Mission to Lars

For most of his life, Tom Spicer, who has Fragile X Syndrome (a form of autism), has lived in a British care facility. His siblings, Cathy, a journalist, and Will, a filmmaker, decide to document Tom's quest to meet Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich in a bid to get to know their brother better (Cathy produced the film, while Will directed with James Moore). Their parents are encouraging, but warn them that Tom doesn't deal well with change. Cathy eventually establishes the necessary connections, but things get off to a bad start when Tom goes missing on the day they plan to pick him up; since they didn't arrive on time, he changed his mind about the trip. Once their stepmother Jane talks Tom back into it, the siblings fly to Los Angeles and rent an RV for the drive to Las Vegas. But once there, Tom doesn't feel up to meeting Lars, so Cathy goes to the show, while Will and Tom watch TV and attempt to do laundry. Next, they're off to Sacramento. After talking to Jane and a Fragile X expert, Tom does go to the second show, watching with headphones from the back of the stage, since he doesn't do well with crowds or excessive volume. They finish up in Anaheim where Tom finally feels ready to meet his hero. This is the fulfillment of a 10-year dream, so the film ends on a positive note, although it's hard to tell if the siblings are closer than they were before. As they all return to their separate lives, there's a sense that nothing has really changed. Still, this feel-good road trip doc should be considered a strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)