Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

ridiculous rating

Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

The New York Dolls. They make the success of The Ramones look massive. Truth is both bands didn't get nearly enough of their deserved airplay or record sales while they existed, The Dolls almost none in comparison. Many years of repeatedly new generations discovering these great bands rights the wrongs somewhat even if the artists pockets are still receiving only a pittance of what this music must be, in truth, generating. But, there's something beyond the old story of the starving hard working artist here. Unlike The Ramones The Dolls were but a blip on the radar as they shortly imploded among-st death, drugs, and an ever changing musical landscape. One of them left the music business entirely.As for history, it's fickle of course. In The Dolls case it had a coda that was positive. Morissey of The Smiths, an influential artist of the 90's, had the vision to get the surviving Dolls together again for at least one reunion show. It proved providentially wonderful as shown here, particularly for Arthur "Killer" Kane bassist for the band. Though he had been out of the business for approximately thirty years he had a wish that he could somehow reunite with his old mates. His story is a compelling one. A man who had found his Spiritual center he was very content living as an employee of The Mormon Church in a very modest way. Still it seems he had a need for a musical resolution, maybe more so with his old chum David Johansen. It really seems like a blessing for Arthur as this film simply tells. If the concert was for the fans it was more for Arthur and then for David and Sylvain in short order. It was a triumphant return to England where their famous TV appearance was called "mock rock" by host Bob Harris on November 26th 1973 and is where drummer Billy Murcia had died just a year earlier.Arthur as the film shows definitely had an inner peace about him. He was a very humble and kind soul it is clear. He may have needed some closure that never was as for his New York Dolls existence; it seems he was truly blessed and received it. In less than six months after the show he was becoming ill and received a serious diagnosis. Perhaps this final chapter was meant to be. It's truly uplifting how his church family supported this momentary return to his other life. They didn't down it or cast a shadow on it, instead fully supporting his wish to reunite his old band when given the chance. I think it made a good man more at peace and fulfilled. Filmmaker Greg Whiteley did a wonderful job of showing the special man and musician Arthur Kane was.

Watching New York Doll, we see a man who was once a real rock n roller, a member of one of the pioneering punk rock bands, that quickly fizzled after a few years of cult success, and how he turned to drugs soon afterward and instead of simple rehab and reunion with the band went to religion. Mormonism can't be completely explained in one film, especially one as short as 75 minutes, but what the filmmakers faithfully (no pun intended) capture is the transformation of Kane into someone who was happy to be himself, and not strung out on addiction and a lack of a solid career in music. It may even be touching for the die-hard NY Dolls fans who are glad to see "Killer" Kane in anything- he was kicked out of the band originally- and to see other rockers like Morrissey, Bob Geldoff and critics talking very fondly of the Dolls.But it's just as affecting for those who don't know Kane much at all, as it's a tale of self-redemption (albeit by a usually kooky sect like those with Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), and a rehabilitation that's not to be taken lightly for Kane. Without this he would've been dead much sooner, and yet he remained the second-to-last surviving member of the Dolls before his death in 2004; seeing the quasi-reformed Dolls perform with their original footage spliced in is really amazing. The only drawback I would say is that the filmmakers aren't the greatest at projecting an effective style all the time (though there are remarkable moments, like Kane playing a harmonica, and the voice-overs saying how he started to "have a cold" and went to the ER).

A friend of mine and I were looking for a movie to watch on a Friday night, and we came across this at the store. She had been wanting to see it. We were expecting something completely different, considering the fact that Kane was in a major punk or rock and roll band. You really get sucked into his rather quiet character. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it was really cool to see how he was able to ably talk about the Church with his former band-mates, and it was sweet to see how he was able to get back together with the band, which had been his dream. We loved it. Loved it!

I could go on and on about why I liked this movie but there's one thing that is most important to impress upon people: you don't have to be a New York Dolls fan - or even a rock music fan - to enjoy this movie. I was only peripherally aware of the New York Dolls music and I was captivated by this fine piece of work.This is not a concert movie though a performance is integral to the story. It's also not a series of rock videos. It is a simple man's extraordinary journey through life, a life that at times is ordinary and at others is far from it.I can only encourage you to not base your willingness to view this on how you feel about its music. If you pass by because of that, you will deprive yourself of a very special movie.