Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)

I have never been a fan of They Might Be Giants, but I became excited when given the opportunity to screen "Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)". Perhaps it was all the good press the documentary received after it's release in 2002, or some "Behind the Music"-inspired voyeurism. Regardless of the cause, I was excited to see this portrait of John Linnell and John Flansburgh. This film is a fairly straightforward look into the past and present of They Might Be Giants. From the meeting of the two Johns in grade school, through the beginnings of the group, to the release of their 2001 studio album "Mink Car" (Which was released on Sept. 11th). The film features quite a bit of live footage, as well as some dramatic readings of TMBG lyrics by people such as Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Janeane Garofalo, and Andy Richter. The film surprised me on many levels. First of all, the film was very focused on the work and history of the band, completely obscuring the personal lives of the two Johns. Also, the movie managed to contain no references to the Sept. 11th attacks, which was a refreshing change of pace. This movie is definitely not for TMBG haters, but it can be enjoyable for both people on the fence and the die hard fans.