Audience Member
Without question, this is will go down as one of my favorite documentaries of all-time. It's almost purposeful that there is no cover art for the film here in Flixster. However, if you find the film in your usual manner of renting/buying DVDs, you would likely be in for a rude awakening as the cover is slick and cryptic. As well, if you only read the first line of the description: " .. an insight to tall-bike culture," you will again miss the premise.
This is a film about not just "underground" bicycle/bike culture, rather as seen through the eyes of one man who may be faulted by many things but haunted more by his resolute conviction for the bike group's acceptance of him .. well .. this group, this lifestyle, this art form, all that it can offer. He is an artist first and foremost, and a film maker, a vulnerable slice of color.
The film is gritty, haunting, a work of art. Anthony "Tony" Howard, the co-director, is tapping, tapping, tapping on the fringes of discovery of both his addiction, loss of love, activism, personal family division, and complete resistance of any resemblance to normalcy of existence. No one in the bike club - Black Label - shares ideals with conservatism or socialized labeling but are bicycle anarchists and anti-consumerist. This is, after all, the point. Fuck cars, fuck gas, fuck politics, fuck money, fuck technology, fuck jobs, fuck you, fuck me, make art, ride a fucking bike.
I have some strange fixation to find Tony Howard and talk for awhile .. for days, forever.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-72Hx2-e0U
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
02/17/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The focus of the documentary is without a doubt an asshole, but it was a fantastic documentary on the underground bicycle culture.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/20/23
Full Review
Audience Member
It's an interesting look at the unique tall-bike culture, especially NY's Black Label Club. While the film-making isn't perfect and polished it's definitely a look at a part of society I would never have even known about the existence of otherwise. It's about a group trying to figure out their way to form family and make a declaration of change in society.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/27/23
Full Review
Audience Member
This was an interesting look into "extreme" counter culture in the form of bike gangs. These outcasts in the Black Label Bicycle Club are living life to the extreme choosing not to take part in America's culture of consumerism and rebelling on their bicycles. I really liked the contrast when the film moves to Minneapolis and contrast the group their versus the New York crowd. Also the hierarchy that develops in the club was interesting, that order develops no matter what social class you may be watching. Overall a very interesting look into the other side of bike culture with outcasts brought together through their love of bicycle. An extreme contrast to your stereotypical image of the Lycra-clad Tour de France riders.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/12/23
Full Review
Audience Member
another documentary on spoiled trust fund hipsters, seeking their identities in urban subcultures. Pretentious and shallow and a waste of two hours. The doc is more about the filmmakers ego and self worship than it is about tall-bike culture.
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
02/13/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Would have been better if it was more about the bike culture and less about the pathetic filmmaker. But it's worth seeing.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/05/23
Full Review
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