(Letterbox/Madman)

Rock N Roll Nerd documents the rise to fame of comedian/musician Tim Minchin, from Melbourne nobody to star of the UK stage. The filmmakers capture him on the cusp of his success, which is a handy piece of timing. A decent amount of his performances, which are routinely excellent, are included within the documentary and are made even more enjoyable by getting to know him up close. Meeting him before he has his hair and teeth straightened, seeing him out of the make-up and costume just being ordinary with his wife and friends at the point where he’s still the struggling underdog, Minchin earns your sympathy with ease. Part of that is how self-deprecating and insecure he is – one of those comedians who proves the tears-of-a-clown truism that deep down they’re an unhappy, doubt-riddled lot. At first he’s bothered by the possibility he’ll fail and his wife, who pays all the bills, will be dragged down with him and his dream as they crash and burn. Later he’s just as upset by the ludicrous amount of money he gets paid to goof off on stage, as well as by his occasional bad reviews. Which is pleasing. It’s always nice to know that if you give someone one star, motherfucker’s gonna cry – but Rock N Roll Nerd hits all the right funny and heart-warming notes to make you a fan.

****

JODY MACGREGOR