Synopsis
Here’s a little story they’re about to tell… Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz share the story of their band and 40 years of friendship in a live documentary directed by friend, collaborator, and their former grandfather, Spike Jonze.
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Cast
- Michael DiamondSelf
- Adam HorovitzSelf
- Adam YauchSelf (archive footage)
- Ben StillerSelf
- Steve BuscemiSelf
- David CrossSelf
- Michael Kenneth WilliamsSelf
- Afrika BambaataaSelf (archive footage)
- John BerrySelf (archive footage)
- Kurtis BlowSelf (archive footage)
Recommendations
- 91
The Playlist
It is, in essence, a two-hour curtain call, a celebration of not only their music but their friendship, and a chance for the duo to have the last word on their legacy. - 90
Uproxx
This is a film that’s hilarious, sad, and for some reason features an entire montage set to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.” - 83
IndieWire
Much of the movie operates as a playful nostalgia trip, and at two hours that’s asking a lot, but Beastie Boys Story is also imbued with a moving sense of purpose: The story doubles as a tribute to beloved multi-hyphenate Adam “MCA” Yauch, whose 2012 death from cancer catalyzed the dissolution of the group. - 83
Consequence
To be sure, the concept of Spike Jonze directing a Beastie Boys documentary conjures up flashier results than this. But taking it for what it is, Beastie Boys Story remains an entertaining, insightful, and unexpectedly fun look back at three of hip-hop’s most iconic voices. - 80
The Guardian
This film is a time capsule of the 1980s: an era that was crass and excessive in so many ways, but now seems weirdly exotic. - 80
Empire
A filmed stage show with barely any bells and whistles, this is an endearing trip through time, via a band who constantly changed the game. And the music is immense. - 80
Variety
Beastie Boys Story is less seamless, but more personal, than a classic documentary. Horovitz and Diamond are infectious company, and the film does a meticulous job of presenting the evolution of Adam Yauch, who was always on the edge of technology (it was his idea to tape-loop “When the Levee Breaks”), as well as postmodern pranksterism. - 80
Slate
In typical Jonze fashion, the film is loose and anarchic yet deceptively well-controlled, its fourth wall always in varying states of permeability.
