Director: Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth, Gossip)
Producers: Davis Guggenheim, Lesley Chilcott, Peter Afterman, Thomas Tull
Starring: Jimmy Page, Jack White, The Edge
MPAA Rating: PG
Running time: 97 min.

(4.5/5)

Music and film: two things that have gone hand in hand for decades. Two peas in a pod if you will. With Guggenheim’s It Might Get Loud, three peas in a pod might be a more apt bromide. If you’re not at least a casual fan of at least one of the three artists showcased in It Might Get Loud (Jack White of “The White Stripes,” The Edge of “U2,” or Jimmy Page of “Led Zeppelin”), I’m tempted to just tell you to forget it and stop reading now. On the other more likely hand, maybe this film is exactly what you need to get with the program, because there is some true guitar virtuoso magic at work here and if you’re not toe-tapping by the end, I don’t know you – nor would I want to.

We begin on the quiet front porch of an old shack seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Jack White is meticulously banging nails into a board, stringing a piece of wire around one end which is held in place by an empty soda pop bottle. Out of nowhere he somehow plugs the contraption into a Fender amp and hammers on it with his fist and a rusty old slide creating a raw, grisly blues sound that envelopes the theater. “Who says you have to buy a guitar?”, he proclaims. Thus setting the tone for the rest of the film. It will get loud.

Focusing mostly on the histories of these three artists, we’re treated to a musical collage of concert footage, archival clips, photos, live demonstrations and trips to iconic or now legendary locations as sort of a trip down memory lane for these guys. With Page it’s a visit to a manor in London where Zep made some of their first recordings. With Edge it’s the “war” room outside of Dublin where the band was free to record; safe from the terror of the weekly bombings in their cities. Being the relative new-comer, White has little to draw from in terms of history or experience but he seems to be the one with the most creative juices still flowing and the vigor to keep everyone entertained.

It’s not immediately clear what the director fully intended to focus on or accomplish with this cinematic endeavor and ultimately it doesn’t really matter since everything comes together rather nicely by the end. Still, it seems like it was simply an idea: the director pointed the camera in a certain direction and waited to see what would happen. What emerges is a varied glimpse into the fascinating past and present of three distinct guitar legends of their generation whose distinct signature sound is examined through history and experience. Stemming from that and interspersed throughout is a brief glimpse at types of guitars and their potential for varied sound – no matter the age, cost or what manner of accessories one chooses to enhance the sound with.

Luckily it’s a little bit of column A and a little bit of column B. Which works like gangbusters – particularly when the three of them finally converge on the same stage to discuss their influences, techniques and writing styles; and ultimately have a little jam session.

The fascinating thing to watch here is the varying styles of the three men. Of course you can hear the difference, but understanding why the difference is there and the theory behind what each of these players bring to the proverbial table when the guitar strap goes over the neck. “Like caressing a woman,” claims Page. “Fascinated with echo and resonance… coaxing a new sound from the guitar with each song,” is The Edge’s model. And Jack’s most furious of styles: “have an argument with your guitar… and win.” Seeing these styles emerge as the film wears on is interesting, fun and inspiring in a way.

Most of the concert footage on screen is nothing that is terribly difficult to find. A lot of it is extracted from readily available DVD releases. Yet seeing it on a big screen with loud speakers surrounding the audience is a treat. And there is a lot of it. The music cuts from band to band never ever let up. Yet we rarely (if ever) hear or see a song performed in its entirety. Just as a song gets thumping in our head, we cut away to a different track. This is frustrating as all hell until we realize that the new song we’re hearing is just as good as the last. Even if it’s simply Jimmy Page sitting on a stoop strumming out “The Battle of Evermore” on a mandolin.

I have to admit a little bit of disappointment at the end. What the film promises without outright saying so is not wholly delivered. The final jam session of the three of “The Band’s” original song, “The Weight” leaves a little bit to be desired. It’s nice and showcases some great vocals from White, but ultimately it’s just three guys strumming their acoustic guitars and isn’t particularly jaw dropping. A snippet of a jam earlier in the film of the three playing “In My Time of Dying” would’ve been better suited as the finale – because it fuckin’ rocks.

Otherwise yeah, this is a deeply personal film. For someone like me who absolutely adores the music these three have created over the years it’s hard not to get some goose bumps at a lot of the sound coming from the screen. We’re treated to a lot of personal history through rare video footage and sound clips. If Jimmy Page as a teenager telling a variety show host that he wants to be a biologist when he grows up has you thinking to yourself, “thank God that didn’t happen!” then this is a film tailor made for you. Can you recognize “Whole Lotta Love” on an acoustic guitar with no vocals or backup? Are you a guitar enthusiast? This is the film for you too. Listen to what these guys have to say and inspire yourself with their experience and the gorgeous looking imagery on screen. Because it’s going to get loud. Thank you.

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