The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights

Jack White is well aware that opinions about the White Stripes vary. In fact, during the course of director Emmett Malloy's documentary chronicling the duo's 2007 Canadian tour, the singer-guitarist refers with bemusement to a critic who described them as “the most fake band in the world, and the most real band in the world.” White himself admits that much about the White Stripes is manufactured, including their look, their clothes, and his relationship with drummer Meg White, his “sister” who's actually his ex-wife. This tour, which followed the release of their Icky Thump CD and marked the duo's 10th anniversary, sometimes feels contrived as well, from the band's decision to play a gig in every Canadian province and territory to the quirky little daytime “side shows” they perform at each stop before the main concert—a bowling alley in Saskatchewan, a flour mill in Ontario, aboard a boat at Prince Edward Island, a pool hall in Nova Scotia—while a visit with some Inuit elders in the remote town of Iqaluit simply comes across as an awkward stunt. But Jack White's quest for musical authenticity—melding the spirit of Delta bluesmen like Son House with the electric crunch of Led Zeppelin—is convincing onstage, as viewers will appreciate in the powerful concert sequences. There's no doubting Jack's passion or talent as the band roars through their own tunes (including the hits “Seven Nation Army” and “Blue Orchid”), covers of Dolly Parton and Burt Bacharach, and adaptations of various traditional material (Meg, meanwhile, remains almost a total cipher, notwithstanding a quiet comment here and there). Recommended. Aud: P. (S. Graham)