E-Mail This Article to a Friend FADE TO BLACK

Jay-Z’s fans will doubtless love this concert documentary, which cuts between shots of his record-breaking Madison Square Garden appearance and footage of the making of The Black Album. Studded with cameos by hip-hop luminaries from Mary J. Blige to Beastie Mike D, Fade to Black has plenty of celebrity appearances and hit songs to keep things lively, but it never penetrates Jay-Z’s public persona. Filmmakers Patrick Paulson and Michael John Warren have access to the recording studio, so we get a glimpse into Jay-Z’s work methods (he doesn’t write down his lyrics, for example, keeping them all in his head as he lays down tracks), and he does a voiceover in which he talks about his dream of playing Madison Square Garden, but that’s about as deep as it goes. Supporting players Pharrell Williams and Rick Rubin actually get excited about the music, collaborating giddily and joking around in the studio; they seem like real people, unlike the film’s ostensible star. Fans who missed the sold-out concert will be content with the man on stage; the rest of us might wish for a little more. (109 minutes)