Review of Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008) by M C — 27 Dec 2009

Suggested triple feature: Anvil, Spinal Tap and The Wrestler. You can throw in Some Kind of Monster and The King of Kong if you want to make a whole day of it. This Canadian band missed its chance at the big time back in the early 80s but is undeterred in their ambitions.

Are they delusional or are they heroic? The answer is a little of both but mostly it is just an attempt to recapture or maintain a little of the glory of their youth. The guys are endearingly dysfunctional and the film is full or hilarious scenes although it is never mean spirited.

As a matter of fact, the director reveals himself to be an outright fan. Amazingly the guys have stayed together for over 30 years while struggling to pays their mortgages and delivering meals to pre-schools or doing telesales to make ends meet.

There is something especially poignant is seeing these Rock Gods struggle to make it in the regular world (I kept thinking of the deli scene from The Wrestler). At least their immersion into their alternate rock personas give them a bit of relief from the drudgery.

We should all be so lucky.