The Fine Line

Rating: 10/10 (19 December 2006)

While neither 'movies' about rock bands, nor spoof documentaries were new inventions at the time this was made, this is the best in its class.
The point of departure is, of course, Idle's "The Rutles", though the construction of the visual humor is completely different. Idle and the Pythons are experts at skit construction, chiefly the juxtaposition of two unrelated activities in the frame, or introducing one element that is seriously out of place -- worked great for television, and for their first movie experiment.
Reiner approaches this -first and foremost- as a movie. He frames it for us as a 'documentary'; we and everyone within are fully aware of the fact that it's a movie.
The biggest controversy arises right away...are Spinal Tap real? And the answer is yes! How is a writing team of Guest, McKean, Shearer and Reiner any different from innumerable acts who also use 'stage names' and alternate identities? They write, perform and record their own music.
What the studio didn't understand (and if I remember correctly, for this reason they shelved this movie for over a year), is that what is invented is not the band, but the -perception- of the band and the -perception- of their fame. Reiner expertly causes the confusion by framing the contents with 'interviews' with the fans, by framing the music with a complete discography (even a series of 'critiques'), and by framing each shot in such a way that allows full improv freedom. Improvised camera movement. Improvised scenes. His editing of jokes is top notch -- no dithering or second-guessing.
The actual joke content and plot doesn't need description, all of that is plain to see on the canvas -- side-splitting, naturally. What makes it worthwhile is being in the know; knowing where that fine line is between frame and canvas, and between rock lore and hyperbole.
Reiner's frame/canvas construction was his calling card in the '80s ('Stand by Me', 'Princess Bride'). But this was his best.