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It’s been more than 20 years since the shocking death of Nirvana frontman and Gen-X icon Kurt Cobain in April of 1994. But, two decades later, many still question the Seattle Police Department’s findings in the singer’s reported suicide. And in the documentary Soaked in Bleach, one investigator comes forward to share his story—and his suspicions.
Soaked in Bleach focuses on Tom Grant, a well-respected private investigator from Los Angeles who was hired by Cobain’s wife, Courtney Love, days before the singer’s body was discovered. Originally, Courtney’s reasons for hiring Grant were confusing—something about stolen credit cards and a husband who may have gone missing. But when Cobain was found dead in his home, the holes in Courtney’s story led Grant to suspect that she wasn’t telling him, the media, or the police everything about her husband’s death—so, determined to uncover the truth, he continued to search for answers on his own.
In the decades since Kurt Cobain’s death, numerous conspiracy theories have emerged—most of them involving the singer’s unbalanced rocker wife. But instead of pointing fingers and making assumptions, Soaked in Bleach simply presents the facts and findings, following in Grant’s footsteps in the days leading up to the shocking discovery and continuing the investigation long after the police concluded theirs. And while Grant’s interviews make it quite clear that he believes that Courtney played some part in her husband’s untimely death, he never speculates about what really happened.
Grant tells his own story, offering reenactments, evidence, and—most intriguingly—actual audio recordings of his conversations with Courtney and others. And director Benjamin Statler calls in plenty of experts—from first-hand witnesses and Seattle’s former chief of police to investigators and handwriting experts—to back him up.
Of course, so much has been said about Cobain’s death in the last 20 years that not all of the information presented in this documentary is new or surprising. If you’ve had even the slightest bit of interest in the case, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ve heard about things like the beyond-lethal levels of heroin found in Cobain’s bloodstream or the suspicious suicide note. But Grant also presents some interesting new information—including evidence of shoddy police work, items found in Courtney’s personal belongings, and the observations and opinions of some of Kurt and Courtney’s close friends and associates. And no matter what you believe about the case, you’ll find that this no-nonsense investigator certainly makes a compelling argument.
It may not be loaded with shocking new information, but Soaked in Bleach is a fascinating look at the evidence on the other side of this controversial case. And it’s sure to leave you with questions—and some strong feelings of nostalgia for your old grunge albums and flannel shirts.
DVD Review:
After seeing Soaked in Bleach, you may be interested in hearing even more about the investigation—but if you’re hoping to find deleted scenes included with the film’s DVD release, you’ll be disappointed. In fact, there aren’t any special features on the disc. While a few informative extras would have been a welcome addition, though, the film itself is pretty eye-opening on its own—so don’t let the absence of a special features menu keep you from picking up a copy.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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