Artist Dig!

At the beginning of the rock documentary Dig!, friends-turned-rivals Anton Newcombe (of the psychedelic '60s-revivalist group The Brian Jonestown Massacre) and Courtney Taylor-Taylor (of the new-wave-inspired smart-ass band The Dandy Warhols) boast all the accoutrements of superstardom: charisma, androgynous good looks, hard-partying lifestyles, and massive egos matched by formidable talent. All that's missing are fame, money, fans, and hit songs. Newcombe and Taylor are consummate poseurs and legends in their own minds, and by making a movie about their early friendship and eventual rivalry, director Ondi Timoner only feeds into their delusions. Both men come across as pricks, but the film frustratingly gives Taylor-Taylor a free pass. By giving Taylor-Taylor the last word, Dig! becomes little more than a self-serving, unconvincing infomercial for a musician who comes across as functional and bearable only when compared to his counterpart.

Updated 09/23/2009