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This Is Spinal Tap

1984·Movie

·1h 22min·R·

88

ExcellentGoodWatch score

88

ExcellentGoodWatch score

Rotten Tomatoes

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This Is Spinal Tap fingerprint

A , comedy: , .

Good for date night · friends night · party vibe

Feel

Story

Look

About

Prepare to crank those amps up to eleven.

"This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from its complicated history of ups and downs, gold albums, name changes and undersold concert dates, along with the full host of requisite groupies, promoters, hangers-on and historians, sessions, release events and those special behind-the-scenes moments that keep it all real.

MockumentaryRock Band SatireCult ClassicImprov ComedyBehind-the-ScenesMusic-CentricPop Culture ParodyCringe HumorMeta-Narrative

Crew

Directed by:

Rob Reiner, Anne Rapp, Donald Newman

Written by:

Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer

Produced by:

Lindsay Doran, Karen Murphy, Eve Brandstein

Composed by:

Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer

Sequels and Prequels

This Is Spinal Tap

88

A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out

62

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

63

Media

Questions about This Is Spinal Tap

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream This Is Spinal Tap?

In the United States, This Is Spinal Tap streams on HBO Max and TCM, and it is free with ads on Kanopy and Hoopla. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 16 other countries.

Is This Is Spinal Tap worth watching?

88

ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 88 (IMDb 7.9, Rotten Tomatoes 98%, and Metacritic 92). Critics rate it higher (95 out of 100) than audiences (84).

Is there a sequel to This Is Spinal Tap?

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out (1992)
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025)

Yes: it's movie 1 of 3 in its series, followed by A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out (1992).

Will This Is Spinal Tap make me laugh?

Funny

Yes: the humor is mostly satire (9 of 10) and cringe comedy (8 of 10).

Is This Is Spinal Tap plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on dialogue centrality (9 of 10) and character depth (6 of 10) more than on its plot.

What tropes does This Is Spinal Tap use?

Brick JokeOblivious to LoveGood News, Bad NewsComically Missing the PointTeeny WeenieThe Rock StarHeavy MetalRewatch BonusAsk a Stupid Question...She Is Not My GirlfriendThe Comically SeriousSixth Rangerand 118 more

TV Tropes lists 130 tropes for it, including Brick Joke, Oblivious to Love, and Good News, Bad News.