Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Dir: Sacha Gervasi
Rating: 4.0
Abramorama Films
90 Minutes
I’m not the biggest fan of This is Spinal Tap, but it turns out when you have the same scenario happen in real life, it’s more sad than it is funny. Conversely, it’s also more rewarding and even a bit uplifting. And it’s called Anvil! The Story of Anvil.
Despite the façade of reality that a good mockumentary paints, it’s still wholly fictional. Spinal Tap is a band of idiots that make stupid music with titles like “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight.” They exist for us to laugh their silly efforts to get back on top. Sure, we might identify with them a bit, but the mockumentary affords the luxury of creating characters that don’t necessarily have to be likable.
Anvil, on the other hand, is not Spinal Tap. They’re beloved by the most devout metalheads, having influenced such bands as Anthrax, Slayer and Metallica and releasing three classic metal albums. While their contemporaries and imitators became major rock stars, somehow Anvil spent 30 years languishing in obscurity.
Ironically, the drummer of Anvil is named Robb Reiner. No, seriously.
The film captures Anvil in 2005, following their latest attempts at grasping that fame that never came. Retaining only two of the original members, best friends Steve “Lips” Kudlow and Robb Reiner, Anvil embark on a disastrous tour of Europe and attempt to record their thirteenth album.
One would have thought the band would have dissolved by now (obviously a couple of them moved on), realizing the dream is over, but Kudlow and Reiner refuse to stop doing what they love. Who cares that they’re pushing 50 and work meager day jobs? Their age and struggle for their rightful fame in a youth-obsessed industry alone proves inspiring.
Anvil’s efforts easily could have been played for laughs, as the trailer kind of suggests. Director Sacha Gervasi was a fan as a teenager and even toured with them as a roadie and could have easily then painted a rose-colored depiction of Anvil simply based on their inspiring tenacity. Rather, Gervasi shows a surprising balance by leaving in the ugliest moments along with the bits of unintentional comedy. We have Kudlow blowing up at a concert promoter who won’t pay up, but we also have Anvil playing at a band member’s wedding reception — to a host of old people and children.
It’s ironic that a documentary about a band that struggles in obscurity will undoubtedly give Anvil more exposure than ever. One hopes for a resurgence in popularity, but one hopes this bit of success doesn’t go to their heads lest in a few years we’re faced with a really depressing sequel.
by Danny Djeljosevic
