Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns) (2002)

82% of critics liked it
(45 reviews)
87% of users liked it
(955 ratings)

John Flansburgh and John Linnell are a pair of musicians who met when they were fellow junior-high misfits in the town of Lincoln, MA. Sharing a fondness for off-center pop music and absurdist humor, the pair decided to form a band, and later moved to Brooklyn, NY, in search of their big break.… More John Flansburgh and John Linnell are a pair of musicians who met when they were fellow junior-high misfits in the town of Lincoln, MA. Sharing a fondness for off-center pop music and absurdist humor, the pair decided to form a band, and later moved to Brooklyn, NY, in search of their big break. Adopting a rather unusual two-man lineup (guitar and accordion accompanied by a drum machine), the duo began performing as They Might Be Giants, and their shows were part concert, part performance art, and part edgy comedy. Slowly but surely, They Might Be Giants became one of the biggest bands on the alternative rock scene, and while they never threatened to break into the upper reaches of the Billboard charts, they've managed to develop a loyal cult following, and after nearly 20 years together, are still recording and performing their one-of-a-kind songs on their own terms. Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns) is a documentary which looks at the long and sometimes strange history of They Might Be Giants, featuring extensive interviews with Flansburgh and Linnell; thoughts from fellow musicians Frank Black and Syd Straw; endorsements from noted authors Dave Eggers, Gina Arnold, and Michael Azerrad; and readings of the group's lyrics from actors (and fans) Harry Shearer, Janeane Garofalo, Michael McKean, and Annette O'Toole. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 42 min.
Directed By: AJ Schnack
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Documentary

In Theaters: Mar 10, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Nov 18, 2003
Studio: Cowboy Pictures

Critic Reviews

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
Prepare yourself for nights wandering around the house singing unshakable tunes.
Michael Booth, Denver Post
The flabby, fawning film Gigantic comes across as 102 minutes of rib-nudging by one of the duo's annoyingly self-satisfied connoisseurs.
Mark Brown, Denver Rocky Mountain News
Predictably, Flansburgh and Linnell are the saving grace of the movie, both in their interview segments (refreshingly witty, although the editing could have been tighter) and particularly in the live footage.
James Sullivan, San Francisco Chronicle
A modest amusement.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
As tooting-your -own-horn documentaries about innovative alt-rockers who've been around for 20 years go, Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns goes very well indeed.
Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter
Clever in a good way, this spirited documentary delves gently into the story of indie band They Might Be Giants, building a case for a couple of good-natured visionaries and pioneers who blazed trails for non-hair bands in the early days.
Martin Scribbs, Low IQ Canadian
Gigantic documents how much work goes into the making of twee music.
David Cornelius, eFilmCritic.com
Gigantic may not be as different a music movie as it thinks it is, what with its by-the-book fluffiness. But that's OK, really, since it's a fun watch anyway.
Geoffrey Kleinman, DVDTalk.com
An extremely entertaining documentary. It has an excellent mix of interviews, archival footage and live performance.
Kim Morgan, Oregonian
Engrossing, fun and oddly touching, Gigantic makes you wish the best for these guys.
Gregory Weinkauf, New Times
Comforting and pleasant.
Kevin John Bozelka, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Suffers the same banal fate of most band documentaries. It's essential for rabid fans but even ordinary ones will live rich and meaningful lives without ever having seen one minute of it.
Bill White, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
As a film, Gigantic is excessive and poorly structured.
Erik Lundegaard, Seattle Times
Tries to be as irreverent and bouncy as a song by its subject, and succeeds for the most part.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner
Even at face value the world of TMBG is still wonderful and fascinating, making for an engaging film.
Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com
Should be sent out to fan club members, not exhibited in movie theaters.