Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back (2000)

Director: Jim McBride

Writer: Ron McGee (Screenplay)

Starring: W. Earl Brown, Dedee Pfeiffer, Zachary Throne, Tim Kelleher, Tom Wood, Kim Robillard, Lisa Jane Persky

 

Plot: A look at the life of Meatloaf, from his childhood to his success as an international singer.

 

Verdict: The Bat Out Of Hell

 

Story: We follow a young Meat Loaf as he deals with alcoholic father, school bullies and his cancer ridden mother who supports him on everything. After his mother loses her battle we follow the now college student Meat Loaf as he goes out his way to prove his disapproving father wrong. We see how he gets his first chance into the entertainment world before meeting Jim Steinman leading to the start of their partnership. We get to see how the partnership try to sell their first album and get pushed away because they have a different sound to what is popular at the time. We see how they go out on their own to make the record risking everything, but even after they make the record no label wants to buy them, until ambitious record label wants to sign them. Bat Out of Hell is born and Meat Loaf is becomes a star, but after he starts to lose his voice we see how his family’s life comes crashing down around him. We see how in the late 1980s Meat Loaf started to make his return and rekindle his friendships before making his comeback.

As a big Meat Loaf fan I always look out for any type of film or documentary about his life. This didn’t disappoint showing how he rose to fame before falling from grace and making his comeback, it might only show up to the early 90s but these were the most difficult years for him. It shows how he was always looking for approval from people who doubted him, it shows how he overcomes all the doubters and people who put him down to become one of the most unique musicians the world has ever seen. This tells us certain thing about how he became the star, but because he has gone onto have a longer career it feels only half the story. (7/10)

 

Actor Review

 

Earl Brown: Meat Loaf the rock opera legend who has to go through personal battles to become the most unique singer the world had ever seen. He does a great job giving a solid performance as the still living and breathing musician which is always hard to achieve. (7/10)

 

Dedee Pfeiffer: Leslie Edmonds Wife of Meat Loaf who supports him through all of the troubles the family has to go through. Dedee gives a good performance going through the decades. (7/10)

 

Zachary Throne: Jim Steinman musical partner of Meat Loaf who gives him his first chance in music, they work together on the album even if they have a long spell of not talking to each other. Solid performance from Zachary. (6/10)

 

Support Cast: Be it other people in the music industry helping or hindering Meat Loaf, family members they all come together to help the story unfold and help define who Meat Loaf became.

 

Director Review: Jim McBride – Jim does a solid job directing the life achievements from until the early 90s. (7/10)

 

Biographical: Good look at how Meat Loaf has to overcome his different appearance to become one of the biggest names in music history. (9/10)

Music: We only get a few glimpses of the music but we get plenty of the classic songs Meat Loaf is known for. (9/10)

Settings: The settings are not used as well as they could be, but with so many time jumps it is hard to make any iconic for the film. (3/10)

Suggestion: I think this will only appeal to the fans of the man himself. (Meat Loaf Fans Watch)

 

Best Part: The Final Speech.

Worst Part: Too many times jumps telling us a very small part of the journey.

Believability: It is based on Meat Loaf’s real life. (10/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: Concert in the background of the credits.

 

Oscar Chances: No

Runtime: 1 Hour 27 Minutes

 

Overall: Solid TV Movie About A Great Musician

Rating