Going in to see “Lambert and Stamp”, viewers may expect a movie strictly about the band The Who, or they might expect a movie about a couple of suits named Chris Lambert and Kit Stamp, a duo that helped the group that influenced a generation. The film is about a fusing of the two: the lifestyle, the music, and the business meshing cohesively, and then coming apart as well.

  The film begins with two budding filmmakers, Chris Lambert and Kit Stamp, who wanted to manage a band that would become famous, so that they in turn could make a movie about the band and themselves as managers. They searched for the right band, and found a band called The Detours that would later become the Who, in a small bar.

  As the movie progressed, the Who rose to fame. The admiration that the band and the managers felt toward each other was displayed. As the band became more famous, their problems escalated, Stamp and Lambert proceeded to create their own record label. While they were creating their record label, they were sued for mismanagement by The Who.

  Lambert’s wife and daughter attended the premier at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, to commemorate his life’s work. Chris Lambert, however, was not there, as he passed away shortly before the film’s release.

  The movie is a must-see for any true music fan or any fan of the business behind the art. I was intrigued when I found out the origins of The Who, how they were taken from a pub in England and brought to the public eye by two film-makers. They are a band that has withstood conflicts, death, and hardships, and they are still performing solo shows after 40 years in business.

  The director, James Cooper, captured the thoughts of former band mates, Lambert, and associates of the band by a range of interviews.

  However, Cooper avoided any mention of drug abuse in the film, which was unfortunate, especially since it was the cause of death for some of the main people in the film.

  Overall, the film was one of the better documentaries premiered. Getting a glimpse into the lives of Lambert and Stamp, the men behind one of the most influential bands was a real treat.