On seeing the adverts for this film, I thought it was a spoof documentary like "Spinal Tap". Wrong!
This is a brilliant, moving, hilarious and beautifully directed tribute to his childhood heroes by Sacha Gervasi. Due to his long-standing friendship with the band, they allowed him access to their whole lives, not just backstage, so you really see who these guys are and where they come from.
They came so close to making it big when they were young, and are quoted as heroes by many other famous rockers in the film - like Lemmy from Motorhead. But it never quite happened for them, for one reason or another they just didn't make the big time.
As the documentary opens, we see them living their lives and coping with their boring, everyday jobs, but it doesn't stop them loving what they do and continuing to live the dream by performing their music whole-heartedly at any opportunity, even on a disastrous European Tour where they often have only a handful of people in the audience.
Sacha Gervasi underplays the coverage beautifully and his affection for his subject shines through. He could easily have twisted the material and made us laugh AT the band. Instead, we laugh with them, we really feel their heartaches as things go from bad to worse on tour, we dare to hope with them as they try to plan the recording and release of their thirteenth CD in their 30-year history, and we cheer with them at any tiny victory they gain in their dream of becoming rock n roll heroes and performing to packed venues.
These guys really deserve recognition - it's really not my sort of music but, boy, what dedication!
You must see this film. All human life is here...