Star Rating:

Mistaken For Strangers

Actors: Bryce Dessner, Tom Berninger

Release Date: Saturday 30th November 2013

Genre(s): Documentary, Music

Running time: 75 minutes

There's a scene in American History X where Ed Furlong sits at the computer awaiting inspiration; he has to write an essay about his older brother, Ed Norton's legendary fascist gang leader, and he can't get past the terrible humbling truth of his opening line: 'People look at me and see my brother.' Tom Berninger can relate (apart from the neo Nazi beliefs, obviously) – kid brother to The National frontman Matt Berninger, Tom has made a unique music documentary.

Nine years his brother's junior, Tom Berninger is all too aware of the gulf between Matt's life and his own. Stuck in a state of arrested development – he lives at home, makes horror shorts, listens to metal – Tom has assumed the perpetual kid brother role. He gets a chance to escape his funk, however, when Matt offers to take him on The National's 2010 tour as part of the crew. Tom brings along his camera and what he shoots is not a behind-the-scenes documentary but a coming of age drama.

The music documentary needs a shake-up, being little more than a big kiss from the filmmaker to its subject these days. The Tour Film takes that and adds pretension (see Rattle & Hum). But Mistaken For Strangers manages to undercut both expectations – a music documentary where the band (especially Matt) don’t come off all that well, a Tour Film where the focus isn't the band.

This is more a study of a character on a journey of self-discovery. Initially Tom seems content to play the fool. He's dismissed or ignored by the guys in the record store. He's taken in hand by the tour manager repeatedly. The band tolerate him like they would the goofy kid next door, which is tough when questions are of the 'How many drugs have you taken?' variety. During one of his rambling, pointless questions, Matt snaps: 'Do you have any plan for this film?'

It moves from being funny to embarrassing (Tom's inability to 'get it' is cringe-inducing) to touching. As the regal Matt prowls the stage, Tom's camera stares with a longing that asks, Why him and not me? But as Tom matures and understands what he must do to make this documentary worthwhile, he shows tremendous bravery. At only seventy-five minutes and being a fan of The National not a prerequisite, Mistaken For Strangers is a must see.