Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
At 14, best friends Robb Reiner and Lips made a pact to rock together forever. Their band, Anvil, hailed as the "demi-gods of Canadian metal" influenced a musical generation that includes Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. Following a calamitous European tour, Lips and Robb, now in their fifties, set off to record their 13th album in one last attempt to fulfill their boyhood dreams.
Anvil! is a remarkably distinctive documentary whose power lies in its uncanny resemblance to a mockumentary — it plays like a real-life Spinal Tap, yet is entirely genuine. The story of two aging metal dreamers refusing to quit is deeply human and surprisingly moving, giving it a singular emotional register that sets it apart from standard rock docs. The novelty is undeniable: the specific combination of absurdist comedy, pathos, and authentic friendship makes it one-of-a-kind. Cinematography is functional and vérité without being especially artful. The plot, while compelling, follows a fairly familiar 'underdog persists' arc. Acting is moot in a documentary sense, though Lips and Robb are naturally compelling on camera. The ending is satisfying but not transcendent.