RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Anvil! The Story of Anvil

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2009)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
98 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:118

Fresh:116

Rotten:2

Average Rating:7.9/10

Consensus: A touching, uplifting and inspirational rockumentary about an aging metal band, both hilarious and heart-warming in equal measure.

Runtime: 90 mins

Genre: Musical & Performing Arts

US Box Office: $492,513

Synopsis: In the early 1980s, the Canadian metal band Anvil wrote the thrash blueprint for followers like Anthrax, Metallica, and Slayer. While those bands went on to become metal titans, Anvil faded into... In the early 1980s, the Canadian metal band Anvil wrote the thrash blueprint for followers like Anthrax, Metallica, and Slayer. While those bands went on to become metal titans, Anvil faded into obscurity--so much that decades later, the band’s core members--guitarist Steve "Lips" Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner--work menial day-jobs even as they continue to churn out little-heard records and dream of rock-star success. Director Sacha Gervasi (who was once a roadie for the band) chronicles the duo’s efforts to regain their '80s glory in the funny and touching documentary ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL. As the camera follows Anvil on a European tour organized by an inept manager and beset by comical, this-can’t-be-real moments--flubbed itineraries, audiences that can be counted on one hand, club owners who refuse to pay for gigs--it might be easy to mistake ANVIL! for a THIS IS SPINAL TAP mockumentary. But despite the snicker-inducing heavy-metal trappings, this is also a warmly human portrait of two men pursuing their creative passions despite Sisyphean odds. The film is at its best when it explores the codependent friendship between the optimistic Lips and the more pragmatic Reiner (friends since they were 14, the two bicker like an old married couple); their relationships with their families (some of whom are still supportive and others who wish the fiftysomething pair would just grow up); and the difficulties of pursing a career in music (while Lips’s siblings are solidly middle-class, the guys in Anvil just wanna rock--and they have made financial sacrifices to do so). Their struggles will ring true to anyone who has felt the pull of the artist’s life and wondered whether it would ever pay off. In Anvil's case, audiences will be rooting for them to finally make it to the big time. [More]

Starring: Anvil

Starring: Anvil

Director: Sacha Gervasi

Director: Sacha Gervasi
Producer: Rebecca Yeldham
Studio: Abramorama

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
1 of 1

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Anvil! The Story of Anvil

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

The music, heard in economical proportions, is secondary to the unexpectedly deep bond between its creators. Their story is an underdog's triumph that's difficult to deny.

Full Review Source: The Age (Australia) | comment Comment
09/11/09
Craig Mathieson
Craig Mathieson
The Age (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

See Anvil! if you love heavy metal, because these guys are legends. See Anvil! if you don't love heavy metal because this story is legendary.

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
09/10/09
Giles Hardie
Giles Hardie
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This Is Spinal Tap was a mockumentary, but this is for real, a portrait of a band that was very influential on later metal bands, like Metallica, but who found the big time elusive.

Full Review Source: At the Movies (Australia) | comment Comment
09/09/09
David Stratton
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A spectacular documentary that displays the camaraderie and passion these two musicians feel for their music in the face of continued rejection.

Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia) | comment Comment
09/08/09
Paul Southwell
Paul Southwell
FILMINK (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Anvil! has been described as the "real-life Spinal Tap", but it's sometimes more like a heavy metal remake of The Wrestler.

Full Review Source: Triple j | comment Comment
09/06/09
Martyn Pedler
Martyn Pedler
Triple j
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Incongruous, funny, unexpected and moving, Sacha Gervasi's film about the 80s band whose long career is anything but what we expect, is much more than a doco about a band

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
09/04/09
Louise Keller
Louise Keller
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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.

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
11/24/09
Jeffrey Chen
Jeffrey Chen
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

Its touching human interest story about survival hit me in the gut.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
11/19/09
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Well, the best movie of 2009 is a documentary about aging heavy metal musicians making a last-ditch effort at fame and fortune.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
11/14/09
Louis Proyect
Louis Proyect
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Anvil! goes all the way to 11.

