Rock Star (2001) User Reviews

Music really saves it

[unbend_5440 · 6/10 · 7 September 2001]

As a huge fan of 80s Hard Rock, I was really looking forward to seeing Rock Star. As the movie started I was more than satisfied. A lot of the early scenes were funny and entertaining. The concert scenes made me feel like I was actually there. One major compliment I give this movie is that they made the songs from the fictional band STEEL DRAGON sound realistic for the time period the movie is in. If I didn't know better, I could've been fooled into thinking Steel Dragon was a real band, and all their songs actually were made in the mid 80s. The underdog portion of the story may not be original, but it still works none the less. And by the time Wahlberg's character was in his first concert with the band, I really thought Rock Star could be one of the coolest movies of the year.

But at about the halfway point, I was lost. The second half of this movie could've really used a lot of work on the script. I say that the second half of the script needed work, but what I should say is the second half of the movie actually could've used a script, period. The second half is held together by some predictable sequences, all telling the story of a guy indulging in the rock star life, which we've all heard and seen a thousand times. There were very few moments that actually were used to progress the story.

But I don't want to give the impression that Rock Star was no good. Although some of the movie didn't work, I still had a blast watching it. The music is what really holds it together. Both the original songs written for the film (Steel Dragon), and the background songs used. It's not often that you can hear bands like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Kiss, and Motley Crue used in a movie. And like I said before, the concert scenes are awesome.So for people who love great 80s Rock, this movie will be a lot of fun.

Rock Star is an average movie, with an above average soundtrack. Not a perfect film, but it provides enough entertainment for your money.

Comic book cynicism

[moonspinner55 · 7/10 · 15 August 2002]

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 ****

We've seen this all before, but the film still captures an honest and insightful attitude. *** (out of four)

[Movie-12 · 7/10 · 12 September 2001]

ROCK STAR / (2001) *** (out of four)

By Blake French:

"Rock Star" is the story of a nobody who becomes propelled into fame, only to realize living his dream is not the way he imagined it. We have seen all this before (in better movies), but this human story does capture the world of rock and roll with a brutally honest and insightful edge. It garners a recommendation because of its visualization of the atmosphere. The script, by "Crazy/Beautiful" director John Stockwell, portrays the hard-core universe with memorable images-it doesn't explain what it is about, it shows us.

"Rock Star," originally titled "Metal God," stars Mark Wahlberg as Chris "Izzy" Cole, a Pittsburgh office supplies salesperson who dreams of becoming Bobby Beers, the fiery lead singer for the heavy metal rock group, Steel Dragon. Although Chris already sings for his own tribute rock group called Blood Pollution, instead of writing his own songs, he insists on performing only those by Steel Dragon, and only in the exact way they perform them. His group becomes irritated with Chris' obsessions and gives him the boot.

This devastates Chris, as well as his supportive parents and faithful girlfriend, Emily (Jennifer Aniston from TV's "Friends"). He then receives a phone call. It's the Steel Dragon band. They have seen Chris' tapes and want him to replace the recently fired lead singer. In an instant, Chris rockets into the dizzying world of sudden stardom-from the biggest rock fan to the biggest rock star. Unfortunately, it's not as rewarding as he expected.

A true story inspired the "Rock Star" concept. An Ohio supply salesman, Tim "Ripper" Owens, really did replace Rob Halford, the lead singer in Judas Priest, after initially singing for a tribute band. The rest of the film is probably fiction, although most of what happens must represent the experiences of many other bands. The film details the various ordeals of being a rock star. It explores the aspects of touring, personality differences, the danger of drug abuse and violence, struggling relationships, sexual freedom, dishonesty, and the extreme measures of the producers all to please the fans and keep popularity high.

I have seen all of Mark Wahlberg's movies, and this is the first that has earned my affection. Wahlberg, a former singer/model, has made movies like "Fear," "Boogie Nights" "Three Kings," and most recently Tim Burton's lacking remake "Planet of the Apes." I am starting to admire the young actor more and more. Although he has not performed in many successful films, he has taken many chances, and done a variety of roles. "Rock Star" is his best film to date. I can't think of many actors who could have convincingly portrayed Chris Cole's struggles and aspirations. Wahlberg truly makes "Rock Star" rock.

