Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to Paul Simon 2022 TV Review

Paul Simon

The singer and composer of “The Sound of Silence” and several other 20th-century successes, Paul Simon, is honored in “HOMEWARD BOUND: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon” (9 p.m., CBS), which contains performances by multiple generations of musicians.

A few of the performers are Trisha Yearwood, Eric Church, Garth Brooks, the Jonas Brothers, Ledisi, Angelique Kidjo, Little Big Town, Dave Matthews, Billy Porter, Brad Paisley, and Rhiannon Giddens.

In addition to creating decades’ worth of music, Simon was involved in important and ground-breaking events in the history of film and television. He also performed with his companion Art Garfunkel and as a solo artist.

Paul Simon’s Tribute Features Multiple Artists 

The 1967 comedy “The Graduate,” directed by Mike Nichols and starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft, relied heavily on the music of Simon and Garfunkel to be a success. It may be claimed that the release of “The Graduate” and “Bonnie & Clyde” in the same year marked a turning point in cinema history, putting an end to the Hays Code, which had restricted filmmakers’ freedom since the 1930s, and bringing in a new generation of directors.

“The Graduate,” though now regarded as a masterpiece, was also a big financial success. It continues to rank among the highest-grossing comedies of all time after being adjusted for inflation. A decade later, Paul Simon appeared in Woody Allen’s enormously influential comedy “Annie Hall” in a minor but crucial role. Without “Annie Hall,” “Diner,” “Seinfeld,” “Friends,” and all the comedies that imitated them, would not exist.

The rest of the show, which was shot in front of a live audience at Hollywood’s Pantages back in April (see Variety’s next-day coverage here), seems flawlessly picked by producer Ken Ehrlich, though not particularly notable for out-of-the-blue twists. There are no concessions to the youth vote other than the Jonas Brothers’ inclusion of “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” which, despite their admiration for one of the greats, is perhaps the least important performance here. But it’s okay that they opted not to invite someone like Gayle.