Oasis Reunion Doc: More Earnestness Than Rock 'n' Roll?

The documentary "Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger" captures the band's 2025 reunion tour, immediately confronting the Gallagher brothers' estrangement. Following a montage of their infamous 2009 split, the film delves into the band's six-week rehearsal period for the tour.

However, the documentary, directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace, largely sidesteps direct confrontation between Noel and Liam. Instead, it offers guarded interviews and emphasizes the intense fan devotion, portraying Oasis's music as a crucial escape for many.

Footage highlights concert-goers expressing deep emotional connections to the band's songs, often in states of fervor. This fan-centric approach, while showcasing significant concert moments, is frequently interrupted by platitudes or tangents. A particularly poignant segment includes a Manchester Arena attack survivor finding solace in an Oasis ballad.

The film's earnest tone and focus on reconciliation, including a priest's sermon comparing crowds to pilgrimages, feel at odds with the band's ethos. This approach, coupled with discussions of working-class origins and high ticket prices, contributes to a sense of the film being a superficial cash grab, stripping away some of the band's raw intensity.