Sound It Out - The Very Last Record Shop

Very funny and engaging documentary that offers us glimpses into the lives of the staff and patrons of an independent North Eastern record store.They are characters most people would recognise and a lot of wry humour is wrung from their particularly male obsession.But as well as a nice character study the film is also a look at how important such shops are in their community,showing how a physical space is important for people to congregate,socialise,educate themselves or even escape to.Thankfully the film never polemiscise ,prefering to just observe. Occasionally i felt the subjects were intruded on a little to much,perhaps edits could have come a little sooner but "Sound it out" remains for the most part a worthwhile ,thought provoking,well observed entertaining documentary.

"Sound It Out" is an observational documentary film about life in a small record shop in Stockton-on-Tees. But that's a bit like saying that "Anna Karenina" is a book about a bored Russian housewife. Within these small premises, strong emotions surge and identities are defined and re-negotiated. A wryly affectionate look at the staff and customers evokes a sense of how music is the life-blood for a lot of people stuck in boring jobs in boring places. Naturally, the film has a great soundtrack and there are a few startling moments. A debate about what genre Pisschrist belongs to. An exploration of the technology of a coffin made out of vinyl. But what comes across is a sense of community and human contact, before the brave new world of digital downloads turned music into solitary pleasure. These is some discussion of why 99% of the shop's customers are male, as the female director delivers a compassionate account of blokes' culture.

If you like endless shots of records with music playing in the back ground and no action.

If you like two guys who keep saying they know where everything is over and over again.

You'll love this movie.

I don't and I didn't. It was boring beyond belief.

Firstly if you're expecting an action-movie or something else simply don't bother watching it or posting negative unhelpful reviews.

This is about a documentation of an industry which was, at this point in time, disappearing. Vinyl culture has massively increased since the film was released yet it's films like this with communities like this which preserved that very culture.

It's also a look at youth unemployment, business neglect and economic struggle and the economic divide between the north and the south.

The film is a wonderful portrait of life in Teeside. The local accents and the interesting local patronage of a record store struggling to get by just after Tory Government austerity cut through so many livelihoods.

An honest and indepth documentary of Teeside and vinyl culture and one of the best movies of its style. Great shots of local life. IMDB please do something about stupid negative reviews.

A heartwarming cast and a true insight into the region.