a "mockumentary"

Rating: Null/10 (9 March 2007)

Did not see the movie for along time --"The Rutles" had already spoofed that very well known sixties pop band and a spoof about an unknown rock band sounded unappealing. Funny is an understatement.It is short in its duration but crammed full of observations and one liners that make it so memorable.The comedy comes from the embarrassment of watching this well renowned band fall apart.It is quite cruel in fact seeing Marty Di Bergi(Rob Reiner in a sharply knowing performance) revealing the cracks.The lines are very quotable throughout -- "I am as God made me" " When you've lived and loved as Frank has"-- in fact so many.The comic situations are classic -- one of which is the band hearing one of their hits come on to the radio and the DJ announcing after the track has been played-- "currently residing in the where are they now file" -- painfully funny.Michael McKean as David St Hubbins,Christopher Guest as Nigel Tufnel and Harry Shearer as Derek Smalls give three dimensional performances , so when we are laughing at them you also feel their pain and frustration -- by the film's conclusion , you end up rooting for them.