MOVIE REVIEW: It Might Get Loud

Director Davis Guggenheim made his name four years ago with the Al Gore-fronted, guilt-laden documentary An Inconvenient Truth, winning a somewhat more convenient (for his career anyway) Best Documentary Oscar in the process. His follow up is a little less fraught as he looks at the life and mystique of three of the greatest living guitar players in It Might Get Loud.

The filmmaker takes three legendary guitar players, Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White, and puts them in the same room with a whole lot of guitars, the purpose being to see what happens when three masters of the medium get together. Interspersed with this all-star jamming session are segments where the men then talk about their careers, their upbringing, and why the electric guitar in particular was, and remains, such an icon of modern music.

Whereas An Inconvenient Truth's motive was all to clear to see, it's hard to surmise what Guggenheim hopes to achieve or prove when even the casual music fan will be aware of what these three are capable of with their chosen musical weapons. However, whether by design or happy accident, we are treated into an in-depth look at the three men - Jack White turning his childhood bedroom into a makeshift recording studio, The Edge and his band rebelling against the bleakness of 1970's Dublin, and a young Page bemoaning his lot as a session musician, despite featuring on some of the most iconic film scores ever (Goldfinger among others).

Of the three, White is by far the most interesting as an interviewee. In direct contrast to Edge's skyscraper-like effects tower, White preaches the virtues of keeping it simple, rallying against 'ease of use', something he perceives as detrimental to the creative process. Page's segments are, of course, fascinating, and provides an interesting counter-balance to White's child-like enthusiasm with his matter-of-fact narration (no doubt acquired due to telling his story to countless documentary makers in the past). Something a little more creative than narrated stock footage would have been nice but when the person is so riveting it's a small complaint.

The Edge should have been the bridge between his two co-subjects (in that he's been around for a long time but still produces charting albums), but his is perhaps the least interesting tale, feeling more like a clichéd episode of 'behind the music' at times. Also, given we see White hand crafting his own instruments and cutting his hand to ribbons on stage, The Edge taking us through all his effects pedals seems somewhat against the spirit of the film.

Whilst it may have little narrative direction, many will simply delight in having these three musicians in the same room. The climactic jam at the close of the piece may not be as wonderous as the trailer would have hoped, but nonetheless Guggenheim should be commended for ignoring the fame and fortune of the rock & roll star and focusing on what got them there in the first place.