--- title: "Anvil! The Story of Anvil: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/anvil-the-story-of-anvil/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/anvil-the-story-of-anvil" critics_score: 83 critics_reviews: 17 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008): what the critics said Critics' score 83 from 17 reviews: 17 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. All seventeen reviews are favourable, and most of them say the same thing in the same order: the film is funny in the way This Is Spinal Tap is funny, and then, unexpectedly, it is moving. The praise clusters on the two men at its centre, Lips and Reiner, and on the friendship that has kept them playing small rooms for decades while holding down day jobs. Critics note again and again that Sacha Gervasi does not patronise his subjects, so the mishaps of the European tour play as affection rather than ridicule. The spread is narrow, running from good to warmly enthusiastic, and the reservations are slight. A few critics are less sure of the tone. The New York Times wonders whether the film is a straight chronicle or a deadpan mockery of the band, and The Independent finds it as heartbreaking as it is comic, a study of grown men clinging to childhood ambitions. Nobody, though, suggests missing it. ## Time Out Rating 5/5. The film is a supremely entertaining and touching tribute that matches the laughs of This Is Spinal Tap while portraying the band's members as inspirational figures pursuing their rock dreams. It highlights the absurdities of their European tour without ever becoming scornful of their antics or in-fighting. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/anvil-the-story-of-anvil-1) ## Los Angeles Times — John Horn Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 January 2008. Festival review. The documentary tracing the Canadian band’s resolute determination isn’t really a rock ‘n’ roll comedy but an alternatively moving and hilarious love story—a tale of two people hopelessly devoted to playing heavy metal music. Their dedication and integrity is without parallel. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jan-18-et-anvil18-story.html) ## The AV Club — Noel Murray Rating A-. 9 April 2009. Murray finds the film both hilarious and moving, arguing that the band’s niceness and brotherly bond explain why they never broke big yet also why their story resonates. He highlights how the documentary shows what it truly takes to keep playing dingy clubs for decades. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/anvil-the-story-of-anvil-1798206071) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). Sacha Gervasi’s documentary digs deep into the attempted resurrection of Anvil to emerge with a saga of devotion and perseverance that’s both touching and absurd. By the end we mind very much whether the fortunes of Anvil are set to soar or doomed to lurch once more. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/anvil-the-story-of-anvil) ## The Times — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 16 February 2009. The review describes the film as one of the most engaging and big-hearted music movies, an emotional journey about following an impossible dream that mixes laughter and sympathy for the band's disappointments. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/article/anvil-the-band-who-refused-to-die-8jkz2jmrg39) ## Slant Magazine — Nick Schager Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 30 May 2008. The critic praises Gervasi’s compassionate, warts-and-all portrait of the band’s perseverance through economic and personal hardships. He singles out the lifelong friendship and unyielding passion of Lips and Reiner as what makes the film stirring rather than merely comic. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/anvil-the-story-of-anvil/) ## The Guardian — Philip French Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 22 February 2009. The critic calls it a splendid documentary about the real heavy metal band Anvil and their long struggle for success despite obscurity and day jobs. It highlights the heroic persistence and self-belief of the two main band members without patronising them. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/feb/22/anvil-music-documentary-review) ## Empire — Sam Toy Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 29 January 2009. The critic calls it a real-life Spinal Tap that rises above typical rockumentary fare to celebrate persistence and the underside of the rock dream, with honest and often hilarious access to the band's setbacks and hopes. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/anvil-story-anvil-review/) ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. The piece portrays the band as heroic fools whose persistence the director celebrates without patronising, admiring their guts and hoping for their belated recognition while noting the film's effective tribute to them. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/anvil-rocks-on-regardless-7438978.html) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 20 June 2009. The review notes the apt 'real-life Spinal Tap' label and moments of unintentional hilarity, while highlighting its surprising role as a heartbreaking study of grown men clinging to childhood aspirations. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/dvd-anvil-the-story-of-anvil-retail-and-rental-universal-1711841.html) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2009. The film affectionately chronicles a Canadian heavy metal band that never quite made it, with a dramatic heart in the long, rough partnership between the two leads. Their story of perseverance and a last lunge for glory emerges as both chronicle and possible deadpan mockery. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/movies/10anvi.html) ## Den of Geek — Owen Davey Rating 5/5. 20 March 2009. The critic praises the documentary's empathetic portrayal of the band's enduring friendship and passion despite hardships, noting it surpasses Spinal Tap comparisons with genuine emotion and humor. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/anvil-the-story-of-anvil-review/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating A-. 14 May 2009. The film is one of the most inspiring and uplifting documentaries in recent memory, telling the story of two talented rockers who refuse to be defeated by failure. It singles out the brotherhood and perseverance of the band's founding members as they rage against the dying of the light while chasing their dreams. [Read the review](https://collider.com/movie-review-anvil-the-story-of-anvil/) ## Eye for Film — Anton Bitel Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 17 October 2008. The critic finds the documentary endearing and impossible not to be charmed by, praising the director's genuine affection for the subjects that keeps the humor from becoming ridicule. The band members' optimism and friendship stand out amid tales of mishaps and rejection. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/anvil-the-story-of-anvil-film-review-by-anton-bitel) ## Paste — Michael Dunaway Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 26 May 2009. Director Sacha Gervasi plays the Spinal Tap-like elements deliberately and well, resulting in a moving and very real film about the band's backstory and current struggles. It singles out the tireless devotion and deep friendship of Lips and Robb as the secret weapon that draws viewers in with silliness but hooks them with sweetness. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/anvil/anvil-the-story-of-anvil) ## Digital Spy — Stella Papamichael Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 19 February 2009. The review highlights the film's blend of humor and melancholy in depicting the aging metal band's quest for stardom, praising its balanced tone and portrayal of deep friendship. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a146791/anvil-the-story-of-anvil/) ## The Playlist — Rodrigo Perez Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 June 2008. Festival review. The review calls the film hilarious, pathetic, and moving, highlighting its portrayal of perseverance, friendship, and resilience as a universal underdog story that provokes emotional responses. It notes the band's tenacity in the face of obstacles as a standout element. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/anvil-story-of-anvil-heavy-tale-of-20080601/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/anvil-the-story-of-anvil.md