Rock of Ages (2012) User Reviews

Enjoyable, But Not Great

[slightlymad22 · 7/10 · 2 November 2017]

Can you ring my plan to watch every Tom Cruise movie in order, I come to Rock Of Ages (2012)

Plot In A Paragraph: A small town girl and a city boy meet on the Sunset Strip, while pursuing their Hollywood dreams.q

Tom Cruise steals this movie, like with Tropic Thunder, he is not the lead, but he has the best part and he seems to be having a blast.

I love rock music, especially the rock music played here, and I love musicals, some of my favourite movies are musicals, but I don't love this one. My problem with the movie cosmos down to the two leads, Diego Boneta and Julianne Hough!! They're both gorgeous, OK singers and very, so very bland.

Catherine Zeta Jones, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand and Bryan Cranston are all fun, but the movie is also plagued by predictability. Of course the 2 leads fall in love. Of course they have heartfelt conversations while standing behind the "Hollywood" sign. Of course they break up because of a misunderstanding. Of course they're back together at the end. Some parts are fun, but overall it's a miss for me!!

Rock Of Ages grossed $38 million at the domestic box office, to end the year the 84th highest grossing movie of 2012.

Hit me with your best shot!!

[davispittman · 7/10 · 9 March 2015]

This movie is not flawless, but it is very energetic and fun. If you hate 80s music, then you might as well stop reading this now, cus from beginning to end it's 80s rock music. The sound of the songs in the musical numbers are incredible!! Very sharp and well sung by all the actors, some that I had no idea could sing! Catherine zeta jones was probably my favorite part of the whole movie! She was loads of laughs and fun. It did drag for just a bit in the middle, but it quickly picked itself back up, because the ending is one of my favorite endings in a move ever!! This flick is definitely not for the whole family, but I think the teens and adults will like it. Especially people who grew up in the 80s.

Lots of good intention but poor execution

[ethanbresnett · 6/10 · 14 May 2021]

There's a lot to love and enjoy about Rock of Ages. Like most musicals, it has a great buzz and electric feel to it. You can't help but finish this film with a big smile on your face and its a very feel good comfort experience.

The production value was also great, from the sets to the costumes, everything felt realistic and just looked cool.

Then there's the key part of any musical, the songs. You can't fault the selection, there were numerous classics which just kept on coming. Maybe a little too much.

I couldn't help but feel like there were just too many songs. There wasn't any time to take a breather and the story wasn't allowed to develop outside of the music. As a result I couldn't find myself connecting to any of the characters and I feel like there was a lot of missed opportunity to develop the plot and characters because of the amount of songs.

This wasn't the only problem with the plot... it was all over place. Was this film about Sherry, Drew, Stacee Jaxx, Patricia, Lonnie and Dennis? Who knows. There was too much sharing of the spotlight, and the constant changing of perspectives and protagonists started to give me whiplash. I think things would have benefitted from having a more obvious and clear protagonist to root for and follow, which would have given the film more drive and direction.

I also had mixed feeling about the characters. What Russell Brand was doing with his sporadic Brummie accent I'll never know. He's never been a great actor, and the accent just made everything so much worse. The two "main" characters of Sherrie and Drew were also pretty bland and I wasn't that fussed about them. Tom Cruise on the other hand, what a surprise. Easily the best thing about this film. He threw himself into this role and it massively paid off. It's worth watching for him alone.

Finally, as much as I liked the selection of songs, the singing wasn't always on point and was quite obviously auto tuned to a heavy extent for some of them. I think musical films need to start finding a better balance between casting big names to get bums on seats, but also casting actors who can sing.

Rock of Ages is definitely fun, and any musical lover will find lots to enjoy here. I did however find it to be quite messy and overcrowded with one dimensional characters and too many songs. Lots of fun, but not a great film.

Nothing' But A Good Time!

[DJKwa · 7/10 · 24 June 2012]

While perhaps overlong, the film is packed with rocking music and a game cast that keeps the energy going and you'll be hard pressed not to be swept up in it. It's loud and over the top but it embraces its absurdity that would normally have characters breaking into song at almost any moment feel unnatural to say the least. With almost non-stop music and most characters having a moment in the spotlight through a song, Rock of Ages is a perfectly entertaining movie with a performance from Tom Cruise like no other that carries most of the film's laughs.

