
2008
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Documentary / Music
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1h21
Summary
At 14, best friends Robb Reiner and Lips made a pact to rock together forever. Their band, Anvil, hailed as the "demi-gods of Canadian metal" influenced a musical generation that includes Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. Following a calamitous European tour, Lips and Robb, now in their fifties, set off to record their 13th album in one last attempt to fulfill their boyhood dreams.
Inspirational. The music is terrible. The band is awesome. I thought I loved music, and maybe I do. But the best music is about people; people who struggle; people who persevere; people who overcome. Anvil's best song, maybe their only song, is who they are. There are bigger bands. In fact, I can't think of a band with less to show for their efforts. But there is no bigger heart in music history. Painful film to watch. It's almost like finding out that Spinal Tap was a true story. But with the same ending and the joy of their eventual triumph. Kudos to Sacha Gervasi for telling this story, warts and all. It couldn't have been easy. Outstanding.