful. If you're a fan do NOT watch this, it'll mess you up as it's done me.

I don't think there's anything interesting or likable about Summers and his narration is simply the worst. Music from The Police isn't the focus here and what is used is lost on what an insufferable lot the 3 of them together are. No mystique, The Police have officially been gutted for me.

Also, too much time spent on his mediocre photography, not impressed.