Arthur 'Killer' Kane was the bass guitarist for the pioneering The New York Dolls during the 70s. After the band breakup, his career never reached the same heights. Later, he surprised everyone by joining the Mormon church. He works at the church library. He's always broke but his drug and alcohol days are in the past. Then he's given a chance to reunite with his band and he's nervously excited. David Johansen and him have issues in the past. Can they keep it in the past?.

This starts with some big names expounding effusive praises on the New York Dolls. It lays down the groundwork for their importance during those times. Then the surprise is Kane as a Mormon. At first, he looks lost like a homeless guy in his thrift store best. The drama isn't that high but Kane is full of humanity. That's what's compelling in this. It's trying to read into the mind of Kane.

Watching New York Doll, we see a man who was once a real rock n roller, a member of one of the pioneering punk rock bands, that quickly fizzled after a few years of cult success, and how he turned to drugs soon afterward and instead of simple rehab and reunion with the band went to religion. Mormonism can't be completely explained in one film, especially one as short as 75 minutes, but what the filmmakers faithfully (no pun intended) capture is the transformation of Kane into someone who was happy to be himself, and not strung out on addiction and a lack of a solid career in music. It may even be touching for the die-hard NY Dolls fans who are glad to see "Killer" Kane in anything- he was kicked out of the band originally- and to see other rockers like Morrissey, Bob Geldoff and critics talking very fondly of the Dolls.

But it's just as affecting for those who don't know Kane much at all, as it's a tale of self-redemption (albeit by a usually kooky sect like those with Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints),and a rehabilitation that's not to be taken lightly for Kane. Without this he would've been dead much sooner, and yet he remained the second-to-last surviving member of the Dolls before his death in 2004; seeing the quasi-reformed Dolls perform with their original footage spliced in is really amazing. The only drawback I would say is that the filmmakers aren't the greatest at projecting an effective style all the time (though there are remarkable moments, like Kane playing a harmonica, and the voice-overs saying how he started to "have a cold" and went to the ER).

The New York Dolls were briefly the darlings of the pre-punk music scene in the US and UK before they descended into drug-fuelled oblivion and squabbles. This film takes up the story of one of the band, Arthur 'Killer' Kane and follows him around the time the 2004 Meltdown reunion.

As the film progresses there is a great sense of a life largely lost in the wilderness, of missed opportunities, bitterness and regret. Kane's Mormonn faith gives him a reason to view everything through new eyes - particularly his relationship with Dolls' frontman David Johansen, who he seems to have viewed as an enemy for far too long. How sad.

Given the circumstances of the film's completion - Kane unexpectedly died shortly after the concert in the UK - it is very moving to watch and never short of enthralling. The music of the reunited Dolls is presented alongside footage of their Old Grey Whistle Test appearance - showing the years have not been kind but that the sound is still there.

A surprising success, this film is everything a true music documentary should be, and with such a gentle and likable subject it is never a bore or contrived.

And that last song from Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain is perfect to wrap up a strange and lonely tale of a lost rock 'n roll soul.