Jennifer Aniston lights up the screen as well. She creates a chemistry-rich relationship with Chris that induces audience participation. It's tragic of what happens to their relationship. We care about these characters a great deal.

During the film concert scenes, director Stephen Herek (who also directed "Holy Man" and the live action version of "101 Dalmatians") creates a gripping atmosphere. He captures the scenes with an intense urgency, and a raw, unmistakable energy. The musical numbers provide the film with the best, most involving scenes.

Unfortunately Herek cannot sustain the energy and zest throughout. At the three-quarters mark, he looses the spark as the movie becomes dull and unpleasant. I understand where the story needs to go in order to portray the negative side of fame, but this movie loses everything it previously had going for it. In "Almost Famous," a much better film about rock and roll, there is a certain amount of interest and life in even the most sorrowful scenes. Here, it feels as if the filmmakers lose their passion.

The message comes a bit too late and suddenly in the story. The film turns into a morality tale that wants to provide us with a sappy destination. The filmmakers might as well stop everything, appear on screen and say: "now audience, the moral of the story is…" We understand the theme, but it's too instantaneous. The personal discovery for Chris' must be gradual.

Fortunately, all of this happens in the last twenty-five minutes of the film, hardly enough to completely destroy an entire eighty-five minutes of a reasonably good feature. "Rock Star" is not a great movie-see "Almost Famous" if you want a remarkable film about rock and roll-but for Marky Mark, it's a turning point in his career.

High Entertainment Value Compensates for Plot Problems

[noahk · 7/10 · 10 September 2001]

I've been looking forward to the release of this movie since I first heard the concept two years ago, and I was not disappointed. I won't bother summarizing the story since everyone else has, but I will say that it was just plain entertaining throughout. The performances were great, as was the music, and the main characters were likeable.

My only complaints are: (1) the story was definitely lacking; the movie wrapped up very abruptly- in fact the writing became pretty lax in the second half, as though the writers weren't sure what to do with the plot. Since the plot wasn't nearly as important as the music and the action, this didn't really affect the entertainment value of the film, so this is not as major a complaint as it would seem.

(2) This is really nitpicky, but the music that the characters in the movie were listening to was sometimes dated after 1985, when the movie was set. INXS' Devil Inside was from 1987 and AC/DC's Are You Ready was from 1990, among other mistakes. This bothers me a bit, since they obviously went to lengths to make a good period piece, they could have checked the copyright date on these songs to make sure they were 1985 or earlier. Again, not a big deal.

Oh, I thought of something else that was strange. The Steel Dragon band members were supposed to be English, but for some reason Dokken bassist Jeff Pilson and Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde played band members, and they each had a couple of speaking lines in AMERICAN accents. That was kind of lazy also, but it was still cool to see actual musicians playing musicians, so I will forgive that as well.

I could probably nitpick all day, but I don't want to give the impression that this wasn't a super entertaining movie. I will probably buy the DVD when it comes out, and I will certainly buy the soundtrack CD simply for the six Steel Dragon songs (some of which were sung by the singer from the band Steelheart, if you remember them!). The highlight of the film was possibly a great outtake where Mark Wahlberg is lipsynching to a rock song on stage and suddenly someone plays "Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. The surprised look of Mark's face is priceless. Classic rock and roll flick! Score: 8/10 due to extreme entertainment

No real surprises, but a solid presentation.

[C00L_HAND_LUKE · 7/10 · 13 January 2003]

Nothing really unpredictable in this movie, but a solid flick in all respects. Everything from acting to cinematography was solid. Not a perfectly linear plot line, but there wasn't anything you couldn't see coming. Perhaps a tad melodramatic at points, but again, a fairly decent movie none the less. Definitely worth checking out. If in doubt of what film to rent over the weekend, give this a go. Though you may not feel like running out and buying it, I found it to be quite worth while.

Rock N' Roll with a side order of excess

[Shiva-11 · 7 September 2001]

Where have all the rock stars gone? The bubble gum pop bands with their virginal image and the hip hopping wannabe baddies bore me. Where's the flash and excess of groups like Led Zeppelin, or the old Motley Crue? These were the hard rocking, and even harder partying bands who brought the sex and drugs to rock n' roll. Whether trashing hotel rooms, engaging in debauchery that would make Caligula blush, or caught up in a deluge of chemicals and booze, there were no half measures. Women wanted them and men wanted to be them. Sometimes, life is good.

