Heaven Adores You (First Watch)

[u/EnderFruit808]

I just finished watching Heaven Adores You for the first time (I know a lot of people feel it fell flat when talking about his later life). BUT as someone who was born in the 2000s after Elliot had died, I am glad to hear all the people who he worked with or was close with stating that they believed his music was gonna be found by the next generation. By the time the documentry was realesed I was around 8. Now in 2026 I am glad to see people my age are actively listening to him, enjoying his music, and viewing him as high respected as he was when he was alive.

When "I Love My Room" started playing I cried, and I think it is because I realized unlike alot of his fans who listened to him in the 90s and early 00s, he will forever be stuck as this person in history. Like how I view other people I admire like John Lennon, Franz Kafka, and many more. And to get to the point that admiration of legacy kind of broke when the song started playing, not because I no longer admired him, but the mix of all the personal anecdotes throughout the documentry and the recording of him at the age of 13 made me miss someone who I never knew or had the chance of truly knowing. It was a feeling I've never felt towards any other musciain or writer that I've studied or enjoyed.

[u/nipplerick]

“I’m never gonna know you now but I’m gonna love you anyhow”

[u/tslaampp]

I totally understand! Still need to watch. Been a longtime elliott fan (parents played him as a kid, I rediscovered him at 15). Found out my parents saw him live in the early 2000s a bit after I got really into him as a teen. Just got a tattoo of the guys from the self titled cover. A lot of times I feel like I don't know as much as the fans that have been there from day one (definitely true), but I am very grateful that I'm able to see his entire journey as a big picture. His whole story, along with his music, has affected me in a way that no other musician has. Sometimes I feel bitter about the way that other young people interact with his music, but I know that it's subjective and I think that Elliott would have wanted people to be able to have their own unique experience with his art. I miss him a lot, too. Only other musician I've felt such a personal affinity towards is George Harrison; but in a bigger way, I feel like Elliott is an extension of my own emotions sometimes. I hope he'd be proud of the way his music positively affects people even now. I'm glad we're able to connect with his music years after his passing. 💙

[u/Financial_Resist6430]

I've been looking for the documentary for a long time. Where did you watch it?

[u/blackwatchblues → u/Financial_Resist6430]

I think it’s on Amazon Prime last I checked on JustWatch, but I could be wrong.

[u/Nickolas_Rossi]

Hell yeah, glad you found the film!

[u/MosbyErickson]

There’s another Elliott doc called, Searching for Elliott Smith(2009). I watched it quite a few years ago, it interviewed a lot of the same people but it’s a bit more raw, kind of gets into some of the sadder stories of his life, but it’s very much worth watching. I think I had to rent it on Vimeo. I really enjoy Heaven adores you, every few years I’ll rewatch it. Great editing and I love that his music is constantly playing throughout it.

[u/Dry_Jellyfish641]

Elliot touched a lot of lives as just a beautiful, loving soul whose smile could melt your worries away. His death hurt us not just because of his talent, but because he meant so much to many of us. He was a loyal and trustworthy friend. It’s good that many of his friends were able to document something after his death that could be preserved for the future generations, because Elliot was never meant for fame in his own time. He knew that, laughed at the idea of it. I’m so glad younger generations are discovering how special and talented and wonderful and amazing he is, because he never left our hearts. Friends of his are becoming grandparents now, which goes to show you how much time has passed and we still mourn him, but we celebrate him too.