Film Review: 'Strangers' not your ordinary rock doc

CHRIS TALBOTT AP Music Writer Published:

The new rock documentary "Mistaken for Strangers" is alternately hilarious, cringe-inducing, inspiring, depressing, stupid and profoundly intelligent.


The documentary, which opened in theaters last week and is available on-demand, is directed by Tom Berninger, brother to The National's lead singer, Matt. The band is made up of two sets of brothers -- multi-instrumentalists Bryce and Aaron Dessner and rhythm section Scott and Bryan Devendorf -- and the elder Berninger, and Matt Berninger saw a kind of symmetry in hiring Tom onto the road crew during The National's "High Violet" world tour.

Tom, an amateur filmmaker, had just turned 30 and was living at home with his parents again. He decides to bring his hand-held camera along, and for the most part the band and crew play along with decreasing enthusiasm over several months as the film's theme settles into a rut that could be titled: Why does everybody love my stupid big brother so much?

Turns out Tom and Matt, who is nine years older, are complete opposites. Matt is the tall, elegant frontman with droll humor and an ever-present glass of wine who dresses in wool suits and sings delightfully gloomy songs -- songs Tom kind of really hates. Tom's a stout guy, into heavy metal acts like AC/DC and Halford, wears his hair shoulder length and his T-shirts black, and often runs through the beer and tequila provided backstage.

While Matt gains increasing acclaim with his band, Tom utterly fails as both a filmmaker and a roadie. He's got tons of film, but much of it is filled with bemused band members objecting to questions. And as for his regular duties, he handles them so poorly, he's fired midway through the tour.

Tom retreats to Cincinnati and his parents' home where some of the film's most difficult -- and honest -- moments come when he asks his parents to explain why Matt has so much success where he has none.

There are no attempts to spare his feelings, but that doesn't mean there's no love for Tom. Matt soon invites him to Brooklyn where he moves in with Matt, his wife Carin Besser, and their young daughter, Isla.




"Mistaken for Strangers," a Starz Digital Media release, is unrated by the Motion Picture Association of America. Contains profanity. Running time: 75 minutes. Three out of four stars.

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