Review of Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008) by Tim F — 23 Feb 2010

"I feel so bad for these poor bastards", is exactly what you will be exclaiming after one watch of Anvil.

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, despite never hitting the big time. 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.......

Except at the end of the film, you're told they are recording a 14th album, so apparently this wasn't their last attempt and from the looks of these poor souls throughout the movie, the 14th won't be either.

I really don't know what to make of this. I'm giving it a good review because it's actually a very good documentary and there is definitely no arguing that this is more entertaining than watching a fat kid run a marathon. Really, you cannot write this shit! But I really didn't know what to feel when I watched this. You find yourself laughing so much at times at the complete and utter ridiculousness of it all, I mean c'mon, these dudes have been trying for like 30 years! and they refuse to quit, they refuse to change their style to fit the wants of the present music industry and the lead singer and guitarist, Lips, is more inspirational in the hopes of them making it big than Mel Gibson is in Braveheart. Which makes you then feel bad for the guys but at the same time, you find yourself rallying behind them. It's just the weirdest twist of feelings in this movie.

These guys live shitty lives, their music sucks, everyone loves them but nobody has the heart to tell them. And even if millions of people, including their supporting families did tell them, there still would be no stopping Anvil ! The Neverending Story of Depression, I mean Anvil!