Waste of Money.

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

It Might Get Loud is one of those documentaries I've been meaning to check out since it was released in cinemas. At the time, I was a fan of Led Zeppelin and U2's greatest hits but I wasn't familiar with The White Stripes though I knew who Jack White was. As I've gained a new appreciation for the guitar and each of those band's music including White Stripes, it felt like a more informed viewing experience this time, though I do wonder what my music taste would be like now if I did watch it when it came out. But nevermind. This documentary traces the beginnings of each musician's careers and their drive behind becoming a guitarist. It focuses on how Jimmy Page contributed to the dawn of guitar rock and the potential he saw in the guitar (though it is noted that This Is Spinal Tap was a fan that made him cry rather than laugh because it was too close to the truth in the mid-80s of what rock had become).The Edge sees it as a way to communicate social issues and to cope with distress in society while Jack White is absolutely crazy for the guitar. He wrestles with the guitar, desperately searching for the sound he wants. He cares about the sincerity of the sound and although it is closer to what Jimmy Page innovated, he considers it to be something that exists at its core with early blues artists and has subsequently been lost in the period of which The Edge and U2 were at the height of popularity. The differences between the artists is the most fascinating part of the documentary, the most interesting dynamic is how Jack White can make a satisfying electric guitar out of anything (in this case, a piece of wood, a bottle and a guitar string) and The Edge is focuses on making each individual intricate part of a guitar exactly how they're made in the factory, but so he understands how they work. I think both (Jimmy Page goes without saying) guitarists are capable of powerful riffs and it's great to see the diversity of the electric guitar while Jack White strives for a distorted and authentic sound, The Edge plays with effects though rather than relying on effects from the notes you don't hear, he designs the effects as intricately as he did the guitar. Fortunately, each artist gets the right amount of individual focus on their backstory despite being mostly overviews. While there may be a bit too much hero worship going around, especially from the filmmakers as the guitarists are never questioned, the conflict is often unspoken and for the better. It's just great to see their looks of wonder while Jimmy Page plays "Whole Lotta Love" in front of them. There are some bizarre sequences too, where a young boy is cast as a younger Jack White while present day White teaches him tricks and a few appropriately animated scenes. Overall, this is an essential rock documentary with great insight into the inspirations of music icons.8/10

This was a good idea for a film, but I found the editing poor; it lacks continuity, the film jumps around incoherently. I would have preferred three separate complete interviews with each of the guitarists, punctuated by their meeting and jamming together at the end of the film. I found it annoying that there was not a single song played through to the end, just snippets and riffs. I found it annoying that not single thought during the interview sections was pursued-- again, just bits and pieces chopped apart and juxtaposed between bits and snippets from the other interviewees. There are some wonderful moments though; for example, the opening sequence in which Jack White constructs a functional e-guitar from bits of wire and a soda pop bottle. The final jam session is great--I wish it were longer than a mere three minutes. The overall impression of the film is that of a confused jumble of tantalizing adumbrations, with nothing done thoroughly. The Edge looks like the odd man out in this trio; a strange choice of musicians--one can't even call it a tribute to guitar heroes ("Jack who??"). Page- Beck-Clapton would have made more sense. Or just Page alone-- he is certainly an interesting enough person, and a creative and innovative enough musician, to have deserved a documentary to himself, if done thoroughly.

This is a very entertaining essay on the backgrounds of two rock legends and one aspiring rock legend. Thoughtfully woven together, the segments on each of the three were informative and maintained interest.My main criticism is that the mixing of the audio leaves something to be desired. I have a sound system that likes to play loud and I was looking forward to cranking the audio during playback. The problem is that when I cranked the volume to achieve the level I wanted, (I WANT music to get loud!) when the audio switched to dialogue it was way TOO loud. There were also a few scenes that seemed a bit long. The guitar pieces that were included seemed kind of chopped up into snippets instead of being played to conclusion. Yet on the other hand, I felt as though a couple of the deleted scenes could have been included.All in all, I suggest that anyone interested in rock-n-roll see this film. You won't regret it!

nutty as it seems, with all the jumping around on stage, the horrendous volume levels and the often, outright banality of rock and roll, at some levels, depending on the artists and their creativity and convictions, there is a profound spirituality involved.of course, relatively few musicians reach this level. even in the ranks of world class talent it is normal to fall short or to be blissfully oblivious of the higher possibilities of the art. it takes a very rare gift, to be able to see further than the established limits of what is acceptable in pop music. it is relatively easy to detect when a poetic songwriter is working in a spiritual realm - maybe not so simple to understand when a guitarist has broken through to that place. but, some guitar players are capable of breaking the shackles, again and again, and if you resonate with them, you can feel something inside yourself soar. it was that, more than anything, which attracted me to this kind of music when i was a kid, and when James Page was an emerging star.all three of these men have that gift, in their own unique way, and share a vision that there is more to it all than just disposable, popular entertainment. this movie states that theme, rather eloquently.