The story of a wannabe who got to be.
Features: DVD
Chris Cole (Mark Wahlberg) was born to rock. His longtime girlfriend Emily (Jennifer Aniston) believes Chris's talent could take him all the way--but instead of writing his own music, Chris worships at the altar of Bobby Beers, the fiery frontman for Steel Dragon, the heavy metal rock legends that both inspire and consume his life. By day, Chris still lives at home with his parents and spends his days repairing copy machines, push-starting his sputtering Dodge Dart and fighting with this brother. But when Chris takes the stage, all of that disappears. When he's fronting Blood Pollution, Pennsylvania's premiere Steel Dragon tribute band, Chris Cole is Bobby Beers--mesmerizing audiences with his perfect imitation of Beers' electrifying vocals and sexy snarl. Blood Pollution's low-rent recreation of the Dragon's elaborate arena shows drive the locals (including Chris's loving parents and amused choir director) into a head-banging, hair-whipping frenzy. The night his bandmates boot him out of the group he founded, Chris is devastated--until an unexpected phone call changes his life forever: he, Chris Cole, has been tapped to replace Bobby Beers as the lead singer of Steel Dragon. In an instant, Chris rockets to the dizzying heights of sudden stardom, rising from devotee to icon, from the ultimate rock fan to the ultimate rock god--the wannabe who got to be.
"A genial look at what happens when a wannabe becomes a headliner..." Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
"Easily one of the most enjoyable movies to come along in a while." Jonathan Foreman, New York Post
"...an excellent performance from Wahlberg." Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
"An irresistible movie..." Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
"...enough wit and insight to make it worth watching." A. O. Scott, The New York Times
Editor's Note
Mark Wahlberg plays Chris Cole, a local guy from Pittsburgh who is a copy-machine repairman by day (still living at home), and the lead singer of Blood Pollution, a Steel Dragon tribute band, at night. (Steel Dragon is a heavy-metal hair band living it big in the 1980s.) Cole prides himself on getting everything exactly right when he's onstage, every note, every costume, every shade of mascara; he even gets a nipple ring right after Steel Dragon's lead singer does. Chris's dream turns into reality when Steel Dragon fires its lead singer and brings Chris in to audition for the job. He gets the gig, but he also gets a lot more than he bargained for. Wahlberg is brilliant as Cole, playing the role to perfection, both as the young dreamer and the rock star living to excess. Jennifer Aniston is also excellent as Emily, his longtime girlfriend and manager who stands by him for as long as she can. The music nails the 1980s heavy-metal explosion, both in the original songs that Steel Dragon plays and the incidental music, from such groups as Kiss, Jon Bon Jovi, Ted Nugent, AC/DC, Motley Crue, and Dio. As good as Wahlberg and Aniston are, Timothy Spall, as Steel Dragon's manager, nearly steals the picture. ROCK STAR is an invigorating, intoxicating, thrilling ride of a movie; at times it even feels like it's the true story behind Spinal Tap. (In fact, it is loosely based on the true story of Ripper Owens and Judas Priest.) As an added bonus, the film features, in small roles, musicians who have played with such metalheads as Dokken, Slaughter, Ozzy Osbourne, and more.
|
5
4
