Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
What happens when a generation's ultimate anti-authoritarians — punk rockers — become society's ultimate authorities — dads? With a large chorus of punk rock's leading men — Blink-182's Mark Hoppus, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, Rise Against's Tim McIlrath — The Other F Word follows Jim Lindberg, 20-year veteran of skate punk band, Pennywise, on his hysterical and moving journey from belting his band's anthem, "Fuck Authority", to embracing his ultimately pivotal authoritarian role in mid-life, fatherhood.
The Other F Word is a solid music documentary that finds a genuinely compelling central irony — punk rockers becoming fathers — and mines it with warmth and humor. Jim Lindberg is a likable subject and the film benefits from candid access to a range of well-known punk figures. However, cinematography is functional at best, following standard documentary conventions without visual distinction. The narrative arc is familiar (aging rebel confronts domesticity) and while the punk-versus-parenthood hook gives it a fresh angle, it doesn't transcend the talking-heads doc format. The ending is emotionally satisfying but unsurprising given the trajectory. Novelty earns a modest above-average for the clever conceptual framing, even if execution is conventional.