The Topp Twins are accomplished musical stylists, episodically gifted songwriters, respectable cultural commentators and excruciatingly dreadful comedians, but that's not why this movie was made. It's actually a sort of socio-political pornography aimed squarely at existing fans. The purpose of this movie is essentially to allow people who've never knowingly met a lesbian and don't know which end of a sheep to feed to feel smug about liking and hating all the right things - hooray agrarian sensibilities and homosexual law reform, boo 1981 tours and nuclear ships. The Twins seem all too happy to contribute to this, not even complaining when the editors fade out their most lovely song, "Milestones", in favor of an interview where they congratulate each other for being so humble as to not use limousines on tour. We do eventually learn the real reason these girls are untouchable - they're lightning rods for the conceits and enthusiasms of New Zealand's suburban, heterosexual, middle-class liberal establishment - but that reason is nothing much to be proud of.

I'm gay, and the friend I went to see this with is a lesbian, and we like gay-positive films, and the New York Times review of this was VERY positive, so we went, expecting to have a good time. Not so much. The accents are almost impenetrable (and we both thought we understood folks from Down Under pretty well), the sound quality in general is awful (at least at the Shattuck Cinema in Berkeley), and the "story" is pretty thin and repetitive. The stereotypes they are poking fun at must be local ones, as we found the songs and skits pointless, silly, and way out of date. SO unless you are already a fan of the Topps, and speak Kiwi, don't expect much from this.

Having seen the Topps only in concert here in Australia before I knew a little about them, but this open and warm documentary gives you an insight into a career that has spanned more than thirty years, just being themselves. They poke fun at everyone, themselves included, but the love shows through. The mixture of music, old footage and interviews kept the pace moving thought the film.Get the DVD if you can, it has a heap of extras that were all just as good as what was in the film, but of course would have made it so long it would have never had a release.My hats off the the twins, and especially their parents, if all gay and lesbian children had parents like this it would be a much better world for everyone.

The older I get, the more moved I am by people who perfectly express who they are. The Topp Twins are "New Zealand icons": yodelling lesbian comic singers with (as one show-biz type acknowledges) zero commercial prospects but who are nonetheless approaching three decades into a career as peerless audience-pleasers with perfect entertainment pitch. This film tells the story (including the Topps' key role in the repeal of sodomy laws in NZ just by being more fun than the opposition) with no frills but enormous heart.But wait! You also get: the funniest lesbian joke I've ever heard. (Hope that's not a spoiler)