Runtime: 85 minutes Not since Monty Python and the Holy Grail had someone created a film so singular and endlessly quotable. Whereas a movie like Office Space excelled because of how relatable it was, This Is Spinal Tap immediately separated itself from its audience. This wasn't a movie to laugh along with. It was one to laugh at. The sexual repression, the guitar wankery, the backstage confusion of man-children who literally need to be led around by the nose in order to complete basic tasks... it's all played brilliantly. It's hard to imagine the characters of David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls didn't exist under different monikers in the real world before Rob Reiner brought them to the big screen. This Is Spinal Tap is loud, stupid, inventive, sharp, novel, and acutely charismatic all in one breath. And the original music, though daft and sexist on purpose, shows seriously strong chops from the actors who actually played their own instruments for the film.
