USA – 2009 – 80 MIN – COLOUR - FEATURE - IN ENGLISH
A FILM BY SACHA GERVASI

At 14, Toronto school friends Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner made a pact to rock together forever. They meant it.

Their band, Anvil, went on to become the "demigods of Canadian metal," releasing one of the heaviest albums in metal history, 1982's Metal on Metal. The album influenced a musical generation, including Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, that went on to sell millions of records. But Anvil's career took a different path — straight to obscurity.

Director Sacha Gervasi has concocted a wonderful and often hilarious account of Anvil's last-ditch quest for elusive fame and fortune. His ingenious filmmaking may first lead you to think this a mockumentary, but it isn't. Gervasi joined the legendary heavy-metal band as a roadie for a tour of Canadian hockey arenas, so he has intimate insight into the members' eccentricities. It's fascinating to see the reality of their day-to-day lives as they struggle to make ends meet, take a misguided European tour, and engage in antics on the road - which is not always lined with fans. Gervasi even finds a softer center to this raucous film, introducing us to band members' ever-supportive, but long-suffering, families. 

At its core, ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL is a timeless tale of survival and the unadulterated passion it takes to follow your dream, year after year. Anvil rocks - it has no other choice."
- John Cooper (from the Sundance Film Fest 2008 Catalog)

 

REVIEWS


Toronto Film Critics Association, ANVIL makes "best of" list for 2009!
- TWITCH FILM

"ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL: the best documentary in a year of very good documentaries, so naturally it was left off the Oscar shortlist. The producers are hoping for a Best Picture slot. That probably won't happen, but that doesn't take away from the amazing story and memorable characters in this look at a Canadian heavy metal band that never gave up on its dream of the big time."
- THE GLOBE AND MAIL

"The movie that helped vault Canadian heavy metal band Anvil into the global spotlight has been named the year's best music documentary by the International Documentary Association."
- CBC

"Heavy-metal veterans Anvil busy making the most of long-awaited fame"
- EDMONTON SUN

"However foolhardy Kudlow and Reiner's quest may seem, they remain real people, still intent on making music they clearly love"
- WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

"The over-the-top charms of Sacha Gervasi’s “rockumentary” are capably hinted at with its splendidly redundant title. What’s not so obvious is just how affecting the film proves to be."
- WE VANCOUVER

"Endearingly protective as he is of singer-guitarist Steve “Lips” Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner, director Sacha Gervasi will allow that the two main men of Anvil are, to put things delicately, a tad out there. So much so that the L.A.–based Brit often found himself with some reassuring to do during the two years he and his team followed the Toronto metalheads for the rock-doc ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL."
- THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT

"Like so many reviewers before me I must say the 4 and 5 stars are well deserved."
- NXNE

"ROCK SOLID"
- THE NEW YOKER

"...a lifetime worth of drama, setbacks and especially friendship"
- THE GLOBE AND MAIL

"...easily one of the most compelling rock docs in years."
- EXCLAIM!

"We're left rooting for our own homegrown head-bangers to become the world's oldest overnight successes."
- TORONTO SUN

"...a feel-good phenomenon"
- TORONTO SUN

"Canada’s answer to Spinal Tap"
- METRO

"...a powerful reminder of the lure of dreams, even when everyone else says those dreams should be discarded"
- SUITE101

"...one of the all-time great rockumentaries"
- CBC

Anvil Prove Their 'Metal' In Gutsy Documentary About Following Dreams
- CITYTV NEWS