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A working class boy from Glasgow redefines what it means to be an Australian Working Class Man. From the excess and success of Cold Chisel to the ups and downs of his solo years, this documentary special is a spellbinding and searingly honest reflection on success, addiction, class, domestic violence, love, marriage, family, aging, tolerance, healing, re-birth and – in its darkest moments – death. Thrilling highs and terrifying lows are all told through Jimmy’s eyes with his trademark honesty and insight. This is a story about how it's never too late to try to put things right, and just when you thought the biggest dramas of life were all behind you, a final hurdle awaits. Working Class Man pulls together major themes in Australian society, spanning from the 1960s to the present day. They are expressed through Jimmy’s personal story and the extraordinary way he has maintained a unique and powerful connection with a vast audience through every surprising step of his journey. This is also a love story, but not a fairy tale. Jimmy's love for his wife Jane, her love and commitment to him and to creating and nurturing a family together is what saved him in the end.
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Jimmy Barnes: Working Class Man (2025)
107 min
After finding fame with pub rock legends Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes became an Australian icon through the success of his solo career. Having escaped his hard-knocks upbringing, married the love of his life and released a string of number-one albums, the man known across the country simply as 'Barnesy' had seemingly made it. But financial issues, heavy drug use, gruelling tours, a failure to crack the US and the spectre of childhood trauma all still weighed upon him, eventually finding their release in words – as this intimate new account reveals.