Does not go up to 11

Rating: 7/10 (9 September 2009)

This is probably the most over rated comedy ever, in part due to the rambling, semi-improvisatory nature of it. The scene in which they get lost back stage and end up going round in circles pretty much sums up much of the film for me. A tighter script and a lot of editing would have helped.
The film does have its funny moments and of course some lines of dialogue which have become iconic. Its not as funny as it thinks it is though and some of the jokes, such as the exploding drummers, do not fit easily into the generally realistic tone of the rest. The songs are superb parodies, in someways superior to what they are parodying. However, some of the set piece concert scenes, like the film itself, does drag in places due to its lack of focus.
While Christopher Guest and Michael McKean are very good, the cast is not universally up to the same standard; even Harry Shearer, later famous as the voice of Mr Burns, is a virtual shadow in the film. Other band members only get to speak during the final screen credits.
This film has become highly influential, itself not necessarily a good thing, since ab-libbing is an art which few do well.
All in all a decent comedy, but far from being the towering classic it is claimed by some.