Noting the disappointing box office performance of the film, it can be credited to an unfocused marketing campaign that had trouble selling the film's admittedly flimsy and predictable story and not highlighting the main characters in the film, particularly as the film is driven by its two youngest stars. This would of given audiences something tangible to be attracted to. Instead it advertised through the cheesy line 'nothin' but a good time' packing it's advertisements with the stars and the music but never seeming like a 'must see' specifically considering the talent involved

Not Gonna Take it Anymore

[ferguson-6 · 4/10 · 17 June 2012]

Greetings again from the darkness. A few upfront disclosures are in order: I spent quite a few evenings on the Sunset Strip during the era of this story; I had no idea who Diego Boneta was and only vague name recognition of Julianne Hough when I walked in; and I never saw the hit Broadway production. These points may help explain my reaction to the movie.

The opening sequence immediately informs us that we are in for something different. Aspiring singer Sherrie Christian (Ms. Hough) is running from her backwoods Oklahoma life to the bright lights of fame offered by Hollywood. While on the bus, we get the first of an endless stream of staged karaoke routines ... "Sister Christian" (get it??). Once on Sunset Boulevard, she is quickly mugged and then comforted by Drew (Mr. Boneta), an aspiring singer and current barhop at The Bourbon, an obvious nod to such hallowed rock ground as Whisky A Go Go and Roxy.

No need to spend much time discussing plot. There is a muddled love story filled with teenager dreams and miscommunication, and a financial crisis at The Bourbon, thanks to back taxes owed by manager Dennis Dupree (Alec Baldwin), and a political backlash against the club thanks to the Mayor's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who has a not so secret need for revenge. The only way to save the club is for rock idol Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) to play a gig. The only way to save the love story is to write it out of the film all together. The political agenda is simply an excuse to add two more excruciating karaoke numbers.

What little fun there is in the movie is thanks to Cruise, Baldwin and Russell Brand, who plays Baldin's sidekick and confidant. Cruise jumps into the Jaxx role with both feet and seems to understand that a parody should be fun. Being a rock idol isn't far removed from being the biggest movie star on the planet, so Cruise blends Axl Rose and Bret Michaels to create Jaxx ... throw in a pet baboon, two He-men bodyguards, an endless train of groupies, and a dragon codpiece ... and you get Stacee Jaxx, legendary rock star.

If one is going to make a rock 'n roll movie, it either needs to be played straight (Almost Famous) or as a head-on parody (This is Spinal Tap). What it can't do is celebrate the dead zone of lameness: lame music covered by lame singers playing lame characters. No amount of star power actors can overcome material that doesn't capture the power and passion of the music. And we aren't even talking real rock n roll here ... this is glam rock, stadium rock, big hair bands. Yet, the movie still falls incredibly short of making a statement or providing insight or even entertainment.

Cruise's performance generates some laughs, as do Baldwin and Brand. However, Hough and Boneta aren't even cringe-worthy. They have no screen presence and neither belong in a rock movie. Maybe the real problem is that most of the songs in the movie have survived these 25 years because of their mediocrity ... they can easily be sung while intoxicated. Evidently that's not enough for a decent movie.

The Movie's a Bore but the Music (and Stacee Jaxx) Rocks

[brando647 · 7/10 · 15 January 2013]

I'm not really a fan of musicals. There are a few I've enjoyed enough to see fit as additions to my collection (e.g. ACROSS THE UNIVERSE) and I've enjoyed some of the old Rogers and Hammerstein films. As a general rule, I don't seem to find much enjoyment in movie musicals for a few reasons, most of which I'll spare you here. But there is one glaringly painful problem I have with movie musicals and ROCK THE AGES happens to suffer from it more than any other musical I've seen: the lip syncing. I hate poorly done lip-syncing and this movie is chock full of it. Right from the start, it's enough to rip me out of the movie. ROCK OF AGES is a musical that I expected to love. The cast was impressive, the music selection was amazing, and I maintain the '80s as one of my guilty pleasures. I was born in the early '80s and so the decade has a pretty special place in my mind. I was really hoping this movie would be a super fun look back at a decade of excess, bizarre fashion, and great music. When the reviews began to roll in and the word was primarily negative, I knew this wouldn't be one to catch in theaters. Instead, I waited until the eventual home video release and I'm glad I did. Based on the stage show of the same name, the movie is about a small- town girl who moves to Los Angeles in search of her big break. She finds a job waitressing at the Bourbon, an L.A. music hot spot, and finds love with an aspiring musician as the '80s and it's music come to an end.