Life as a photocopier repairperson is less than riveting. For Chris Cole the only way to cope with the daily tedium of toner and paper jams is in his alternate guise as the lead singer in a "Steel Dragon" tribute band. Chris acts, dresses and sounds like his idol, hoping beyond all reason that one day he will join his idols. Lucky for him, rock and roll is a fickle business.

As anyone who follows heavy metal (or reads previews) knows, "Rock Star" is loosely based on the true story of salesman-turned-heavy-metal-frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens, who was tapped to fill in as lead singer for Judas Priest when Rob Halford left the band. However, the similarities end there - when Judas Priest pressed for increased creative control over the project, the producers opted to distance themselves from the band and change the story and the exploits of "Steel Dragon" are a composite of several apocryphal rock legends.

With strong performances in such films as "Three Kings" and "The Perfect Storm" Mark Wahlberg has proven that he is more than a living underwear mannequin. Wahlberg brings the same combination of innocence and wide-eyed wonderment to Chris that he displayed in "Boogie Nights" (without displaying much else). These qualities keep Chris' transformation from nobody to rock god from becoming a ridiculous parody. Keeping him grounded is Jennifer Aniston as his girlfriend/manager, the one person who realizes his talents and for once Aniston breaks free of Rachel, and delivers a decent performance. The supporting cast, drawn from real rockers and solid character actors, gel well onscreen. Overall, the story is well paced, light-hearted, the soundtrack is great (I felt my head moving back and forth more than once) and you actually buy the group as a real band. Definitely worth the price of admission, and remember not to leave before the outtakes are finished.

Rock Star: I should have liked this more

[Platypuschow · 6/10 · 30 May 2018]

Rock Star tells the story of the lead singer of a tribute band who get's to live out his dreams on a much grander stage. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer Aniston, Timothy Spall and Timthy Olyphant it certainly doesn't lack star power.

As you'd imagine being a movie about classic/glam rock the soundtrack is fantastic, right up there among the best of them though shatter any illusions you may have that it was Wahlberg singing.

It's big, it's stylish and to my knowledge it's pretty damn accurate so why am I not rating this higher? I like the cast, I'm an old school rocker myself and on paper this should be a guaranteed tick in the win column from me.

The construction of a movie is simple, you need a beginning a middle and an end and Rock Star has that but in a rather disjointed way. The films construction is my biggest grip, it comes across more like a Behind the Music episode than an actual movie. The protagonist walks away having learned several life lessons but the viewer (Or rather in this viewers case) it felt more empty than it should have.

Rock Star is an interesting enough look at a subject rarely touched upon by the mainstream Hollywood movie industry but perhaps needed an additional 30+ minute to really flesh it out.

The Good:

Great cast

Awesome soundtrack

Some brilliant visuals

First movie ever to make Timothy Spall a successful "Good guy"

The Bad:

Olyphant feels wasted

Oddly built

I struggled to feel for our leads

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Jennifer Aniston holds the secret of eternal youth

They could/should have found Wahlberg a better wig

Ballet is where rock stars go to die

„Boogie Nights" for Metalheads (despite "Boogie Nights" being a way better movie)

[t_atzmueller · 5/10 · 1 February 2013]

When singer Rob Halford announced that he would leave his band, „Judas Priest", many a Heavy Metal fan felt that the end of the world was nigh. After all, "Judas Priest" was one of the most influential Metal bands, having determined what Metal looks and sounds likes, even today. Halford claimed, after twenty years, the music (for him) had stagnated, that he wanted to find a new sound and that he was sick and tired of having to hide his homosexuality (which surprised very few fans, for whom Halfords sexual orientation has always been an unspoken secret). "Judas Priest" hired young, aspiring Tim "Ripper" Owens, an impressive singer in his own rights and lifelong "Priest"-fan.

When "Rock Star" arrived at the cinema, many "Judas Priest" fans where ecstatic: the movie was rumored to have been based on Tim Owens short-lived career as "Priest"-singer.

