This Is Spinal Tap

After watching a scary movie, we generally need to watch something light-hearted to calm our nerves. We went down to our DVD library, and grabbed a Rob Reiner classic that I’d never seen before. Though it was one of the first in a series of films, I had somehow made it this far without seeing it. It was one of the first films that set the state for the fake documentary: This is Spinal Tap.

This film if a fake documentary detailing the last American tour of the British band Spinal Tap. Much like its following films, the story follows the group, rather than the individual, as they make their way across a shaky tour state to state. As the band travels from state to state, tensions rise as gigs are cancelled. Members begin to question each other, including several fights with their manager. After several trials and tribulations, a member quits the band, causing considerable trouble with their last few performances. The film finishes up with the member returning to the band, and announcing that Spinal Tap is a huge success in Japan.

One of the interesting things about this film is its ability to feel like a documentary even though the entire thing is scripted. The clever camera techniques and interviews helped make this feel as if it were a real story about real people.

Though the film does have its moments, I felt that overall, it didn’t carry itself as much as I had hoped. After seeing Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind, this film just didn’t seem to be on the same level. Though I did feel as if it did keep to its subject matter, and the direction was solid in terms of believability, I just had a hard time getting into it. The gags were spaced too far apart, and the characters, though colorful, just weren’t enough to keep my attention.

If you’ve not seen this film, I’m not sure I’d recommend it unless you are a fan of the specific group that does them. Writer/Director Christopher Guest helped write this film, and has gone on to do all the others. It’s important to know where the style and the writing began, but outside of that, I’m not sure it’ll keep your interest unless you’re already a fan of the series. I, unfortunately, haven’t been the greatest fan of their work, thus I had a hard time getting into this. Take caution, it may not be what you think. But it’s a good way to keep your girlfriend from having nightmares for the rest of the evening. 5 of 10