Rolling Stone designated them “the next big thing” in the late ’70s. When Sting and the Police’s drummer, Stewart Copeland, takes us through the rise and fall of three Police rock ‘n’ roll legends, it is anything but a quirky reality show with washed-up musicians trying to compete for the title of Has-Been of the Year. Way before MTV had “Making the Video,” Copeland was using his own personal handheld camera to record a film that is essentially a snapshot of what it must have been like to live like a star in the late ’70s.

“Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out” gives a very intimate peek into the lives of three artists: lead singer Sting, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland. Using his own camera, which he takes everywhere with him, Copeland films some humorous scenes of the rockers, all the while narrating for the audience. The film starts off with the band’s humble beginnings – cruising through America, staying at Best Westerns and trying to land shows – and eventually progresses to their better days when they had #1 hits such as “Roxanne” and “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da.” The film acts as a backstage pass, taking the audience on the journey that made these musicians impress upon your mother’s – and possibly your own – life. Even if you are not a fan of the Police, or you don’t even care to know who Sting is, it is still amusing and instructional to watch a band making it big back in the day, when rock ‘n’ roll truly meant something else – playing a gig and then rolling on to the next one.

The film is not filled with sex or drugs, but gives the audience an empathetic depiction of what it must have felt like to be such a successful band. Don’t get me wrong, though; “Everyone Stares” is not all about sappy scenes where rock stars take some time out to have a moment with the camera. The film does have its share of groupies and even a scene where one band member trashes a drug store, but Copeland ultimately portrays the band as musicians who created, played and wrote their own music.

So, for those of you who are thinking about making it big in the music world, this movie might provide that little stepping stone for you. Obviously, the fame wasn’t all that bad, seeing as how Sting is still around, writing hits and making women drool to this very day.