MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM - REVIEW ROUNDUP — INDIE THIRST

The directors of 'Shut Up and Play the Hits' have made an in-the-moment documentary that focuses on the early-2000s indie-rock scene of New York City, featuring prominent bands such as The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM is a documentary that takes viewers on an immersive archival journey through the explosive music scene of early 2000s New York City. Based on Lizzy Goodman's bestselling book, it tells the story of a handful of era-defining bands, including The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol, TV on the Radio, and The Moldy Peaches, who kickstarted a musical rebirth for New York City in a time of seismic political, technological, and cultural shifts.

Against the backdrop of 9/11 and a world unaware of the changes that are about to occur, MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM examines the lives of key figures from each band, the transformation of the city, and the cultural forces that shaped it. Directors Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace (SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS) combine never-before-seen footage, intimate audio interviews, and a visceral sense of time and place to explore the myth and music of the last great romantic age of rock 'n' roll.

The film promises a raw, confessional, and authentic, experience. Does Meet Me In The Bathroom live up to the bestselling book it draws inspiration from or is this really it?

How has Meet Me In The Bathroom been received by critics?

Tara Brady - Irish Times

We get a heartfelt account of Karen O’s upbringing but little context on the other subjects or, indeed, the scene’s implosion as the effects grew of Rudy Giuliani’s cabaret laws, extreme gentrification, corporate demands and substance abuse.

Score - ★★★☆☆

Ed Potton - Times (UK)

Meet Me in the Bathroom is an appropriately raw and urgent documentary about the music scene that flourished in New York after the fall of the Twin Towers.

Score - ★★★★☆

Phillip De Semlyen - Time Out

Beyond the music, Meet Me in the Bathroom makes a compelling study of the whole idea of a scene.

Score - ★★★★☆

Simon Abrams - RogerEbert.com

A short-sighted, soundbite-intensive remembrance of the New York City post-punk/indie pop rock scene of the early aughts.

Score - ★★☆☆☆

Ryan Lattanzio - indieWire

Southern and Lovelace’s documentary appears to be held together by the same proverbial glue and paper clips that cohered the early sonic boom of this particular indie subset. And that’s largely part of its charm. But the results are often navel-gazey.

Score - ★★★☆☆

While reviews can be polarising, it's always best to form your own opinion and experience the media firsthand. If you have the opportunity to check out the documentary, we would love to hear your thoughts.

MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM - REVIEW ROUNDUP