Rating: **
Review Date: 11/23/24
Written By: Eric Idle, Neil Innes
Cast: Eric Idle, Neil Innes, John Halsey, Ricky Fataar, cameos by
Michael Palin, George Harrison, Mick Jagger, Paul Simon, Ron Wood, Bill Murray,
Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Gilda Radner
"The fabulous Rutles, who made the sixties what they are today."
This mockumentary tackles Beatlemania during the 1960s, using The Rutles as a pitch-perfect parody of The Beatles. It's a mixed bag that's equally brilliant and stupid, and while some of the humor is genuinely funny, Eric Idle's writing tends to favor silliness over wit and often falls flat. Where the film really shines is the music, and Neil Innes's compositions are fantastic in terms of tone and execution. Innes also stands out for his excellent portrayal of John Lennon. For anyone familiar with the story of The Beatles, the film's greatest accomplishment is how accurately it recreates and then spoofs the details of the people and events. The filmmakers clearly did their homework, and it's those details that really resonate with the audience. I found the movie parodies of "Ouch!", "Tragical History Tour", and "Yellow Submarine Sandwich" to be particularly memorable. Several members of "Saturday Night Live" make surprise appearances, but the most surreal moments are candid interviews with Mick Jagger and Paul Simon about The Rutles phenomenon. Mick Jagger's portion is a fascinating trainwreck to watch, and really makes you wonder what drugs he was taking at the time.