Anvil! The Story of Anvil

Empire Sam Toy

The lyrics to AC/DC’s Long Way To The Top were never more appropriate. Anvil! is exactly what's needed to slap the recent rash of doomsayer documentaries in the face -- preferably with a studded, fingerless leather glove.

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

It's a hilarious, and unexpectedly moving, documentary about the greatest metal band you've probably never heard of.

San Francisco Chronicle Peter Hartlaub

Anvil lives somewhere in that thoroughly entertaining gray area between self-parody and the triumph of human spirit.

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

A hilarious, touching, profound and inspiring film about art and dreams and self-belief and the goggle-eyed hope that you can will a miracle into reality through sheer effort and desire.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Noel Murray

Yet in his despair, there's something Kudlow misses, and it's what makes Anvil! as moving as it is hilarious.

The New Yorker Anthony Lane

The most stirring release of the year thus far is a documentary.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

Anvil! is one of the sweetest, funniest films I've seen this year. Also the loudest and most foulmouthed.

USA Today Claudia Puig

Neil Young once said: It's better to burn out than it is to rust. But moviegoers are lucky Anvil didn't take Young's advice. Who knew heavy metal could seem like fine art when it rusts?

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Want to find the heart of rock & roll? You can hear it thundering in Anvil.

Philadelphia Inquirer Dan DeLuca

For Kudlow, for whom "music lives forever" - it's never over. And the opportunity to seize the day continues to present itself in this deeply human documentary.

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

I can't imagine Anvil! not appealing to anyone interested in any aspect of showbiz, and the drug of fame, and the lives people lead in pursuit of the next fix.

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

Gervasi has tapped into a powerful if much-overlooked truth: humanity rocks.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

Alternately funny, sad and outrageous, Sacha Gervasi's terrific documentary feels like the lost sequel to “This Is Spinal Tap” -- and everyone involved seems to know it, except the leads.

Slate Dana Stevens

The director, Sacha Gervasi, is a fan first and a documentarian second. If Anvil! has a flaw, it's that it's too enthusiastic, a reverently uncritical valentine to the director's adolescent heroes.

Variety Dennis Harvey

Well-shot and edited, Anvil! is an underdog saga even non-metalheads will root for. It tows that fine line between chuckling at its protags' somewhat absurd situation and celebrating their sheer unwillingness to give up.

Village Voice Camille Dodero

Phenomenal rockumentary.

Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir

From the too-good-to-be-true desk comes this loving and hilarious portrait of Spinal Tap-esque Canadian metal band Anvil, who were briefly a hard-rock sensation in the early '80s (mainly for the song "Metal on Metal") and have been struggling along in total obscurity ever since.

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

You may never have expected to see the words heavy metal, endearing and warmhearted in the same sentence, but you just did.

Film Threat Zack Haddad

Every bit enjoyable as that famed mockumentary.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

"How many bands stay together for 30 years?" asks Slash of Guns N' Roses, in a backstage interview. "You've got the Stones, the Who, U2 -- and Anvil." Yeah. And Anvil.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey

Surprisingly touching and funny.

Premiere Staff (Not credited)

You won't be seeing any stretch Hummers, wild late night parties and 75,000 seat arena shows in this documentary, but that's what makes this so good.

New York Post V.A. Musetto

Not exactly as well known as Megadeth or Metallica, Anvil did indeed have 15 minutes of fame back in the 1980s. Then it went into obscurity. Now it's back, trying like hell to be somebody.

New York Magazine David Edelstein

The documentary is solid as … as … an anvil. And if you can forget Spinal Tap (hard), it's also rather touching the way these 50-year-olds still have the forged-in-fire fortitude.

Wall Street Journal Joanne Kaufman

A loopy, endearing documentary.

The New York Times A.O. Scott

Mr. Reiner and Mr. Kudlow may not quite merit full-metal glory, but they don't deserve oblivion either, and Anvil! The Story of Anvil makes both a case and a place for their band.