Beastie Boys Story

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.

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.

Not surprisingly, it's a love letter, far more polished and smoothed-out than the genre-defying trio might have deserved in their anarchic heyday, but as warm and reflective as you might expect from the middle-aged men they are now.

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.

Adam Yauch, known as MCA, was both the founder of the group and guy whose vision helped hold it together for more than 20 years; he died in 2012, from parotid cancer, and though he’s present in spirit in Beastie Boys Story, you can’t help feeling that the whole thing would be a lot more fun, and smarter, if he were around.

They’re stories you can find in the book, accompanied by ones from a multitude of other contributors, including Schellenbach, who gets to give her own account of what happened. So why not just read that?

Jonze’s film (his first full-length feature since 2013’s Her) sits in an awkward gap between live performance and event cinema.

A fantastic music doco that is about life long friendships as much as it is about the music. Funny, warm & honest.

As a fan of the guys for some decades I was satisfied with what I got. These guys are absolute legends and getting even the tiniest bit of info about them, makes me happy. Smiled a lot during the presentation and even teared up a little due to ninja cutting onions at the end of the show. It's nice to get this personal info bits and seeing videos and pictures of them from a young age on. If you read the book, I don't think you get a lot of new info. The book has much more time to develop and focus on more casual stuff like how was New York during the early days of hip hop, what was clubbing like, what material did they use to sample... The presentation feels a bit stiff, cause the guys are reading from a teleprompter and they rehearsed the show (which they admit and make jokes about). So it really feels like a well done powerpoint presentation. I find that (you see that in interviews), they are far better if they are running loose and speak whatever crosses their mind. We as fans are used to that, so maybe that's why I'm a bit critical on that part. Anyway, huge respect to the Beastie Boys, thank you for revolutionizing music and entertaining us even after the passing of our beloved Adam Yauch aka MCA. It hurt when Adam had to struggle keeping the story going. They really were family for each other.

Wishing Spike Jonze had directed something else. I mean after Her he had a mountain to climb but I would've loved a new film instead of a documentary.

BigFat -0- I am a huge Beastie Fan & Pauls Boutique was sooo awesome. (Thank You RPB Christian H) It was on the DL just like Adrock said. I didn't even know it was out in 1990/91'ish.. But my got was the slang off the hook. And just like License To ill= waaaay ahead of it's time.. *The beats in Paul's Boutique(PB) was so clean and sounded soo good in a good setup/system. *I think we we're the only ones pimpin Johhny Riyaal or Eggman with two 12; in the trunk... ~~My Beef with this documentary style story= SPIKE JONZE is a dork! I grew up with Spike.(Not directly) but as a skater duing the Gonz/bLind/WorldIndustries/JasonLee skate era.. And Spike started 'Plan b' skateboards & Lakai shoes w/ Mike Carrol & RickHoward.. **The character SPikeJonez plays in the mBradPitt movie "Moneyball" as BradPitts character BillyBeans X-wifes current Husband is Spike playing himself.. But that dorky/nerdy opinon shouldn't effect this review= but it does.. *The Beastie's are waaay cooler & a more important part of hiphop & music history in late 80's/early90's.. Check You're Heade & So whatcha Want was played in EVERY club in early-mid 90's and the album wasn't underground the way PB was...Even today= SO whatcha want is still played in clubs the same way "TaintedLove" is.. ~Mike D is no MCA. & that;s not his **** is shy & that's why his jokes are soo cringe.. RickRubin and the powerful record people who respect the Beatsies shoulda had someone more qualified to do this.. *And im aware of Spike & Mike Carrols Beastie **** we all had a BeatsieBoys past back then. It's a shame MCA is no longer with us because he was the personality of the Beasties and AdRock has been a mess or not himself since..