Essentially the movie is about every music-lovers dream come true: what would happen if you'd become the singer of your favorite Rock band? Unfortunately, to the clear of mind and reason, the answer would be painfully obvious, even blatant: euphoria and disillusion would go hand in hand, many drug-fueled parties would be followed by many painful hangovers, tour-life would take it's toll on personal relationships, and in the end one question would raise it's ugly head: is it all worth it? The film "Rock Star" is as blatant, streamlined and obvious as reality.

As to the acting: Mark Wahlberg does a convincing job, despite actually having a Pop / Hip Hop background; Jennifer Aniston plays her role as boring and mediocre as we'd expect from her and Dominic Wests limited range stands in stark contrast to Wahlbergs performance.

It doesn't help much that part of "Steel Dragon" consists of real musicians (ex-Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, Jeff Pilson and Jason Bonham, the son of legendary "Led Zeppelin"-drummer Jon Bonham). Most musicians (and their fans) come across as the most stereotypical Metalheads since "Spinal Tap".

Speaking of Metalheads: the Heavy Metal scene is extremely complex, with many sub-categories, ranging from Melodic Metal over NWoBHM, Crossover to Thrash-, Black- and Death Metal, etc. The average Metalhead would identify "Steel Dragon" as an arch-typical US-Hair-Metal band, sound and appearance owing more to bands like "Ratt" or "Motley Crue", rather than a "True Metal"-band like "Judas Priest". Even the name "Blood Pollution" would be something adopted by a Death Metal or Grindcore band; but rather unlikely for a band depicted in the film. A little more research would have obviously benefited the picture.

Even though it's an enjoyable hour and a half but offers little-to-no fresh revelations or insights into scene, industry or even the musicians themselves. The film will essentially disappoint the average European Metal-fan – especially the fans of "Judas Priest". Hence, a mediocre 5 points from 10.

Stand up and Shoooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuutttttttt!!!!!!!!

[Feistfan · 8/10 · 20 September 2001]

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

A "Nice" Movie

[acs_joel · 7/10 · 7 September 2001]

Rock Star is a "nice" movie. Everyone is nice. Even the guys who aren't supposed to be nice, really are nice. Chris is a nice guy, who learns a lesson in life. He goes back to his girlfriend Emily, who is also nice.

It's a good movie, despite all the niceness. Maybe I'm just used to all the angst of the X Gen music. In some ways the film was a caricature of Rock Stars and not hard edged enough to be believable.

Mark Wahlberg's acting is quite good. Jennifer Aniston played her role well, but it was uncomplicated. She was a nice girl.

Go see it. If you have ever been to a rock concert or seen Spinal Tap, go see it.

Rob Halford Said It Sucked! And It Bombed!

[quitwastingmytime · 1/10 · 11 March 2021]

And he was so right:

The worst music pretending to be metal. No metal or hard rock fan will like this incredibly wimpy cliched garbage.

Lame performances, especially in concerts. This band would stay unknown.

Every cliche in the book in its storyline.

Aniston is a decade too old to be believable, and looks it.

Marky Mark's wig, stage clothes, and stage moves are something Wilson Phillips and Barry Manilow would find too lame to be rock music.

And Marky's attempt at alternative rock at the end is just as forgettable.

Every good rock music has a good soundtrack at its core. Did this? NO!

Did the awful band get famous from this? No! Steel Dragon were never heard from again.

And when your "metal" film includes Culture Club, you know it's lame. Even Marky Mark and Aniston contribute some musical atrocities to this piece of junk.

So who is this film made for? The dummies who believe the cliches, who think the Bryan Adams concert they went to 30 years ago was "hard rock."

All metal fans avoid, just like the public did 20 years ago.

Simplistic and Enjoyable. Prepare to Rock Out!

[joker-4 · 8/10 · 29 January 2002]

ROCK STAR is a well-told Hollywood-style rendition of the tale based on fact actually on how Ripper became Rob Halford's replacement for Judas Priest. Mark Wahlberg poured on his likable boy-ish charm and performed with believable admirably, something he has been known to do since the release of BOOGIE NIGHTS.

Stephen Herek, no stranger to musically-themed movies, takes the audience through the wonders of the breakneck lifestyle of an extinct species, the Hair-Metal Rock God. Wahlberg's "Izzy" acts as the film's host plays the everyman who gets to see his wish come true. His likable character quickly wins over the heart of the viewer, who wants to see him succeed and gets the chance to give him the Metal "goat horn" hand-sign several times over.

