Review: Mission to Lars

His dream was to meet his favourite drummer, a world famous heavy metal god. But Tom Spicer has a rare form of autism and lived in a care home in Devon for the past 22 years. So when his siblings decide to set out with him on a road trip across America, capturing the journey in a remarkable documentary along the way, success was nothing but certain.

Mission to Lars is a touching, endearing and funny documentary about a brother and sister who attempt to unite their disabled brother from which they have grown apart with his hero, who is none other than Metallica’s drummer Lars Ulrich.

Being in one of the most famous rock bands in the world Ulrich is a heavy metal god with his own jumbo jet and everything he could ever wish for. Tom Spicer however has been living in a care home and has Fragile X Syndrome, the most common cause of inherited learning disability.

Out of a mixture of guilt, sadness and love his sister Kate, a 42 year old London-based journalist and her youngest brother Will, a 36 year old film-maker want to make Tom happy by giving him the only thing he has ever wished for; a meeting with Lars.

Hopes of good times and bonding are initially high but what starts out a dream soon becomes a nightmare as Tom’s disabilities, a dysfunctional family, and heavy metal’s labyrinthine backstage world thwart the mission at every turn. But as they get closer to Lars, Tom the man starts to shine.

Mission to Lars premieres tonight at Hackney Picturehouse at 9pm, the screening will be followed by a Q&A (and perhaps a rock god??). The film will then play Picturehouse cinemas nationwide in June and July. To find out more information on screenings check out the Mission to Lars blog.