This Is a Film About The Black Keys

Ohio-born bluesy rockers The Black Keys get candid and introspective in this warts-and-all documentary direct from SXSW.

It’s surprisingly prescient that Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney titled The Black Keys’ commercial breakthrough record Brothers – as this documentary reveals, the two are more like siblings than many blood relatives. Traversing the bickering, a distinctly brotherly inability to communicate, the Justin Bieber incident (if you know you know) and so much more, Jeff Dupre’s film takes viewers on an all-access tour of the band’s trajectory, from their humble beginnings in Akron, Ohio, to the Grammy-winning rockstars who have remained independent in spirit and beloved by masses.

Fans and newcomers alike will enjoy front-row seats to the ups and downs – both professional and personal – of the iconic duo, who have just released their 12th studio album, Ohio Players. Built around extensive archival concert and studio footage, lively re-enactments, and revealing interviews (including with Gen X icon Beck), this film will scratch the musical itch for enthusiasts of rock docs like Mistaken for Strangers (MIFF 2013) and Meet Me in the Bathroom (MIFF 2022).

“A captivating story of brotherhood, slow-grinding perseverance, weathering many personal storms, and the heavy tolls that success enacts … Very absorbing [and] very watchable.” – The Playlist