In the last decade or so, there’s been a spate of fictionalized music bio-pics that have been not only successful in the market place, but also from an artistic standpoint. A few straight documentaries like American Hardcore have been successful in its own way. But there don’t seem to be too many films which garnered the favor of the press like Anvil: The Story of Anvil.

Oddly enough, the film focuses on a band that never really hit it big. Somehow, Anvil was able to perform alongside some of the bigger names in metal, play in Japan and count guys from Metallica and Anthrax as fans. They just never got a proper record deal.

Sure, there were albums put out – almost too many to count. But none of Anvil’s releases impacted the world of metal, little lone the general consciousness. That may or may not be the fault of the band and its members, but the story that resulted smacks of small town irony.

Beginning with scenes of Robb Reiner, one of the two original members of the band still performing, preparing and delivering food, the film’s tone is established pretty early on. There’s some archival footage included to juxtapose Reiner’s current lot in life with his past. But with the subsequent inclusion of his wife and family, viewers should wonder how much pity actually needs to be bestowed upon these guys.

Surely, Anvil had a collective dream. And unfortunately, it just wasn’t played out in real life, leaving the band to make due in its Canadian hometown playing to small, but loyal fans. Neither Reiner nor lead guitarist Steve "Lips" Kudlow are ballers at this point, but it doesn’t seem as if either is in tremendous financial straights – although Kudlow does eventually screw himself.

With supportive, if not questioning, families, the band packs up and tours Europe. It’s an ill fated trip with fees not being paid to the performers and the band’s manager – a gal they all met on the internet – proves to be ill-equipped to deal with the problem that they all encounter.

It’s a devastating blow, but not one that sidelines the group. Anvil returns home to record another album and perform in Japan – again.

There’re portions of the film that seem included only to illicit the pity of viewers. Surely fifty year old men playing thirty year old music can’t always be taken seriously. That, though, needs to be understood by the band.

Regardless of that, though, what Anvil does exceedingly well is tail band members around in order to gain insight into each members current, private lives. Instead of focusing on the past glory – band members do enough of that – the filmmakers work exceedingly hard to portray real life people who still have a dream, a thirty year old dream.

Never does the band come off as simple parody. There are some questionable moments – like when Lips attacks a bar owner in Europe – but Anvil comes through the other side of the movie with a boatload of free publicity and a film that details its (odd) existence.