The casting in this movie is hit and miss, with a whole lot of misses. Let's start with our leads: Diego Boneta (as Drew Boley) and Julianne Hough (as Sherrie Christian) as our small- town girl and city boy. I have no problem with movies casting unknowns, but these two did absolutely nothing for me. Hough is apparently best known for her time on TV's "Dancing with the Stars" and Boneta is a musician/actor popular in Mexico. Hough does well enough but brings absolutely nothing extra to her role (aside from a fine singing voice and some pole-dancing talent), which is a shame seeing as how she's the female lead. Boneta is just horribly miscast. Drew is supposed to be an aspiring rock star. He's supposed to embody '80s rock-and-roll and the passion of the music. Instead, he's a pretty boy that looks completely out of place. Watching him try and put on a rocker's attitude and strut around on stage, slinging a guitar, is laughable. He seems more at home in the '90s boy band parody Z Guyeezz in the later half of the movie than at any point when he's trying to be Wolfgang von Colt. The best hope is the supporting cast and, for the most part, they do a great job of saving what of the movie they can. With one exception: Alec Baldwin. Baldwin can be funny, and he has some good material here. But he just doesn't fit. He comes off as an old man trying to run with the cool young crowd, and the little singing he does is cringe-worthy.

The rest fare pretty well: Catherina Zeta-Jones, Paul Giamatti, Malin Åkerman, Russell Brand (who looks completely at home in the movie), and Mary J. Blige (one of the most talented vocal talents in the movie, for obvious reasons). The best part of the movie by far is Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx. I never would've guessed Cruise had it in him to play a rock legend, but the man is awesome. Jaxx is the best part of the movie and, if the whole movie had been focused on his character, it would've been a million times more entertaining. Cruise may be a weird dude in his personal life but the guy's got talent. Cruise is given the chance to perform songs by Bon Jovi, Guns N Roses, the Scorpions, and Def Leppard and he pulls them all off perfectly with rock star flair. Which leads me to the best part of the movie: the music. With bonus points for some creative choreography, the music is the only reason to check this movie out. Any fans of the '80s rock era will love the soundtrack to the film. I would've given the movie a lower rating but I can't help but enjoy the movie, especially when I'm not really paying attention to it. The best way to watch this movie is to let it play in the background and just enjoy the tunes.

Light on Story but Performances and Music Are Fun

[Michael_Elliott · 21 June 2012]

Rock of Ages (2012)

*** (out of 4)

Good, loud and fun adaptation of the Broadway hit has small town girl Sherrie (Julianne Hough) and city boy Drew (Diego Boneta) becoming friends and falling in love while trying to make their dreams come try in Los Angeles during the late 80s. Also hitting the town is a club owner (Alec Baldwin) trying to save his establishment while the rock legend Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) thinks about where his career is going. ROCK OF AGES has pretty much no story and there's no question that your take on the music is going to determine how much you enjoy the picture but for the most part I think the film was a minor success thanks in large part to some terrific performances. Again, if you're looking for a strong story then you're not going to find it here as everything is pretty predictable from start to finish. However, I guess it would be fair to say that most people are coming for the music and I think the majority of the songs work just fine. The soundtrack includes covers of Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, Poison, Journey, Foreigner, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, White Snake and many others. I'm not a major fan of any of these groups/people because my main interests are the late 60s and 70s rock but I think for the most part the cast did good versions of their tunes. Some of the stand outs include Pour Some Sugar on Me, Every Rose Has Its Thorn, I Love Rock and Roll and a monster mix of We Built ThiS City and We're Not Going to Take It. I found Hough to be extremely pretty, charming and believable in her part and her take on the music was also fresh. I found her story to be incredibly silly but the actress still made you care about her character. Boneta was also extremely good in his part as is Paul Giamatti, Russell Brand and Baldwin in theirs. Mary J. Blige, Catherine Zita-Jones and Malin Akerman are also good in their parts. The real standout is of course Tom Cruise who is 100% believable in the part of the rock star as he nails the entire sex, drugs and rock and roll of the character. The wonderful performance makes you feel as if you're really looking at a star and the funny touches the star brought to the part just added to the fun. It also didn't hurt that he had a perfect voice for his music numbers. The majority of the sets are fun and the rock numbers are also well staged. ROCK OF AGES stills falls short of being a great film and I think the majority of this is due to the unoriginal story and perhaps some of it is due to the songs, which aren't exactly the greatest pieces of music ever written. Still, they're fun enough and I think this film at least proves that rock and roll is here to stay.

