ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL traces the success but mostly multiple frustrated failures of Canadian metal band ANVIL as they (members Robby and Lipps) struggle from their teens to their fifties. 

Though Gervasi’s film has the look of a mockumentary, his film is pretty serious in the examination of the hardships and reasons of their lack of success.  The odd thing is that ANVIL is talented as attested by other bands (Anthrax and Mettalica, for example).  But the film feels biased through Gervasi’s introduction of the band’s long-suffering supportive families and the glaring omission of the topic of hard drinking and drug taking (common in the industry) habits.  As ANVIL! offers a candid, occasionally fascinating look at the industry, it should be seen by struggling talented musicians wanting to succeed in the field.  Though the narration goes that life sometimes deals you a bad hand, the film reveals (reading between the lines) that one has to work hard and play the game in order to succeed. 

ANVIL the band is doing really well now, their newly found success attributed to this film.  On a note, on Saturday, March 14th, before the commercial opening of ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL, the band was honoured as the 2009 inductees into the Indies Hall of Fame, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, as part of the 9th Annual Independent Music Awards at Canadian Music Week (CMW), Toronto.