Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Dirty Old Town Reviews

Given the amount of time director Justin Mitchell devotes to loving, atmospheric shots and interviews extolling the virtues of Coney Island, New York, the "vs." in the title of his concert film Dirty Old Town: Ted Leo and the Pharmacists vs. Coney Island doesn't quite apply. Mitchell's obvious inspiration for his 63-minute performance video is Martin Scorsese's legendary 1978 farewell tribute to the Band, The Last Waltz, from the opening shots of concertgoers anxiously lined up on the street to the wistful, elegiac tone of the between-song interviews. But the mood, however artful, is an ill fit for the optimistic, high-energy post-punk of his subject, who's obviously in the prime of his career and loving every minute of it. From the titular opening song to the hard-charging closer "Parallel or Together," Ted Leo and his capable touring band never waver from their stated mission of delivering topical, tuneful, stripped-down rock & roll in the vein of such titans as the Clash, the Jam, and Elvis Costello. Certainly, Leo and company are in top form, and Mitchell captures them with a mix of colorful, often handheld camerawork. Unfortunately, it's here that the production's budget limitations start to show, as Mitchell seems to have no more than three cinematographers shooting the event, none of whom deviate from their designated locations. With so little coverage to choose from, the editing doesn't aptly convey the momentum of the show, a debit that's only amplified by Mitchell's insistence on interrupting the flow of the performances with still photos of the band, the audience, and Coney Island. Nothing can completely squelch the buoyant performance Ted Leo gives here, but with better coverage and editing, Dirty Old Town could've been more than just a fans-only must-have.