Earlier this year, LCD Soundsystem released the initial trailer for “Shut Up and Play the Hits”–a documentary revolving around their famous last live performance at Madison Square Garden. Now I, for one, have been a massive LCD fan since a classmate first put “Tribulations” in my ears during a trip to NYC in 2005. Moreover, after lucking out and seeing them live five times on the summer tour before this last show, withdrawals rocked my body when they announced their retirement. Anyhow, this review isn’t about me, I just need to preface the review with my unbridled excitement and anticipation leading into the film. Which coupled nicely with the free drinks provided at Austin’s Spaghetti Warehouse for the particular SXSW showing I caught.

We’ll get my few minor critiques out of the way first. James Murphy got to where he is by dedication, immaculate planning, perfectionism and attention to detail. So it should come as no surprise that he found filmakers who followed suit. While this certainly paid off in the long run, when you’re watching delicately manicured scenes of James Murphy in his home, there’s a bit of an “alright, this is fairly staged” feeling. Personally, that feeling was brief, but I can see how others might latch onto the obvious preparation of the “adlib” scenes through the film. While the attention to detail on minor visual aesthetics, shot angles, lighting, etc make it a beautiful watch, it’s tough to totally buy into the notion that the filmakers simply caught these scenes and reactions on the fly. But some doctoring is expected, and it makes the film transition well. There may be a bit of acting going on, but c’mon, it’s James Murphy. Additionally, the usage of interview scenes laced through the film work as a nice narrative tool, but also feel a bit forged. Finally, some might be off-put by a sense of self-glorification by Murphy in the film, but I don’t think it’s that strong. And if you came to a film about their final, four hour show expecting a film devoid of that, you’re in the wrong place to begin with.

Now, onto why I loved this film and it made my weekend. If you saw LCD Soundsystem live, you know what you’re in for. If you never caught LCD Soundsystem live, I’m sorry. But the great news is you can–and should–see this film. Throughout the film, the producers use an effective editing technique of cutting between scenes of A) bursting-at-the-seems, apex of the storm, apocalyptic climaxes of LCD songs with B) quiet, sensitive, heart-felt commentary on their lives with and without LCD Soundsystem. This leaves you begging for more of the live show (which is wonderfully captured, both audio and video) while your brain is left wondering whether to get up and rave in the theater or attend to your weary heart-strings. As a guy who lists LCD’s live shows amongst the top he’s seen in his life, I was extremely impressed with how well the film delivered that experience. It really was the next-best-thing. Next, while I mentioned the “self-glorification” above, the film offers refreshingly honest and sincere testimonials from the band. You realize that after pumping so much into LCD, each of the band members utterly loves what they’re able to do together. Basically, it’s a musician’s dream of what you want your music career to look like: having a blast playing songs you dig, for people who dig them, with your friends. And seeing that enjoyment gives a better view into Murphy’s decision. You realize it simply couldn’t have ended on a better or more spectacular note for LCD. And as the film notes, “if it’s a funeral, let’s have the best funeral ever”.

Go see Shut Up and Play the Hits.