Full Review Source: What Would Toto Watch? | comment Comment
11/10/09
Christian Toto
Christian Toto
What Would Toto Watch?

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.

Full Review Source: Suite101.com | comment Comment
10/17/09
Nick Rogers
Nick Rogers
Suite101.com

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.

Full Review Source: Cinema Signals | comment Comment
10/16/09
Jules Brenner
Jules Brenner
Cinema Signals

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.

Full Review Source: About.com | comment Comment
10/04/09
Jennifer Merin
Jennifer Merin
About.com

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.

Full Review Source: MovieTime, ABC Radio National | comment 2 Comments
09/11/09
Ruth Hessey
Ruth Hessey
MovieTime, ABC Radio National
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Anvil! The Story of Anvil is overflowing with honesty. It is fair to say that it is to metal what The Wrestler is to wrestling. It is brutal but, in a way, triumphant.

Full Review Source: UGO | comment Comment
08/14/09
Jordan Hoffman
Jordan Hoffman
UGO

Comedy, drama, unforgettable characters, good music, and an underdog story. Don't miss it!

Full Review Source: Movie Habit | comment Comment
07/26/09
Marty Mapes
Marty Mapes
Movie Habit

A 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.

Full Review Source: Miami Herald | comment Comment
07/10/09
Cary Darling
Cary Darling
Miami Herald

Presents likeable characters, puts them in tough situations, and illuminates their souls with humor and sincerity. It just so happens that the two men who populate this story used to wear leather S&M gear onstage and play guitars with dildos.

Full Review Source: Scene-Stealers.com | comment Comment
06/30/09
Eric Melin
Eric Melin
Scene-Stealers.com

An affectionate portrait rather than a sad, derisive takedown, Anvil! The Story of Anvil finds inspiration in the passion and tenacity these aging metalheads display.

Full Review Source: Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema | comment Comment
06/28/09
Mark Pfeiffer
Mark Pfeiffer
Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema

In the end, we get the delight of a portrait of some guys who never packed it in, and the endorsement of the indomitability of the human spirit.

Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | comment Comment
06/17/09
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
all

Latest News for Anvil! The Story of Anvil

September 01, 2009: Keanu Commits to Henry's Crime Opens in new window
"Anvil!" director Sacha Gervasi is working on his next project, a "twisted romantic comedy" titled "Henry's Crime." Keanu Reeves is attached to star. More...

April 09, 2009: Critics Consensus: Hannah Montana Hits A Flat Note
This week at the movies, we've got a pop songbird (Hannah Montana the Movie, starring Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus), a mall cop (Observe and Report, starring Seth Rogen and Anna... More...

January 20, 2009: click to watch the trailer Opens in new window
More...

See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

71% 71% Where the Wild Things Are 03/12
83% 83% Paranormal Activity 03/12
89% 89% Zombieland 03/12
77% 77% The Informant! 03/12
— The Strength of Water 03/12

What’s Hot On RT

Ban Them All!

Ban Them All!

10 Most Controversial Movies

Zombieland

Zombieland

Director Ruben Fleischer's favourites

New Avatar action

New Avatar action

Watch an exclusive chase clip from the film

Kids' Book Films

Kids' Book Films

We fly through 10 of the best

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
54
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
24
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
48
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
128
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
181
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
92
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
80
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
80
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
70
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
45
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
22
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
18
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Total Recall: Children's Book Adaptations
3
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
21
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Anvil! The Story of Anvil at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Anvil! The Story of Anvil at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
Dressing Wonderland
Dressing Wonderland External Link

Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.

Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Win Glee DVDs
Win Glee DVDs External Link

We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.

Win tickets to Cold Souls
Win tickets to Cold Souls External Link

Double passes up for grabs to the new comedy starring Paul Giamatti.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Win Star Wars prizes External Link

Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser

Win the entire 007 collection
Win the entire 007 collection External Link

Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.

Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more External Link

We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.