Really Good Rejects – SXSW 2022 review

If modern guitar-based indie rock has a particular sound, some of that is due to Reuben Cox, the unassuming guitar maker at the heart of Alice Gu‘s new documentary, Really Good Rejects, screening at this year’s SXSW. Cox runs the Old Style Guitar Shop in Los Angeles, a guitar lover’s dream shop filled with Cox’s handmade and re-tooled guitars.

Initially picked up by Aaron Dessner of The National, Cox’s creations have since made their hands into a diverse set of artists including Phoebe Bridgers, Andrew Bird, Carrie Brownstein, and Jackson Brown, all of whom speak of Cox’s unique guitars in almost mystical tones. Part of what makes Cox’s guitars so special is the rubber bridge he’s added onto each guitar, lending his guitars a striking percussive edge.

According to numerous artists interviewed in Really Good Rejects, the sound of Cox’s guitars is now influencing their own songwriting, linking a wide swath of artists by the unique sounds they’re coaxing out of his guitars. Even Taylor Swift has been touched by Cox’s work, with Aaron Dessner of The National playing and co-writing on her most recent records including 2020’s acclaimed Folklore album.

While the sound and construction of Cox’s guitars get lots of time in the spotlight in Gu’s film, this isn’t strictly a film for gear heads. With intimate performances and testimonials from acts like Bridgers, Browne, Bird, and Rodrigo Amarante, Really Good Rejects is a moving look at how one man’s passion has helped shape the sound of modern music while building up a community of artists looking for new ways to express themselves.

Really Good Rejects is screening at this year’s SXSW Film Festival.