OZZY OSBOURNE's Son Slams Writer Over 'God Bless' Review

Ozzy Osbourne's son, Jack Osbourne, has slammed Variety writer John Anderson over Anderson's review of "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne", a feature-length documentary about the life of the legendary heavy metal singer.

"God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" was co-produced by Jack Osbourne and is the first film released by Jack's production company, Jacko Productions. The documentary, which was originally titled "Wreckage Of My Past: The Ozzy Osbourne Story", was directed by Mike Fleiss and Mike Piscitelli.

Anderson's review was generally favorable, with the writer calling the film a "rather affectionate and candid portrait" that will find "fans respond[ing] enthusiastically" while "nonfans will grow restless as Osbourne's late-inning sobriety is dwelt upon at length."

The article infuriated Jack Osbourne, who addressed the publication directly in a post on Twitter, writing, "Dear Variety magazine, your review of my film is absolute bollocks. Your journalist obviously had his head up his arse the entire time."

"God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" premiered on April 24 at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City and received a positive review from Entertainment Weekly, which said, "What could have been a glossy, fawning tribute to the most visible face in heavy metal music history — especially considering it was co-produced by his son, Jack — actually turned out to be a remarkably evenhanded look at Ozzy's monumental musical influence as well as his less exemplary life as an addict and often-absent father."

Critic Joseph Brannigan Lynch added, "'God Bless Ozzy Osbourne' may not answer the question 'What makes Ozzy act so... Ozzy-like?', but it's hardly a fluffy tribute. This documentary succeeds in offering a balanced portrait of a man who made many mistakes over the course of his addiction-riddled life and also happens to be one of the most influential hard rock singers ever."

Lynch also wrote that the film "starts with Osbourne's poor childhood in the cramped quarters of inner-city Birmingham, England, and goes up to his long-sought sobriety following the end of the water-cooler fodder reality series 'The Osbournes'."

While the movie does not delve into certain aspects of Ozzy's life — such as his attempted strangulation of wife/manager Sharon years ago — frank interviews with his five children "portray him as an absentee father even when he was physically present due to his mind-numbing abuse of pills, cocaine and liquor," according to Lynch.

The film features interviews with many of Ozzy's family members, friend and colleagues, including Paul McCartney, the members of BLACK SABBATH and MÖTLEY CRÜE's Tommy Lee.

Plans for theatrical distribution have yet to be announced.