A clever, absorbing documentary about They Might Be Giants, a musical duo whose brainy, idiosyncratic brand of pop has earned them decades of cult success.
A clever, absorbing documentary about They Might Be Giants, a musical duo whose brainy, idiosyncratic brand of pop has earned them decades of cult success.
John Flansburgh and John Linnell are a pair of musicians who met when they were fellow junior-high misfits in the town of Lincoln, MA. Sharing a fondness for off-center pop music and absurdist humor, the pair decided to form a band, and later moved to Brooklyn, NY, in search of their big break. Adopting a rather unusual two-man lineup (guitar and accordion accompanied by a drum machine), the duo began performing as They Might Be Giants, and their shows were part concert, part performance art,
and part edgy comedy. Slowly but surely, They Might Be Giants became one of the biggest bands on the alternative rock scene, and while they never threatened to break into the upper reaches of the Billboard charts, they've managed to develop a loyal cult following, and after nearly 20 years together, are still recording and performing their one-of-a-kind songs on their own terms. Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns) is a documentary which looks at the long and sometimes strange history of They Might Be Giants, featuring extensive interviews with Flansburgh and Linnell; thoughts from fellow musicians Frank Black and Syd Straw; endorsements from noted authors Dave Eggers, Gina Arnold, and Michael Azerrad; and readings of the group's lyrics from actors (and fans) Harry Shearer, Janeane Garofalo, Michael McKean, and Annette O'Toole. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Predictably, Flansburgh and Linnell are the saving grace of the movie, both in their interview segments (refreshingly witty, although the editing could have been tighter) and particularly in the live footage.
As tooting-your -own-horn documentaries about innovative alt-rockers who've been around for 20 years go, Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns goes very well indeed.
Clever in a good way, this spirited documentary delves gently into the story of indie band They Might Be Giants, building a case for a couple of good-natured visionaries and pioneers who blazed trails for non-hair bands in the early days.
Gigantic may not be as different a music movie as it thinks it is, what with its by-the-book fluffiness. But that's OK, really, since it's a fun watch anyway.
Suffers the same banal fate of most band documentaries. It's essential for rabid fans but even ordinary ones will live rich and meaningful lives without ever having seen one minute of it.
Being a huge fan of TMBG I am obviously biased but I thoroughly enjoyed this movie! I admit that if you are not a TMBG fan you probably aren't going to be as impressed with it (though if you are not a fan I am not sure why you would want to see it.) I don't know that it would necessarily win new fans but it does seem
to have what is needed to make those who are already fans happy. Long live the Johns!Also, of great value to fans is the DVD extras which include some old promos and music videos and things. Quite a nice little treasure trove of TMBG-ness!
I'm not sure how interesting it would be for non-TMBG fans, but for those already in the fold, it's a real treat. A fascinating insight into songwriting, popular music, and of course, They Might Be Giants
No quotes approved yet for Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns). Logged in users can submit quotes.
Submit a Quote from 'Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)'
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Top Critic
