It takes real effort to make a Radiohead world tour seem boring. If that strikes you as a noteworthy achievement, you might want to check out this rockumentary by director Grant Gee.



I love Radiohead. If I didn't, I wouldn't take the time to write this review. The longer I watched, however, the more baffled I became by the creative gambits employed by the director. Highlights include a) footage of band members conducting phone interviews in French, without subtitles; b) footage of band members being asked interesting interview questions, cutting to a different scene just as they open their mouth to deliver a response; c) an inordinate and inappropriate amount of concert footage of the song Creep, Radiohead's early single which has been vastly overshadowed by their later, towering works.



Everything you read about the purpose and intent of this production revels in words like "boredom" and "monotony," as though capturing the inanities that pepper even a renowned rock band can humanize them and provide rewards for the viewer. Well, the director has delivered on this dubious hype. Imagine, for a moment, feeling immersed in the buildup and adrenaline of a pre-show backstage, following the band up winding stairs to a gradually increasing din, and then finally onto the stage in front of a roaring, flash-popping body of thousands--only to cut abruptly and prematurely to a scene of an empty hotel room (or something equally forgettable). If you find the pure, infuriating illogic of this editing style to be "clever," you'll love the rest of this infuriating production.