Courtesy of Magna Studios
Sixteen long years of waiting later and Oasis-heads were sporting the group’s signature bucket hats at packed stadiums across the globe. Sitting in that IMAX theater was like being at another stop on the world tour.
Liam ‘s lyrical pleas to “Stop Crying Your Heart Out” went unheeded in that theater. Yes, grown men and women were indeed crying at seeing the impossible reunion come to life in high definition.
Lots of tears streaming down the cheeks of people from lots of countries made their way on the screen. In a world where much of the rocking that rock ‘n’ roll is doing is on its retirement chair, you may ask whether a rock band could be that big of a deal. The doc answers that questions with an emphatic yes.
The doc takes us from concert to concert. We hear the brothers play their countless hit songs as if the interminable hiatus never happened. We hear multinational fans belt them out. It’s fun. It’s nostalgic. Yes, Oasis was probably the last superstar rock band phenomenon. We get it.
Courtesy of Magna Studios
But, the film never digs deeper than fan service. It misses the biggest story of the reunion. How did the Gallaghers go from Cain and Abel to BFFs? We get practically zero insight into the brothers making up. Where is the behind the scenes footage of Manchester’s royal family rehashing and then getting over past quibbles? It’s all good and fun to hear a live rendition of “Champagne Supernova” as tens of thousands sing along, but what about the years of tension and subsequent reconciliation that created the emotion behind that song being played live for the first time in forever.
Courtesy of Magna Studios
Watching Don’t Look Back in Anger is a total fan service and in all its IMAX glory is the closest thing to seeing the Britpop legends in concert (and cheaper). However, you won’t find out how the brothers arrived at the stage in their lives where they “don’t look back in anger.”
