Review: Foo Fighters – Back and Forth

Film Reviews Thu, 30 Jun 2011 Written by Paul Kelly
Editor rating
 
 2.0 User rating
 
 4.0 (1)
Foo Fighters - Back and Forth

In what should be a celebration of a band (and brand) that always seems to get it right, the release of Back and Forth seems get it wrong. What is essentially a good watch for fans, it’s hard to shake the feeling that it’s little too contrived to be taken as a serious music doco/film. Read triplew.me’s review below...

Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters have seemingly been through a lot of ups and downs, and this documentary, directed by James Moll (Running The Sahara, Last Days), attempts to document the band from their creation as a tape of demo’s from Grohl’s Nirvana days to the sold out arenas of 2011.

The documentary has been billed as a movie, which it isn’t in spirit but by clocking in at 140 minutes is technically not a documentary. So anyone fooled into thinking there’s something deeper to this one, it’s a fairly standard rockumentary.

And suddenly we have the biggest problem with the production. 2+ hours is a long time to talk about anything real, let alone a band. Don’t get us wrong, the Foo Fighters are a great band. But many greater have managed this format in a lot shorter amount of time. Enough said.

Charting the rise of ‘Foos from Grohl’s demo tape in 1995 to Wembly stadium in 2010, this is a story not so much of a remarkable rise to fame (they had great PR from Grohl’s presence at the start) but how remarkably people change over time.

Much more serious and demure than ever, Grohl particularly comes across as slightly ruthless with former band-mates, and slightly narcissistic (but nowhere near the murky depths of Some Kind of Monster and Lars Ulrich). This is interestingly countered by some seemingly staged moments with his, and the other Foos, children.

The more recent sessions, with cameos from Krist Novoselic and Bob Mould (Sugar, Husker Du) add some much needed moments of distraction from the recent studio sessions. The best moments come from Pat Smear and Chris Shiflet’s (both: guitar) observations on the band, success and want over the years.

Overall, this is going to be one for the Foos fans that might have joined the party following There Is Nothing Left to Lose. It’s got some genuinely funny moments, touching and interesting, but is far too long for its subject matter.

STARRING

Foo Fighters, Butch Vig, Dumped Foo Fighters

DIRECTED BY

James Moll

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE


Editor review

Doesn't live up to the expectations

Rating:
 
 2.0
Reviewed by triplew.me
June 30, 2011
 
Last updated: June 30, 2011
This is a fairly hyped movie that turns out to be a fairly standard documentary about a band, but clocks in way too long. If it was edited down to say 90 minutes you'd have a punchy and great documentary, but it falls too far short of the mark to be a winner. Still watchable for fans, and will be popular as well for anyone new to the Foo Fighters.
 
 

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Honest Review

Rating:
 
 4.0
Reviewed by Allan Wazacz
August 06, 2011
 

Massive Foo Fighters fan here.

I loved the movie but that is obviously just my opinion - however, this is a good review as it stays objective. My view has been clouded my love for the Foo Fighters and I seem to love anything to produce.

Also, small correction; Wembley was in 2008! :)