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First of all let me start off by saying that although Rock star didn't do very well at the box office, I thought it was a lot of fun and it made for an enjoyable hour and three quarters viewing. Loosely based on the life of Tim `Ripper' Owens, the office supplies salesman who replaced Rob Halford in Judas Priest, Rock Star combines satire, morality, romance and a good old fashioned rags to riches storyline. So what's the plot? Salesman and ordinary working stiff Chris Cole (Mark Wahlberg) and wannabe rock star has been obsessed for years in his devotion to British heavy metal band Steel Dragon. As part of a tribute band, he is derided by his older brother who feels he should get a real job and his devotion to mimicry is so much that even his fellow tribute band members are sick of him, and they eventually dump him. Comforted by his patient and devoted girlfriend (Jennifer Anniston) Chris swears that he will prove them all wrong but he even he is shocked when he is invited to audition as the replacement singer in the band he adores. Of course he wins the gig and so begins a journey through the world of a rock idol, full of drugs, groupies, drink and general excessive behaviour. I'm not quite sure why this movie wasn't that successful. Sure it's not the greatest movie you will ever see and it offers no original insight but there's also very little to dislike about it. Critics may complain that it's neither full on satire such as `This Is Spinal Tap' or that it is full of clichés but this is a movie that doesn't take itself too seriously and does not try to portray reality. Mark Wahlberg is perfectly cast as Chris Cole and Jennifer Anniston gives a very pleasing and likeable performance as Chris's loyal girlfriend, whilst some of the supporting turns (particularly from Timothy Spall as the seen it all before manager) are excellent too. Stephen Herek's direction is perfectly paced and unlike most modern movies it is not overlong and it feels shorter than it actually is. It has some truly excellent moments and you could do much worse than to check this out on a Saturday night.Read full review
I remember the look, the experience. This movie does a good job of taking you back and reliving the hair band days. (Sort of, this particular band was kind of a tamed down version at the beginning of the hairband craze). It is done in an almost documentary at times format and very believable. If you didn't grow up around this time, and wonder what teen, party life was like back in the mid 80's, Here You Go! I bought it through ebay for convenience. I might have found it at walmart in the bargain box for less if I wanted to dig through a bunch of junk, but I doubt I would have ever found it. The price was fair, the movie was perfect and it shipped pretty quick. Definitely a keeper.
Mark Wahlberg plays a singer in a Steel Dragon tribute band. The band is what I would call an 80's hair band and seems that all of the talent in the tribute band lays in the hands of Izzy (Mark Wahlberg). Izzy aspires to be just like the lead singer of Steel Dragon from his hair down to his nipple ring. So long story short Izzy gets kicked out of the tribute band and the real band Steel Dragon is kicking out their lead singer and gets a hold of a tape of Izzy singing and they really like it. Steel Dragon brings Izzy in to replace their frontman a dream come true for Izzy. He leads the rockers life does he love it? You will see....
What more can I say than the story summary says? It slightly mirrors the lucky life of rocker Ripper Owens and stars Mark Wahlberg as a perfectionist cover band leader of a famous rock band of the "hair metal" era; a fictional band called Steel Dragon. With songs of the era such as soundtrack songs from Motley Crue to Bon Jovi, and singing talents of Jeff Scott Soto (formerly of Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force and the rock band Journey), this movie gives credence to one of the greatest eras of metal, or hard rock there is. To sum up this movie is the title given to the movie: ROCK STAR
I saw this movie at the theater and loved it! It pokes fun at the "hair band" era of the mid-80's, a time I remember well. At the same time, there is a story that is constant throughout the movie where a regular guy from the midwest finds out that what he thought he wanted (being a rock star) wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and in the end he chose to be true to himself. Both Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston were great. Mark continues to surprise me with his roles, and Jennifer was as far from "Rachel Greene" (Friends) as she could get. They both are growing well into big-screen "stars." Great date movie, especially for those of us who lived through the big-hair-band era and still know every word to Bon Jovi and Def Leppard songs! :)
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