Movies

Surprisingly well-acted, well-written movie about hard rockin'-but-decent young man getting that much-hoped-for ticket to stardom: his favorite heavy metal band wants him to replace their lead singer. Not far-fetched, the film tries keeping things in perspective and doesn't go over-the-top; it certainly makes you think twice about those lingering adolescent fantasies about being in the music business. But the script, despite solid dialogue, follows a tried-and-true, formulaic pattern, and gets bogged down by its own clichés in the final act. I enjoyed it much more than the sugary fluffball "Almost Famous". It has a nice, bitter edge to go with its heavy metal decadence, but a stronger finish might've made it more memorable. **1/2 from ****

I must admit I wasn't expecting much on this movie. I was surprised I truly enjoyed it as much as I did. The script wasn't oscar material, but it wasn't horrible either. The acting was great by Mark Wahlberg. Jennifer Aniston had a great supporting role, and looked lovely as ever. What made this movie for me was the music. If you do not like 80's glam metal or hair bands, then you probably wont like this movie. Its all about being a rockstar. Some cliche's were present, but didn't bring down the movie at all. I would recommend it to anyone who likes rock and roll and remember to Stand up and Shout!!! 8 of 10 for great acting and awesome music.Jason

Lead singer of a tribute band (Marky Mark) becomes lead singer of the real band he idolizes.So, I see comments saying this is another movie Jennifer Aniston ruined. Well, that is half true. She definitely makes it worse and every scene she is in amounts to a steaming pile of doo. Even her voice is grating and it is hard to take her seriously.But the movie would have stunk either way. It has a good idea, sort of, especially since this really happened (to Journey). But it is not funny enough to be a comedy or serious enough to be a drama. It just sort of... is. It would have been significantly better if it had a little more humor in it and could have been passed off as a mockumentary. I mean, yeah, we already have "Spinal Tap", but it wouldn't have to be that silly.