Life is precious, and no one knows that better than Dave Navarro, guitarist of Jane's Addiction, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. This film covers the real-life horror he experienced as a teen which helped shape the man he would grow up to be.

Not a rock star, a son

We all know him as a rock star, but in March, 1983, Dave was the son of his doting mother Connie, who was making her own mark as a stunningly beautiful model. We see these two lives intersect, where she stars in a photo shoot in one moment, while she raises her son the next. We also learn of how her warmth touched everyone she met, from the failure of her first marriage, until the monster who upended her world.


This documentary was beautifully filmed and directed by Dave's best friend Todd Newman, who did a masterful job with a very dark subject. The music helps set the mood from the first scene to the last. In it, we learn how Connie remained on good terms with her first husband, the father of Dave Navarro, even after their divorce. However, it was her second relationship with the very possessive John Riccardi, that would end her life.

I don't want to give too much away, but if you've ever witnessed a jealous psychopath spurned by a woman, you can imagine his reaction to losing his wife. Some men can't handle the loss of someone they felt belonged to them, and we see the explosive reaction in this case as well.

What I can say, is that this film gives us all more insight into the demons that haunted young Dave, and helped fuel his descent into years of drug abuse for this tortured soul. The lyrics of his songs take on deeper meaning, once you realize that he had to endure the loss of his mother at just fifteen-years-old.

Mourning Son will touch your heart, so you might want to keep some tissues nearby, as you will need them. We can see what a bright life a person led by the impact they left on their loved ones. Connie Navarro left a void that will never be filled, and watching this film can help us all appreciate the bright lights in our own lives.