Rush: Time Stand Still

I've been a Rush fan since 1985 and I'm always going to want to see a film about the Toronto Trio, however, Rush: Time Stand Still is an uneasy concept. The hook of the countdown to the potentially last ever Rush concert works, but the mix of contributors that the camera eye focuses upon didn't fully animate me. The interviews with Geddy, Alex and Neil are illuminating (and in some instances, very frank), as are the insights provided by various members of the touring crew, but the conceit of shifting to fans unbalanced the film. As nice as the fans seemed to be, I'm not really that interested in a guy who collects every Rush news clipping there is to clip, or the background, motivations, and activities of the founder of RushCon when I could be learning more about the tour from the key players, literally. A documentary entirely about fans set against backdrop of the final tour/show would conceptually work, but the mixed approach is ultimately frustrating, especially as it really is the end of a rock era and presumably the last Rush film that will be made. In terms of content, the backstage preparations footage is excellent, and the final scenes are very poignant, but what is bittersweet is the dynamic that pervades the film. As another reviewer has stated, there is, from counterparts in the band and their manager, a clear sense that there is a strong desire for the show to go on within these quarters, but that it is Neil Peart who is adamant that it is the end for him (and so for the rest of the band). Now, given that they are my favourite band and always will be, I'd selfishly love another 10 Rush albums and for the band to go on endlessly rocking towards 2112, but I am also a realist and so I do not want to see Rush eventually losing it on stage, and I would hate to see the music simplified or compromised, as it inevitably would be given its complexity and the physical prowess needed to perfectly perform it. So, while Neil Peart may have now largely disavowed the influence of Ayn Rand, he still remains doggedly individualistic to resist, and I respect him for displaying such determined free will in the face of peer pressure in his decision to draw the Rush curtain and move out of the musical limelight - the Rush drum parts are not suited to the 60+ age range, and Peart wisely knows (and painfully feels) this. Hence, he clearly recognises that, sadly, time does not stand still. So, in the wake of the magnificent Clockwork Angels album, and two subsequent successful tours that saw the band playing at the top of their game, Rush and Neil Peart go out in triumph, and it would have been good to see this ethos communicated more clearly in the film as few bands ever achieve such a marathon career (or possess such potent enduring creative chemistry). So, in the end the film, while you do not need to make it your mission to see this, it is still certainly worth catching for its insights into how a band with such a long history plays its last note and final cymbal clash, but Beyond The Lighted Stage remains the definitive Rush filmic anthem, and I'm glad I saw this on Sky Arts as I would have been disappointed to have paid any big money for the DVD. The band's fans are a mighty fine group (and their tears do flow), but when I'm in the mood to watch a film about Rush, I just want to hear the words of Dirk, Lerxst and Pratt.

Cannot watch this film without feeling what an absolute travesty and a shame it is for Neil. He deserved so much more than the hand he was dealt and was taken from us far too soon. I guess all we can do is be thankful for the time he was here and what he gave to the world. The drum world lost a great and I mean an all time great. Just glad to say I was around at the same time. RIP Neil you were and always will be the best 👍🏻 X

I just watched Rush / Time Stand Still with my 20 yr old son. We are Rush fans, although not as hardcore as some of the fans in the film - some fans have been to well over 100 Rush concerts. What stands out in the doc is the band's dedication to their music and their fans. The band never worried about having singles on the charts or the criticism / dismissal they received from the mainstream music media. They kept slogging away, touring touring touring and perfecting their craft. And now, after 40 years, they are an overnight success. Other musicians are coming forward to talk about how they admire or were inspired by the band, and also how funny and nice Alex, Geddy and Neil were/are in person. This doc will make you laugh at times, but overall there is a sense of looming sadness because you know the final curtain is about to fall. It's like when Wayne Gretzky made his final skate around Madison Square Gardens waving at the fans. It's the end of an era. Thanks guys for all the great music.

If you're (like me) a die-hard Rush fan, you'll be weeping at the end. Can't help feeling that Lifeson and Lee are not at all happy about the end of touring days for Rush. At the same time one can understand why Peart has hung up his tour cymbals. There is no easy way to play a Rush song, let alone perform like an octopus on speed for 3 hours at 63! Generally the movie is a good insight into the work it takes to put on a show, and the groundhog-day affect it has on the band and crew. Beautifully shot and edited, with clips of the band throughout all their stages (bad hair, dreadful 80s clothes et al). My only "negative" viewpoint: Cant help feeling this "film" was rush-released a bit. (no pun intended) It seems like Alex and Geddy are doing a "see how sad people are Neil? See what you're quitting?". Additionally, they might also have touched on "hey fans, we might have stopped touring, but we will still keep writing and recording!"..but they didn't. I think if you put the three boys in a car together now there would be deadly silence as each one just stares out the window. I don't think we've heard the last of this. Prediction: More albums....the odd one-off show. We shall watch and pray....

I'm not a professional reviewer. This film was accidentally on the tv and I wasn't even a Rush fan. I never had much exposure to them. I wasn't even paying much attention to the movie until it just grabbed me. It was a very compelling story about a band, its music and a culture I was not aware of. It was beautiful and lovingly done. I'm pretty sure it was the best music documentary I've ever seen. It made me love Rush and want to know more about them. It was the perfect blend of concert footage and interviews of band and crew and fans and back stories. Just really well done. I can't say enough about this film. Don't miss it!