This would work as the best musical of 1933...oh wait it was, as "42nd Street".

[mark.waltz · 2/10 · 27 March 2013]

Except that "42nd Street" has changed to Sunset Boulevard's Bourbon Club, a fictional rock venue similar to the Viper Room and the Whiskey a go-go. This could also be referred to as "the rip off movie" with its theft of ideas from films dating from "42nd Street" to rock and roll films of the 1960's (like "Don't Knock the Rock") where elderly squares bellowed lines like "rock and roll has got to go!" while smashing a 45 rpm record, up to John Waters' camp classic "Cry Baby". Even "Caddyshack" (the snobs vs. the slobs) is referenced in this adaption of the Broadway hit that just leaves a huge uncomfortable taste in my mouth.

Having lived in Los Angeles during mid 1980's when this takes place, I can confirm the existence of people walking around either with sweaters neatly placed over their shoulders or those scary mullet hair styles that today get sneers. However, there is a total feeling of falseness in the story of the Oklahoma transplant (Julianne Hough) who meets sweet bar back Diego Boneta on her first night in Los Angeles, aids him in his ambition to become a rock star, and the misunderstanding that arises when a creepy aging rock star (Tom Cruise who mumbles most of his lines like a spaced-out Hamlet) seemingly makes a play for her. Mayoral candidate Bryan Cranston longs to close up all the Sunset Strip clubs he claims are destroying the morality of the city, and his Stepford Wife like spouse Catherine Zeta Jones strives to keep her secret past from him (as he does with his spanking fetish) while breaking into light rock songs like "We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore!" (in a Beverly Hills Church no less!).

Then, there's the middle aged Alec Baldwin as the Bourbon Club owner who breaks into "Can't Fight This Feeling" (by Air Supply) when he discovers his true love in one of the film's oddest sequences that tries to hard to be "cute" but is simply a temptation to hold your nose. Mary J. Blidge has the most meaningless part of the film, but she is the only one who really comes out of the film unscathed, performing a duet of "Harden My Heart" with Hough and being a throwback to all those big-hearted cynical dames that were a staple of films of the 1930's and 40's.

The real detriment of this film is the presence of Cruise whose character comes straight out of a bad Saturday morning cartoon. His performance of "I Want to Know What Love Is" with Malin Åkerman (as a Rolling Stone Magazine reporter) is nothing more than a gratuitous porn sequence where fortunately the actors keep their clothes on. Russell Brand as Baldwin's "sidekick" and Paul Giamatti as a sleazy agent are other oddball characters that add to the "eew!" feeling of the film. The selection of music is actually pretty good with lyrics the audience can actually understand. The only thing this accomplished for me, though, was missing certain hot spots of L.A. during the 80's like Tower Records on Sunset Strip (one of the best record stores of all times during its heyday) and the Hollywood sign which you were able to walk up to before it was later gated off. True fans of the music are better of listening to the original albums rather than the trite story which unfolds here. Talk about "Crock of Rages".

Update, December 9, 2014: I finally broke down to go see the musical on Broadway, and while I certainly rank it higher than this, I now understand the changes they made, particularly the change from a German businessman and his effeminate son being behind the take-over of the strip changed to a wealthy couple of nitwits. The nostalgia factor was there for me still, and even reviews I've read of both the show and the movie reflect my feelings of this as a cartoonish look back at a great era in West Hollywood history. Still, I couldn't help but fight the feeling that this era is one that was doomed to disappear even though the famous rock clubs still exist. So the next time I happen to drive down Sunset Boulevard and see that overly designed strip mall on the corner of Sunset and Laurel Canyon, I'll think of this movie and sneer.

