Mistaken For Strangers | Tom Berninger | March 28, 2014
It should be known that I am a bit biased when it comes to The National, as they one of my favorite bands. So when it came time to check out the documentary that is based off of them (although only partly about them) I did my best to be as objective as possible. It became so hard to do so, because the documentary is so well done. It provides us with a close personal look of the band that has never been done before.
The documentary is directed by Tom Berninger, the older brother of Matt Berninger, who is The National’s frontman/lead-singer. When you think of The National, he’s the image that comes to mind. The unequivocal captain of the ship. As Matt and The National experienced more and more success over the years, Tom was still living at home with his parents in Cincinnati, struggling to find his true identity. This contrast between Matt and Tom is made even more clear when we find out that Matt offers Tom a job as a member of their tour crew. This is where Tom gets the idea to film all the happenings on tour, some candid, and others more thought out.
Mistaken for Strangers starts off with an introduction to the band for all those who are unfamiliar with them. Although they’ve seen some great success over the last few years, they saw some dark ones as well. The band would play empty rooms during their early days, questioning themselves and their future. All of that changed in 2005 with the release of their third album Alligator, which received critical acclaim and was the first step towards indie rock stardom. Their star continued to rise over the years, fully hitting it’s peak in 2010 with the release of their fifth album High Violet. The band got photo shoots with The New York Times, were playing sold out shows at BAM, and got #3 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Tom struggles with his job as a roadie, never seeming to get anything right. But he flourishes behind the camera, giving us great behind the scenes look at The National going through success for the first time. As the stages get larger, so does the pressure on both the band and their team. Tom takes the time to interview each member of the band, capturing plenty of great footage, that’s often hilarious. We see heated moments shared between the brothers, and the rest of the band (who realize that all of Tom’s questions eventually circle back to being about Matt) and their road crew. But Tom doesn’t keep enough of his part of the deal as a roadie on tour, and soon tensions begin to rise at what his actual purpose is in the whole grand scheme of things.
This is where Mistaken For Strangers finds its heart, becoming much more about Tom and his struggle to find the same success that his brother has found, than the band itself. Tom never quite found his potential in life, yet his brother is experiencing the sort of success that one can only dream about. Tom soon returns home to Cincinatti to reflect, and begin piecing together all the footage that he gathers on tour. In one devastatingly heartbreaking scene, Tom tells the camera that his brother was a rockstar growing up, and now he’s literally a rock star in real life. Tom wears his heart on his sleeve, putting himself out there emotionally for the audience to see.
You don’t need to be a fan of The National to find enjoyment in Mistaken For Strangers, but you will most certainly become one by the time that it’s done. While the film shows the internal struggle of Tom Berninger, it also serves as a showcase for his talent as a director. The last third of the film shows him trying to put the film together, with a little help from Matt and his wife, Carin Besser. Although he struggles with it, he soon comes into his own, which is clearly evident by the final product that you watch unfold before your eyes. He effortlessly mixes in the band’s music in a timely fashion, giving us a first rate documentary.
The final scene shows Matt climbing into the crowd during a concert with Tom holding the extended microphone chord so Matt can dive deeper into the crowd. As Matt dives into a sea of people, Tom is doing his part to make sure it all runs smooth. It’s at this point you realize that the documentary isn’t just about Tom, Matt, or The National. It’s about the relationship between two brothers, and a long winded journey of self discovery. By the time the film ends, all you want to do is grab a bottle of wine, listen to The National, and hit repeat.
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