The only real complaint with the story is that the supporting cast, namely the other members of the band, were not fleshed out, or even introduced, properly. More interaction with these life-long Rock musicians would have amplified and solidified Izzy's new surroundings.

Naturally, ROCK STAR is filled with great music. Rabin's score, the Steel Dragon's original work and plenty of 80's-style Metal hits makes this soundtrack a must-have! Let's all hope that films like ROCK STAR not only give a credibility to a style of music that helped define a generation but also spark a very-needed revival.

Interesting beginning and a dull ending

[wakemeup36 · 6/10 · 19 December 2009]

As the storyline of this movie is based on Judas Priest, my favourite band, I had to watch it. I had really high hopes for it. Did it meet my expectations? Unfortunately no.

It starts off really well. A kid with lots of talent, whose dream is to be in his favourite band. His cover band gets attention by the his heroes and he is recruited as a replacement for their vocalist. Once in the band, he quickly gains fame and fandom and is loved by many. However, he also discovers the unhealthy ways of rock stars, including lots of partying, alcohol, drugs, random sex etc. His ideas and input are also rejected by the other band members. All this is portrayed quite well and the actors are really good at what they do (except Anniston perhaps, whose character I thought was mostly quite unnecessary and pointless).

But the ending does not come together well at all. It's pretty unrealistic and very predictable. I expected it to be something really awesome as most of the movie was quite well thought out. I'm not going to spoil the ending, but I think it would've been way better if he quit the band and joined/made a different hard rock/metal band where he could do whatever he wanted and avoid all the negative aspects of a rock star life and thus set a good example for future rock stars. Hey, look! I came up with a better ending already! Seriously, this movie could've been a masterpiece if it wasn't for the stupid ending.

Overall, I think this is a movie worth checking out if you like movies about the rock star business. Just don't expect too much and end up bitterly disappointed like I did

The Story of Journey?

[gavin6942 · 5/10 · 18 January 2016]

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.

This is based on a true story. (SPOILER, maybe?)

[longhair364 · 25 June 2004]

That it is. It's based on The rise to fame of Tim "Ripper" Owens, formerly of Judas Priest and current singer of Iced Earth. He was in a Priest cover band, among others. Priest's guitarist sister saw him perform live, liked what she saw, and set up an audition. Tim sang 1 verse before he was given the job. Be reminded that this was after Priest has been without a singer for 8 years! He held it for 6 years before Rob Halford came back. During that time he did multiple tours and 2 albums. He also did the vocals for Iced Earth's latest album, "The Glorious Burden". It was originally a favor, but eventually he joined the band. Another note: Judas Priest was originally involved with making the movie, but then backed out. And Owens never saw a dime for it either. Weird, huh?

Interesting Judas Priest 'insights'!

[SMCProductionsLLC · 7/10 · 12 April 2006]

This movie was originally supposed to be about Judas Priest and Ripper Owens' climb to be lead singer. The various lawyers got involved, and all the direct references were deleted, but although, 'The names have been changed...' this movie is still about that!

I think it's interesting seeing some of the inner workings of Judas Priest, and if you are a fan of the band, or even of the genre, you will enjoy it. Of course, it's NOT perfect, it's the 'Hollywood' version of metal and Rock and Roll lifestyle....

...rent it, buy it, get a few cold ones out of the fridge, and pop it in the player...enjoy!

Almost Famous meets Juke Box Hero (Foreigner)

[JudahReeves · 7/10 · 5 September 2001]

First off, I would like to say I expected this movie to be cheesy and lame. I was surprised at how well the drama and humor of the movie was played out.

While I am not familiar with the history of the the band portrayed--purportedly Judas Priest--the events portrayed were not blatently far fetched. Mark Wahlberg did an excellent job of portraying a devoted, but somewhat obsessed fan, of the Steel Dragons who becomes a member of the band. The photo shoot scene was excellent.

The characters were likable and most showed development of the character over time. A comedy relief character was added. In the beginning he was humorous, but by the end he is best ignored.

