The Beatles: Eight Days a Week

There's absolutely no way in denying the cultural impact four lads from Liverpool left on the world. But what was it like when they were still a band? More specifically, how did they cope with the hoards of screaming fans at their concerts?

Ron Howard's The Beatles: Eight Days a Week chronicles those four hectic years the Fab Four spent touring, recording, promoting and very little else. (Certainly no way anyone could've foretold Beatlemania back then.) But it was only a matter of time before it became too much for them.

Through remaining Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, they discuss how bandmates John Lennon and George Harrison slowly began to get exhausted of the non-stop traveling and hysterical teenagers. But the documentary also shows the band's cheeky attitude during the early days, providing a juxtaposition for how fame affected them.

What's also captured in The Beatles: Eight Days a Week are those who grew up listening to the band's music. From fellow musicians to those working in Hollywood, they talk about how welcoming the quartet was to the baby boomers. And as future generations would show, they weren't going to be forgotten anytime soon.

The Beatles: Eight Days a Week is as lively as its subjects and a welcoming entry for their fans. It's also a depiction of the cost of fame and how it can slowly wear someone down. It's practically a cautionary tale for those who want to see their name in lights.

My Rating: *****