This is yet another movie regarded as one of the funniest comedies in the AFI Hall of Fame that doesn't even deserve to be a runner-up. Who are the members of the AFI? I'd like to have a word with them. This pseudo-documentary/pseudo-comedy starts out with a few funny gags, scattered here and there. But in the second and third acts, when the band goes downhill, the comedy becomes as soggy as a wet rag. The gags are so slight and cheap. We're stuck with bland gags, like the one about the tiny sandwiches in the dressing room. Wow, is that a classic moment or what!!! Just one bland gag after another. Even though the running time was a mere 83 minutes, I found it tedious and lagging. This is one of those comedies I have to watch with someone to actually find which moments are supposed to be funny. I probably still won't get a laugh, but at least I'll have more of an understanding. Is this film true to the world of rock and roll, and does it have a satirical bite? I don't know. Maybe. Whatever it was, it sure as hell wasn't interesting. I don't know much about rock and roll, as far the behind-the-scenes stuff goes, but I don't care what happens off-stage if it's going to be this boring. If you want to see a good film about rock and roll, see "Almost Famous." Better yet, if you want to see a much better mockumentary about the music business--see "Fear of a Black Hat." A much more scatological comedy, but a much smarter and entertaining one as well.
Review of This Is Spinal Tap
