Steven Sebring’s directorial debut takes a lyrical, stream-of-consciousness approach that is exactly right in his affecting portrait of the rock 'n' roll Joan of Arc (Stephen Holden, The NY Times) who can bring a crowd of devotees to their feet chanting Glor-i-a! as effectively as she can share her pain over the early death of her husband, Fred (Sonic) Smith and her brother, and the loss of her close friend Robert Mapplethorpe and of other artists she admires (Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, William S. Burroughs). Everyone knows that Patti Smith's music, poetry and politics are fearless, funny, raw and original. But this film also captures her physical presence her gamine beauty and a charming, self-effacing style that will take you by surprise and leave you deeply moved.