Working Class Rock Star

Working Class Rock Star is an uneven yet sporadically intriguing documentary that details the efforts of several unsigned heavy-metal bands to support themselves and their families, with an ongoing emphasis on the continually evolving nature of the music business. Though none of the acts profiled by filmmaker Justin McConnell possess even an ounce of mainstream appeal (ie these groups make Black Sabbath look like a bubblegum-pop outfit), McConnell generally does an effective job of opening the film up to viewers with little or no interest in this extremely specific subset of the rock genre. And while some of the behind-the-scenes tidbits regarding the record industry are admittedly pretty interesting, Working Class Rock Star, as becomes clear almost immediately, is at its best when focused on the day-to-day trials and tribulations of its musical subjects. In particular, there’s something awfully compelling about the professional and personal struggles endured by the members of hardcore death-metal act Bloodshoteye – as the band keeps on chugging forward despite a whole myriad of unfortunate setbacks (eg their drummer quits during a high-profile tour). It’s likewise not surprising to note that the movie’s most effective (and affecting) scenes follow Bloodshoteye members Jessica DesJardins and Shane Ivy as they attempt to maintain a relatively stable home life for their young daughter, and one subsequently can’t help but wish that McConnell had gone the traditional documentary route by focusing entirely on their exploits. Still, Working Class Rock Star primarily comes off as an eye-opening peek into the inner workings of the music business – albeit one that will likely hold more appeal for viewers who have actually heard of some of these groups. (And, if nothing else, it’s impossible not to get a kick out of Gwar member Dave Brockie’s rationale for performing night after night: “Where I get off is standing up in front of 2000 fucking people, eviscerating the President of the United States while Paris Hilton is consumed by her own dog, and then ramming a sword through a giant robot’s head.”)

**1/2 out of ****