Mistaken for Strangers (2013)

Directed by Tom Berninger.

Matt Berninger is the brooding lead singer of indie rock darlings The National. His younger brother Tom, who wants to make horror films, lives at home with their parents and is no great fan of the band— he prefers metal. When Matt invites Tom to join The National as a roadie on their biggest ever tour, Tom takes a hand-held camera along, planning to film a documentary about the band. The result is less about The National and more an entertaining and very honest reflection on sibling rivalry and brotherly love.

Tom is front and centre in Mistaken for Strangers. At his best he is the loveable slacker to his brother’s aloof, rather self-important frontman — a guy just out to have some fun on tour. But he can also be deeply frustrating, immature and prone to self-sabotage. Watching Mistaken for Strangers with no prior knowledge of the film, it can be difficult to work out whether Tom has any awareness of how he comes across. It was interesting to note after watching that Matt’s wife, former New Yorker fiction editor Carin Besser, suggested Tom edit the film to be about himself and his relationship with his brother. It is a suggestion would appear to have saved it from being a very mediocre rock documentary, to something more nuanced and interesting.

The success of Mistaken for Strangers is in Tom and Matt’s willingness to share some of their weakest moments . When an early screening of rough cuts of the film falls through because of problems with the projector, Matt is shown berating Tom for not preparing properly. Tom says the failure had made him cry and that he had felt compelled to film his tears, for the good of the film. Matt laughs.