LFF review: Anvil! The Story of Anvil

Anvil are a metal band that never made it. Despite influencing future million-sellers Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax, Anvil never had a hit record. But that hasn’t stopped founders Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow (vocals and lead guitar) and Robb Reiner (drums) striving for success for 30 years.

This documentary charts their attempts at one more shot at glory. It’s an emotional roller coaster ride, filmed with full access by Sacha Gervasi, a British writer/director who ran away from home at the age of 16 to join Anvil on tour. He’d lost touch with them for 20 years before hooking up again a few years ago. The film is not a fan’s unquestioning review – the full access means we do see the band in warts and all reality.

This inspirational film has already won audience awards at the Sydney and LA Film Festivals – and must stand a chance of picking up the LFF award, particularly as the band came on stage at the end to perform some of their classics to a cheering audience (below).

















This is the metal film that you don’t have to enjoy metal to like as it’s as much about universal human values like friendship, passion and dogged determination as anything else.

Ultimately, this knocks spots off Metallica’s Some Kind of Monster. Where that revealed how thoroughly unlikeable the band were and how bloated by success they’d become, Anvil reveals two honest, hard-working guys who are not yet prepared to give up on their dreams.

That thanks to the film they may yet achieve their dreams gives hope to us all.
Score: 9
(Photograph courtesy of J Moore Esq)