Plot details are hazy, to put it mildly, in the trailer for Jimi: All Is by My Side, the Hendrix biopic starring Andre Benjamin of Outkast, aka Andre 3000. But here’s what you can glean: Set in groovilicious 1966 London, the movie focuses on the early days of Hendrix’s career, which evidently included a romantic entanglement with a young British woman, played by Imogen Poots. (That is the most British name ever; it sounds like a tertiary Harry Potter character, one of the Hufflepuff quidditch players, maybe.)
The Hendrix estate didn’t license the music, so it all sounds like Hendrix, but really isn’t.
But what really matters is that Benjamin looks incredibly cool as he channels Hendrix. He also says “cool.” A lot. Who knows if the movie will be any good, but for my money, no living person says “cool” as coolly as Benjamin.
The movie is scheduled for release September 26, or the day before Outkast’s three-day concert series in Atlanta.
