Review of Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008) by Don A — 15 Sep 2009

This has got to be the most original documentary to come down the pipes in years. It follows the 80's metal band Anvil who should have made it big, but never did. Now years later, the 50-something permed hair aging rockers have never given up on their dreams and still hope to finally make it big.

There was a danger in making a movie like this, instead of going for the obvious gags, the film maker treats his subjects with the utmost respect and pokes fun of the situations rather than the band. Lips and Robb are genuinely fun down to earth guys that you can't help but root for.

And it's fun to watch them interact, heart breaking to see them not realize their dreams after all these years, but ultimately inspiring to see them never quit chasing it. The movie is a combination of Spinal Tap and Ordinary People and The Wrestler.

There is a real connection between the viewer and this movie and that level of connection is rare in dramatic films and practically unheard of in documentaries but Anvil creates and holds that tension to the breathtaking end.