A goofy, lovable doc on the band Anvil who were touted as a great outfit on the rise in the 80's only to have their ascent sidelined for over 20 years. By sheer will & hard work, the band continue to tour hoping to finally meet their big break but it never comes. Only a last ditch gig in Japan promises the release of a new CD & possibly a new lease for their career. Fun & smiles from start to finish.

Anvil: The Story of Anvil follows a commercially unsuccessful but influential Canadian heavy metal band having one last shot at their dreams. This may be a documentary, but it plays out like a fiction film. It's got compelling characters, a great message and a satisfying story, so it will work even for those who aren't documentary fans. ATSOA is an unexpectedly solid work. Both in terms of the story's conclusion and documentary filmmaking, it's a triumph. It's also funny and unexpectedly moving. I have a confession: The scene at the end where the band go to a gig and find a huge cheering audience, which is what they were desperately hoping for throughout the entire film, nearly moved me to tears. A documentary about a heavy metal band had that emotional effect. In general, it's a really strong documentary. It tells the story well, it's well made, it gets the information across clearly and it manages to keep you interested throughout. Plus, it's only 80 minutes so it doesn't outstay its welcome.It won't necessarily be the most compelling thing for all audience members and many of the scenes feel overly similar to one another. As a result, the film gains a slightly repetitive feel, but it rises above this. It's unexpectedly tough viewing and quite sad in parts, but it's uplifting in the end. It also makes you want to try Anvil's music and the band members are far more likable and compelling than many a movie character. Your attention may wander at times, but this is a documentary that is definitely worth your time and also stands out as a very fine film about rock and roll. Most impressively of all, it's an affecting and uplifting drama with full developed characters, an entertaining story arc, humour and genuine filmmaking skill yet none of it is staged and it's all real life. This is easily more compelling than much of what Hollywood does, and there's not an explosion in sight.8/10

I have to reluctantly admit that if I'm one hundred percent honest with myself I'm in love with the romance of rock n roll music more than I'm in love with the music itself. My tastes are a little more modern and to me, and I'm aware this is a sweeping statement, the music feels just a touch dated. However, with this fact in mind, The Story of Anvil ticks just every single box. Aside from being a gripping story, featuring truly endearing characters, it just oozes romance that wouldn't sit in a fictional movie but in a documentary it serves to remind me how wonderfully ironic real life can be. From start to finish I was on board, willing them to succeed, riveted by their story up to now and just thoroughly entertained. I defy anyone not to smile along with this film, no matter what your musical taste.

Heavy metal really isn't my thing and also full length documentaries aren't always. So I was a bit worried a might end up not liking this documentary at all but instead it surprised me with how much I loved it by the end.This is not a pretentious documentary that takes an artistic approach and sets up certain moments. It instead is a very humane and honest one, focusing on its persons, that takes a snappy approach and tells its story in such an incredible engaging way. It's a documentary that will make you laugh and is fun to watch throughout but it's also one that plays with all of your other emotions as well and might make you cry.Secret to this is because we get very close to the documentary its very likable subjects, who after 30 years are still chasing their dreams. Normally you would expect a documentary to be made about a band that's successful or on the rise. A documentary about how against all odds they made it to the top but not this documentary. Here we instead have a band that against all odds never made it. Chances are you never heard of the band Anvil before, while in fact they were one of the earliest heavy metal bands, that also influenced many other big and well known bands. It doesn't stop the band from playing and still being hopeful at a breakthrough though.Their lack of success has certain kept the band members humble and down to Earth, though at the same time their hunger for recognition also makes them blind at times. It makes you think about when chasing a dream can be a great and wonderful thing and when it's simply time to stop trying and accept that some things aren't meant to be. This is also a question that rises up multiple times throughout this documentary, mostly by the family and loved ones of the main two band members, who also started the band originally, Steve 'Lips' Kudlow and Robb Reiner. They are well in their 50's and all have a family to take care off as well, without a steady job or a bank full with money. Is it still responsible to keep chasing your dreams by then? Watch this documentary and judge for yourself.It's not so much a documentary that looks at the past but instead at the future but by focusing on the now. We don't just get to see interviews with the band members sitting around, we get to see them touring, all over the world, earning basically no money and facing lots of other struggles, hoping for that one gig that will mean their road to success and their singing with a big record label. It's a very inspiring documentary, even if you have absolutely nothing with music at all.A both foremost fun and extremely engaging emotional documentary to watch, about real people still chasing their dreams.9/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/