'Beastie Boys Story': Witty and lo-fi tone evokes nostalgia, teary fans call it 'absolutely kickass'
The new Beastie Boys documentary, titled 'Beastie Boys Story', dropped on Apple TV+ on April 24. The biopic is a nostalgic rearview-mirror gaze at how three white Jewish boys from the New York City suburbs, namely Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz, Michael "Mike D" Diamond, and Adam "MCA" Yauch became one of the most beloved and successful hip-hop groups of all time in the 1980s, inspiring a whole new generation of young rappers in the process. The feature has been directed by Spike Jonze, their longtime friend and close collaborator, and he interacts with the Beastie Boys several times throughout the storytelling session.
What makes this documentary extra-special is the fact that the two surviving members of the group, Adam Horovitz and Mike Diamond, appear in front of a live audience at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York. Over the course of two hours, they give a play-by-play narration about how they first emerged and later bloomed in the musical spotlight along with Adam Yauch, who passed away due to cancer in 2012. There are plenty of Beastie Boys hallmarks throughout: The tone is lo-fi, irreverent, and witty throughout, as Adam and Mike take turns telling the Beastie Boys story, often stepping on each others' lines, making inside jokes, or playing off scripted goof-ups to make it seem more like things were being done on the fly.
There's even some soundbite samples worked in (Bill Hader says "Crazy s**t!" in one of them) to sync with Adam and Mike's narration, a fitting callback to their pioneering sound. It's charming and certainly works well for their brand of humor, and the fans in attendance were giving them rapt attention and rousing rounds of applause throughout, especially during the bittersweet parts where they mention their dear departed friend Adam Yauch. The boys also pay appropriate respect to their co-founding members John Berry and Kate Schellenbach, and apologetically recount how they had to kick their drummer friend Kate out of the band as their sky-high trajectory rose ever higher.
We get a first-hand account of how they met their mentors and music moguls, Rick Rubin and Russel Simmons, and how they witnessed the inception of the legendary Def Jam Records. They went on to launch a career that spawned a thousand mic drops, selling over 20 million records in a glittering career that spanned 30 years and seven platinum records. They were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012, the same year when Adam Yauch tragically died because of salivary gland cancer at 47.
After the emotional roller-coaster of a story, their fans were lauding it on social media as well. "If you aren't watching Beastie Boys Story.... do it now. Well executed, fun, emotional, and powerful," said one fan. Another viewer observed, "The Beastie Boys documentary on AppleTV absolutely kicks ass," while another said, "Just finished Beastie Boys doc. It’s fantastic."
The documentary was so well-crafted that it was even earning some new Beastie Boys fans. "Watched this tonight. It’s phenomenal, and I have never listened to the Beastie Boys," admitted one satisfied viewer.
Many diehard fans were moved to tears by the overwhelming emotions brought on by the story, saying, "So awesome. Brought me to tears of sadness and tears of happiness. Love you guys!" Other Beastie Boys admirers were agreeing that it was really moving and nostalgic, saying, "Less than 5 mins into the Beastie Boys doc and already in my feelings."
Longtime fans were hailing the masterful band's impact and legacy, saying, "Wow! Amazing audio and film! You were well ahead of the times." One follower put it best when they said, "Beastie boys are CLASSIC."