Rating 4 out of 5 stars. For me it is a single viewing movie. If you like 80's metal/hard rock, the soundtrack will probably be great.

Simple, but fun

[farmer-jb · 6/10 · 9 January 2011]

A simple film that plugs in a talented singer for a cover band dreaming to become a genuine 80's rock star. Chris (later to be known as Izzy), is looked upon as a strong leader of his cover band but eventually his obsession with Steel Dragon (his favorite band)and unwillingness to alter the bands sound creates waves of dissatisfaction to his fellow band mates. After a confrontation over the seriousness and intention of playing cover songs, Chris was thought to be misdirected and was eventually kicked out of his own band. Things change, however, after two girls who make themselves out to be groupies, showed front man and lead guitarist Kurt Cunning his video performance. He auditions, he gets in and the rest is pretty simple.

I cringed at the end when he would eventually reunite with the girl that he thought got away. I didn't expect this film to go to that region of cheese that you often see in big production films that are distributed by Warner Bros. It almost seems like the writers of the film had no experience and did not conduct interviews to grasp the detail of what life as a rock star really was about. It kept inquisitive guys like myself to prefer to have seen real video clips and interviews from some of the top selling bands of the 80's without the stereotypical and scrape off the top story. It became formulated and predictable to say the least, but the film still has a spark of charm as it relives all of our rock star fantasies that we had when we were kids.

6/10.

Great Idea....Badly Done

[SunChilde · 5/10 · 7 January 2006]

This movie had the potential to be great. It started out with an interesting idea: small town guy worships famous band then gets the chance to perform for thousands as a member of the band he worships.

The problem is that the great idea was badly handled with an inept script. I enjoyed the music, but the story left a lot to be desired. Wahlberg did okay in his part, particularly in the concert scenes. But I felt that Jennifer Anniston was all wrong for this film. I totally did not believe that she would fall for a guy as goofy as Chris/Izzy. He reminded me of a big, dumb puppy.

Also, the emphasis on the "rockin'" parents and the scenes of the mom's home daycare center made the movie seem too cute and cuddly...cute and cuddly do not fit in a movie about metal music!

The use of real metal musicians as band members was interesting...but most of the musicians were bad actors. I know it won't happen, but it'd be great if another movie centering on the rock music world could be made...this time with a better script. An updating of the Barbra Streisand/Kris Kristofferson movie "A Star is Born' remade as "A Rock Star is Born" would work nicely.

Be Careful What You Wish For

[trudy.keenan · 8/10 · 7 December 2001]

Mark Walhberg in a great role, idolises a rock star to the extent of knowing all his songs, imitating him to perfection, and dressing like him. When the opportunity comes for him to take over his "idol's" role in the band, he jumps at the opportunity. However the role of a rock star may not be what it is cracked up to be... and relationships can change .... This movie certainly struck me as having the theme of what you attain for may not be what you think it is once you get it. Overall a really good movie with great performances from all the cast as well as the two leads, Mark Walhberg and Jennifer Aniston. It did make me feel sad, especially when Emily, (Jennifer Aniston), met up with Chris in Seattle and saw the depths to what he had sunk. If anybody ever dreamed of being a rock star or a groupie they should watch this movie to see that the lifestyle, although glamourous for a while, is very lonely and ultimately not what you may want.

Not great but surprisingly good

[stevec-48 · 6/10 · 9 February 2007]

This is a bit of a Cinderella story about a wannabe rock star who makes the grade and subsequently brings his girlfriend/manager (Aniston) into the world of the whole rock scene with him. The deeper he gets into it the more troubled their relationship becomes and after a while even the good times don't seem so good to him.

I suppose it is a little contrived and the second half doesn't have the freshness and "what will happen next" anticipation of the first part but nevertheless it's a decent watch.

This was the first role I'd seen Jennifer Aniston in other than as Rachel in "Friends" and it opened my eyes to the fact that she really is a very good actress. I've seen her in other films since such as "The Good Girl" and she is definitely far more than just a pretty face.

Marky Mark and the Metal Bunch!

[julian_abadia · 4/10 · 28 August 2010]

Being a metal head myself (though I like other music genres too)I'm not going to review the production qualities of this movie. No, I'm going to go higher and to speak my mind about the horrible facts who makes this to be one of the worst insults to whatever heavy metal have inspired in its more than 40 years of life.

