Tap: It's The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Rating: 10/10 (10 December 2019)

When it comes to the glorious stupidity of rock 'n' roll music, the whip-smart mockumentary gold standard "This Is Spinal Tap" has no peers. Sidesplitting on an epic scale, this is also a shortlist candidate for Greatest Comedy Ever, and can claim parentage of every self-aware music film made since, from the wildly inventive "24 Hour Party People (2002)," to recent Tap-evocative record label satire "Stadium Anthems (2018)."
"Tap" now transcends its early filmic and rock confines: Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins, and Derek Smalls have burrowed deep into the cultural zeitgeist, holding sway in the very words we choose in conversations at the pub and by the water cooler (see: "goes to eleven"). And its commentary on the fleeting absurdities of fame have never been more relevant.
Almost forty years old and still swallowing everything in its path, "This Is Spinal Tap" is as enduring as it is the hilarious, and that's quite a feat. This is one of the most joyously experienced entertainment vehicles ever assembled. - (Was this review of use to you? If so, let me know by clicking "Helpful." Cheers!) - WATCHED IT? THEN WATCHLIST: "Being John Malkovich (1999)," "Stadium Anthems (2018)," "24 Hour Party People (2002)"