Critic Reviews

This Is Spinal Tap (1984) Rank 4 Reviews

Expert Review Summary

Movie critics combined give This Is Spinal Tap (1984) a score of 3.1145 out of 4

based on (78) reviews

Click on the numbers to the right of the graph to see reviews of that rating

Excellent

(19)

Very Good

(56)

Good

(3)

Fair

(0)

Poor

(0)

Reviews by Score:

Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

The children born at Woodstock are preparing for the junior prom, and rock `n' roll is still here to stay. Rock musicians never die, they just fade away, and ``This Is Spinal Tap'' is a ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

Netflix (James Rocchi)

Mock "rockumentary" is wildly funny and deeply influential. ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at Netflix (James Rocchi)

eFilmCritic.com (Brian Mckay)

A hilariously scathing indictment of the rock and roll lifestyle, and all the egoism and shallow philosophising that goes along with it. ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Brian Mckay)

EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)

This superb satire became the standard against which all mockumentaries are evaluated. The film was so successful that the fictitious group reunited for a series of live concerts and a TV special, further blurring the line between real and reel. ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)

Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)

Although the movie is hilarious, I think it is the undeniable human nature of the loser characters that has kept the movie alive for so long. ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)

Sacramento Bee (Bruce Dancis)

This Is Spinal Tap," the funniest rock 'n' roll movie ever made... ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at Sacramento Bee (Bruce Dancis)

Empire Magazine (Simon Braund)

Reiner's brilliant "rockumentary" sends up its subject matter and the documentary form, with such deft perception that confusing it with the genuine article is an easy mistake to make. ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at Empire Magazine (Simon Braund)

Zap2it.com

Sixteen years after Rob Reiner's This Is Spinal Tap originally was released, this pioneering "mockumentary" is returning to theater for a limited run. ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at Zap2it.com

E! Online (--)

the bad-luck bad boys still don't disappoint in this ultimate roast of the music industry. ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at E! Online (--)

Crazy for Cinema

There are those people who have never seen THIS IS SPINAL TAP and those that have seen it over and over again. I happen to fall into the latter group and am appalled that there are people in this world who have not experienced the joy of watching this ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at Crazy for Cinema

Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice

They're loud, they're misogynist, they're wasted, they're extremely stupid, and they have armadillos in their trousers. This is Spinal Tap was essentially the first and still the best episode of Behind the Music ever. The good times, the ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice

filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)

Perhaps the first, and certainly the best, entry into the mockumentary genre. Spinal Tap is responsible for so many American aphorisms (like "turn it up to 11") that it ought to be in the National Film Registry. Insanely funny. Of special ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)

One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)

There have been plenty of mockumentaries since 1984, but with the exception of "Waiting for Guffman," none has come close to matching this one. Nor has Reiner made its equal, despite his many successes. In an era when every ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)

DVD Verdict - Special Edition

This Is Spinal Tap is found not guilty and is free to go. All charges against the cast and crew are dropped. MGM is found guilty of failing to provide contextual insight into the making of this masterwork as part of its DVD presentation and is sentenced ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at DVD Verdict - Special Edition

DVD Talk (Jeremy Kleinman)

While some will refuse to purchase this film because the captions were left off of the transfer, and they will try to hunt down a copy of the Criterion Collection version of the film or wait until MGM realizes and corrects its error, this film is ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at DVD Talk (Jeremy Kleinman)

Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)

Now that VH-1's "Behind the Music" and other rockumentaries are an increasingly regular part of the cable TV landscape, Rob Reiner's directorial debut, the 1984 mock documentary "This Is Spinal Tap," seems even more dead-on in its parody of a group of ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)

FireBlade Coffeehouse DVD Reviews

I really wanted to diss this disk. ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at FireBlade Coffeehouse DVD Reviews

Audio Revolution

This Is Spinal Tap' has been hailed in many quarters as one of the greatest rock 'n' roll movies ever. Never mind that this rockumentary is really a mockumentary and that the members of the British band Spinal Tap - Nigel Tufnel, David St. ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at Audio Revolution

Movie Reviews UK

A spot-on spoof rockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap casts a shrewd and knowing glance over the rock'n'roll industry. As the director of the film, Marty Di Bergi (Rob Reiner), says, he decided to film the group on their first US tour in 6 years because they ...read the complete This Is Spinal Tap movie review at Movie Reviews UK