1. The title. If the plot of the film consists in the story of a METAL fan singer, who sings in a METAL band who pays tribute to another METAL band called Steel Dragon, and one day he's giving the opportunity to front the latter band, why on earth have this movie been called "Rock Star"?. Rock stars are Mick Jagger, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and they are not that metal (at all!). 2. The music. Is Bon Jovi metal?, no. Is INXS metal?, no. Enough said. 3. The lead actress. When you know beforehand, that the movie is going to portrait 80's metal life style, one with even a certain amount of knowledge about that era could foresee that the lead female actress is going to be someone named Doro Pesch (Warlock's singer) or even Lita Ford. Nop, here we have Rachel from that annoying TV sitcom. 4. Steel Dragon. If this movie is based (loosely) on Tim Owens'life, then Steel Dragon is the fictional equivalent of Judas Priest. Mmm, not likely. Though made up of great musicians (Zakk Wylder, Jeff Pilson and Jason Bonham)Steel Dragon's image and music is nowhere heavier or good as Priest's. I see them as a slighter heavy version of Motley Crue (when they played pop metal). 5. The main protagonist. Marky Mark it's an outsider here. I think Vanilla Ice could have done a better effort. It's like doing a film about the life of Bob Marley, and giving the main role to Adam Sandler (who would suck even if he decides to play himself in a movie about his life). 6. The end. If you think this movie is inconsistent, then don't watch the end. I'll tell you one word: Seattle. Can you make the associations?.

In the end, Rock Star is not good or bad. It's not entertaining or depressing. It's just a travesty to the Metal genre, the Metal community, its bands and fans alike.

Zakk Wylde!! :)

[chickara_72 · 10/10 · 16 August 2006]

I have watched this movie three times in total, however the first two times was when it first came out and I had never really listened to metal before, yet I still loved the movie. I am now obsessed with Zakk Wylde and BLS and when I found out that he was in this movie I nearly passed out!! He amazes me...his voice, lyrics, his ability to play guitar. Not to mention the tight outfits they had him in :) I was upset with the little attention he received for doing this movie, especially since he helped write some of the original songs and re-worked the copied songs. However, the few lines that he had were quite funny.

By the way, I'm a gal, not a gay guy praising Zakk for the tight outfits in the movie, haha.

Clichéd but highly watchable

[hrpr99 · 7/10 · 1 January 2005]

Look, if you come across a rock movie and particularly a fictional rock movie you really do know what to expect and on that level this film does not disappoint. Without seeing it I could have approximately predicted the storyline and no doubt you could too. The rock stars life style unpredictably stylised, the love interest threaded through the heart of the film, the body surfing, the rock star language - its all there in bucket loads. Having said all that, this is a highly watchable film in no small amount due to the performances of Jennifer Anniston and Mark Wahlberg. Both these actors have a screen presence that holds your gaze. Don't expect too much from this film and you'll enjoy the ride - give it a go.

Has its moments but ultimately cliche and predictable

[Floated2 · 5/10 · 31 May 2020]

This film tells a relatively simple story of a young man dreaming of becoming a famous world known rockstar. As played by Mark Wahlberg, the character Chris Cole is the lead singer of a tribute band.

Simple concept and interesting idea and eventually somehow he ends up being the lead singer for the band he grew up idolizing.

What makes it bizarre is the reason and to how it happened. One day it so happened that Chris had an argument with his tribute band members storming out and vowing to not return, then the following day (or possibly a few days later- it wasn't specified), he receives a phone call from a member of the popular band he idolized.

Nothing was shown as to how they got in touch with Chris. It somewhat felt "too good to be true" or that it was all a joke- which is what Chris initially intended as well. As it turned out, it wasn't a joke and it was the real thing.

The premise of Rock Star reminded somewhat to A Star is Born (2018), but if comparing the two, Rock Star pales a lot in comparison from about every aspect.

Ultimately the film does start off strong and engaging then about a little more then halfway becomes repetitive and we start to lose focus. Everything becomes quite predictable, tiresome and full of cliches.

In the end, Rock Star is a decent film, and preferably those may enjoy it more so if you are a fan of the music or time period, or have nostalgia.