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"Rock Star"
(Reviewed August 7, 2001)
-
If you've seen the TV ad or the trailer, you've seen the entire movie, which somehow manages to be hopelessly predictable at every ridiculous turn. Mark Wahlberg, looking more like Stuttering John than ever, is an obsessed fan of fictional 1980s rock group Steel Dragon. That platinum-selling band fires its lead singer and goes looking for a replacement...Wahlberg is a suburban photocopier tech fronting a tribute band in Pittsburg...it's kismet!
The main problem with "Rock Star" is that it can't make up its mind whether it is a mildly amusing comedy or a melodramatic "pitfalls of fame" wallow, and ends up failing in both regards. The would-be "Spinal Tappish" bits look jarringly out of place, and what are supposed to be choke-up moments of "where's that sweet guy I fell in love with" bathos (courtesy of Ms. Jennifer Aniston, who continues an unbroken losing streak in movies) are just embarrassing.
The first half of the movie, before Wahlberg gets tapped for fame-'n'-excess, at least tries to be something different. Wahlberg's sincerity about his devotion to Steel Dragon, and the fact that imitating the group's lead singer is his main joy and purpose in life, makes him a guy who is almost, dare I say it, INTERESTING. I would rather have seen a grittier story about a guy like this than yet another by-the-numbers "money corrupts" morality tale.
Shallow, for-men-only aside: Jennifer Aniston has exactly one good scene, and it involves no thespian ability whatsoever. When she and Wahlberg arrive at LAX, the impressions of her protruding nipples are so clearly defined in her blouse that it's easy to imagine her topless. In later scenes, the same outfit no longer works that mammary magic, curse the luck. But for those brief few seconds...yum!
Another high-point in "Rock Star" is the inclusion of the Greatest Song Ever Written in the background of a party scene: Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Relax." It precedes a shockingly unsexy, supposed-to-be-decadent grind amongst Wahlberg, Aniston and a vampy Steel Dragon liaison. Aniston actually open-mouth kisses the vamp, though, which makes up for a lot. (What was that about her having only one good scene in this movie? Make that two good scenes.)
Back Row Grade: D
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