The evening's opening act was by Kristeen Young, whose 30-minute set was interspersed with the crowd demanding Morrissey's appearance, followed by a video explaining fish suffocating.

Guest appearances included Russell Brand, who delivered a rambling introductory monologue,[9] and Patti Smith, who gave a well-received, hour-long set of her own before Morrissey came on stage.

Russell Brand's introductory monologue appears as a DVD extra, he and Patti Smith were seen in brief cutaways and inserts during an opening montage.

[3] Birmingham Mail felt that while at 54, Morrissey looked more like a politician than a rock star, his performances of songs such as "Meat Is Murder", "Everyday Is Like Sunday", "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want", and "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" gave enough evidence to suggest he "could still grow all over you if you let him".

They wrote that "even if the performances range from rousing to ropey, watching the cult of Mozza in action still offers some unintended pleasures",[1] and concluded, "A few numbers – 'Irish Blood, English Heart', 'Everyday Is Like Sunday' – are delivered with fire, but too often we're witnessing messianic gestures without the accompanying miracles".

[3] Explaining that he is a performer known for his "provocative public statements and witty, literate, emotionally charged lyrics",[3] The Hollywood Reporter shared that Morrissey has a fiercely dedicated fan base.

"Lacking in context or personal insights", the film is generally "a straight record of the concert", shot from multiple angles and with a "glossy cinematic look".

It was felt it captured "the fervour that only a Morrissey gig can provide, and it's simultaneously moving, exciting and funny when the somewhat stout singer rips off his sweaty shirt and throws it to the ravenous crowd – twice.

[4] Admitting his words were strong, Collins explained that director James Russell's picture so efficiently "makes its subject look like a thundering bozo" that viewers could conclude it was funded by either the various musicians Morrissey "has insulted over the years, maybe, or a coalition of angry butchers".

They noted that in its focus on Morrissey as a performer rather than as a man, the location of Hollywood High School was fitting for the "prickly poet laureate of the bedsit malcontent".

[5] They felt that while director Russell's claim of "elevating the convention of the concert movie to new cinematic heights"[5] was somewhat exaggerated, the film remained "an imaginatively conveyed rock performance by an elusive icon".