Metal Lords (2022)

An "odd-couple" pair of high school friends are forming a metal band. In their search for a third member, they clash over whether to accept a female cellist.

This hits a lot of familiar "coming of age" beats: first love, a falling out, mental illness, and clashes with a parent -- but none of those elements feel tired here. The novelty of embracing metal in a Coldplay kind of world was part of it, but I really think a lot of this film's success comes down to the fresh talent of Adrian Greensmith as the dominant friend. He's magnetic and I can't wait to see what he does next.

B+