Plot
It's the early 1970's and teenager William Miller gets an assignment to travel with a band called Stillwater. While on the road he learns more than he ever knew about the band and what life is like while on tour.
Cast
Kate Hudson, Patrick Fugit, Frances McDormand and Billy Crudrup.
The good
Kate Hudson was truly very good and I don't think this was an easy role to pull off. Patrick Fugit was good although it took a little time for his performance to grow on me. The soundtrack is fantastic and played at the right times during the movie where you actually here it. The concert scenes looked very good to me. Overall a very nice looking film with lots of bright locations.
The bad/complaints
Billy Crudrup slightly underacted his role and Jason Lee was just okay. Yes, I realize the band was less of a focus, but those two characters bothered me some. The film as a whole is little too cut and dry with things being resolved a bit too smoothly for me.
4.25 out of 5
Final word
I avoided seeing this film until recently because it received so much hype. I certainly think it was a strong film overall. Yet it's almost like a fairy tale version of the 70's rock scene in some way. I like it, but in some ways I think it tries to make things seem more meaningful and deeper than they really are. Having said that, it's still one of the best music related films in a long while and the best film I am reviewing this week. There is a definite tightness to the film and a bit of magic that doesn't happen enough in films in my opinion.
***Rock Music Week continues on Friday with a very different kind of rock movie and it's High Fidelity.
"I think it tries to make things seem more meaningful and deeper than they really are."
ReplyDeleteMark, I think that's a very good point. I just saw this movie for the first time a few weeks ago and I really liked it - but I came away with the same thought. I was never a groupie but I did have a bf that was a roadie for a band (REO Speedwagon - don't laugh) so I got to see some things firsthand.
As far as Billy Crudup - he was so dang cute in the movie I didn't really notice his acting :)
Like both you and Layla I held off seeing this movie. I can't even tell you the amount of people who told me to see it because I would love it. My girlfriend eventually got me to watch it and I thought it was really good but not quite as great as the hype it recieved from all of my friends. I definitely enjoyed the movie but it wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be.
ReplyDeleteWe all held off on seeing it for a while, it seems. I would rate it a bit lower for the reasons we all have agreed on -- the movie takes itself a bit too seriously. But it's not bad.
ReplyDelete-- david
For some reason, I didn't like this movie. I only thought it was "ok." Maybe it WAS because of all the hype it received. I'm a fickle movie-watcher, what can I say
ReplyDeleteNow, Jason Lee.....I love him. But, I agree that his role in this film was only so-so.
I liked it alright, but I've only seen it once... that may say something. :)
ReplyDeleteI felt that Jason Lee did what he could with the role. I am going to blame it on that because he is one of my favorite actors.
ReplyDeleteI think that it may be much harder to do a rock drama than it is to do a rock comedy. If a rock comedy is silly then it serves it's purpose, but if a drama becomes silly then it becomes a joke in a bad way. A rock drama wants to appeal to people, but if it's too contrived then you risk turning off the music fans.
ReplyDeleteThis movie is an endearment to me because I've had so many people who know what I do call me "Almost Famous" and I only saw it in the beginning stages of my interviewing musicians. Overall I think it's a well-done movie and if there's one experience out of the many I've had in this business, it's being invited to get on the bus for a week and live the life. I think because most of my guests know I'm married if we meet in-person, the invitation doesn't get extended, though there was one who offered me to take a trip to Pittsburgh with them, but I didn't want to ask my wife to drive 4.5 hours to pick me up, lol...
ReplyDeleteI think there a very few journalists who get such a privilege to enjoy what this guy got to do since it's based on alleged true events. I can say that the number of times I've been backstage everyone's on their best behavior, so to speak; I get offered beer and stuff like that, I get invited to hang out awhile but when I have taken them up on it, there's a sense of jitteriness amongst everyone as if I'm going to report it all, so if I detect that vibe, I drink a little faster and say I have to get down on the floor and get pics of the other groups, blah-de-blah...
I think Joey Belladonna was the most natural backstage hangout and Mark was with me for that. Joey's a wonderful guy and nobody was uncomfortable that night.