Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2007)
Average Rating: 8/10
Reviews Counted: 134
Fresh: 131 | Rotten: 3
A touching, uplifting and inspirational rockumentary about an aging metal band, both hilarious and heart-warming in equal measure.
Average Rating: 7.8/10
Critic Reviews: 35
Fresh: 34 | Rotten: 1
A touching, uplifting and inspirational rockumentary about an aging metal band, both hilarious and heart-warming in equal measure.
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Average Rating: 4.1/5
User Ratings: 8,321
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Movie Info
In 1981, Canadian heavy metal band Anvil released their first album, Hard 'n' Heavy, which earned them a potent reputation among discerning headbangers and established them as one of the pioneering acts of the speed metal movement. Anvil had a loyal following in their native Canada and they shared stages with some of the biggest names in heavy rock, but the lucky break that would have elevated them to real stardom never came, and legal troubles helped to derail the group's career in the
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All Critics (134) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (133) | Rotten (3) | DVD (4)
While it's undoubtedly comical and touching, a pall of middle-aged gloom hovers over the antics of Canada's longest surviving death metal band.
Top CriticA winning and surprisingly moving documentary about -- wait for it -- a struggling Canadian heavy metal band that apparently influenced a generation of hard-rockers including Metallica, Anthrax and Guns N' Roses.
Cute if predictable.
Now THIS is Spinal Tap.
It's an affectionate portrait of performers starving for applause, achingly funny as only real life can be.
The new documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil succeeds every which way, as '80s metal nostalgia, as a twisted sort of reality-show attempt at a comeback, as an unexpectedly touching portrait of a friendship.
A winning way to thrash out an evening's entertainment.
It's worth seeing because it's as dramatic as movies come, and the characters are more real than anything you'll see in a work of fiction.
Anvil! es ante todo el retrato de una amistad verdadera, la de dos compañeros de ruta que a pesar del paso del tiempo y de los fracasos (...) todavía siguen persiguiendo el mismo sueño loco de cuando eran adolescentes.
Anvil is an inspirational documentary which provides witness to the power of the human spirit, played to a heavy metal soundtrack.
Transcends thrash metal culture and becomes a working class tale of doing what you love at all costs.
One of the most uplifting and inspirational movies of the year.
The journey of Anvil in the film is one suffused with love and passion...they are the poster-band for passion, and their story is worth checking out.
What's so refreshing about 'Anvil: The Story of Anvil' is that it focuses on a Toronto band named Anvil who have been playing for 30 years despite having no commercial success to show for it.
I found more real-life poetry about aspiration and failure in a fictional effort such as The Wrestler.
This is one of those movies that makes you want to find out what happens next, and those are the best kind.
You'll learn nothing new here about chasing the dream, but this non-fiction story may convince you to make room in your heart to appreciate the combination of earnestness and doggedness that some people maintain.
Its touching human interest story about survival hit me in the gut.
Well, the best movie of 2009 is a documentary about aging heavy metal musicians making a last-ditch effort at fame and fortune.
Anvil! goes all the way to 11.
Let's be honest: Anvil is not metal's missing link, and "Anvil!" has been awfully overpraised. However, it's worth watching for the frequent moments of warm, humane heavy-metal comedy and the antagonistic push-and-pull of Canadian creative cousins.
Two musical wannabes in a perpetual reach for the brass ring. But where it will lead remains unanswered by anything more than what they've always had in great quantity. Hope.
Anvil is rock solid entertainment. Whether you're mad for metal or not, you'll find the band's talent, spirit, humor--and mettle--a real rush.
Audience Reviews for Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Super Reviewer
When Anvil was unable to follow up their shot - the final slot on a tour of Japan that also featured Scorpions and Bon Jovi - they wound up doing everything themselves. The Story of Anvil is a touching documentary that can bring you to tears in some places - Lips and Robb never quite lose that fanboy joy, no matter how badly things go, or which members of which big bands don't remember them - and it can make you laug out loud in others. Typical line: "The tour went wrong. Everything went disastrously wrong. But at least there was a tour for things to go wrong on. I don't regret a minute of it." Talk about an optimist! At its core, this film is about two regular guys who just love what they do, and who keep doing it, for themselves and for each other. As every struggling artist knows, you have to imagine that Sisyphus is happy. Excellent documentary, a wonderful surprise.
Super Reviewer
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Latest News on Anvil! The Story of Anvil
November 21, 2012:
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March 30, 2012:
Anvil Plans Sequel to Anvil! The Story of AnvilThe Canadian heavy metal legends will return in "Anvil 2: The Quest for World Peace."
September 1, 2009:
Keanu Commits to Henry's Crime"Anvil!" director Sacha Gervasi is working on his next project, a "twisted romantic comedy" titled...
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Foreign Titles
- Anvil! Die Geschichte einer Freundschaft (DE)
- Anvil ! (FR)