( American C+Movie ) My Ratings 8/10

[THE-BEACON-OF-MOVIES-RAFA · 8/10 · 17 March 2020]

Yes it's true. People panned this movie. But I like a movie to entertain me. I'm totally entertained! The music is good and creative and as a child of the 80's, it's just fun!!! It's not going to be critically acclaimed but it's good fun!!

Was not quite the Rock of Ages, but close

[Joshsports60 · 7/10 · 2 May 2012]

*There are no real spoilers in this review, just some minor plot details.

I had the privilege of being able to see this at an advance screening a couple of months ago. Just to let you know, I have never seen the Broadway show, so I can't compare the two.

On one hand, Tom Cruise stole the show as he always does. He plays the role of aging rocker Stacee Jaxx, tasked with saving the Bourbon Room from the villainous Patricia Whitmore's (Zeta-Jones) wrath. He has a killer voice, and he shared some great chemistry with journalist Constance Sack (Malin Akerman). I think everybody is going to love those two together.

On the other hand, the two lovebirds Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough) and Drew Boley (Diego Boneta) just did not bring a lot of chemistry. And their acting ability is so far inferior to the likes of the Cruises, Baldwins, and the Giamattis of the world. And when they are the leads, it kind of brings down the movie a little bit. The singing was great, but isn't that the standard for musicals? I would've preferred Brittany Snow be cast alongside the original Drew Constantine Maroulis. Even though I have not seen the original play live, I've seen numerous of his performances either live or on the computer.

Another critique I have is that the whole thing is a little too much. This film felt a little busy to me. I almost wish someone would have told Adam Shankman to tone it down a little because it fizzled a little towards the end.

The musical numbers in were just incredible. As someone in the younger generation, I don't believe I could appreciate the the 80s music as much as the people born in the later 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s. But, make no mistake, every single number was executed pretty well. I happened to like the performances more than Shankman's previous musical, Hairspray.

It was legitimately funny. Even if you don't like Tom Cruise personally, he kills it in every movie he's in. His scenes are the best. I was also impressed by the performances of Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, and Paul Giamatti. Even singer Mary J. Blige got involved.

This is a movie that is some big time fun. It's not for everybody, as the person sitting next to me reminded me of. But if you liked Shankman's Hairspray, then you'll probably have a place for this one in your heart too.

Kudos to Adam Shankman and Chris D'Arenzio (creater) for achieving what they wanted to accomplish.

A weak story that is not focused enough.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 5/10 · 26 June 2012]

No doubt this movie was an attempt at bringing back the good old fashioned rock musical to the big screen but it really for most part is being a failed attempt.

I didn't expected a full blown musical but make no mistake about it; this is really a musical, in which its characters occasionally suddenly burst out into singing. It's not exactly my favorite thing to watch but as it turned out, this was actually the least problem I had with this movie.

The singing and music in the movie is actually quite good and also what makes this movie still somewhat enjoyable to watch. Granted that there are a bit too many songs in it at times but overall I can't really complain or so many bad things about it.

The foremost problem of this movie remains its script, that is being far too formulaic and simplistic. Besides, it has too many different characters in it, with as a result that movie can feel a bit messy at times and most definitely not focused well enough. It's also a problem that its main story is about the least interesting out of all the different stories and the same goes for its two main leads, played by Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta.

Yes, the movie has so many big names and great stars in it but yet it decides on featuring two big unknown in the leading roles. They just aren't very interesting or fun to watch and besides their whole love thing just wasn't all that convincing. Why do these two persons fall in love exactly? There just isn't really enough chemistry between the two of them and they seem more focused on performing their songs.

The supporter cast, with actors such as Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Bryan Cranston involved, is definitely way better and is still what's saving the movie and keeping it a somewhat fun and watchable enough one. But again, there are just too many characters in this movie, which each their own thing going on and it also doesn't help much that every actor in this movie acts as if she/he is in their entirely own movie. It makes some of the plot lines and characters also feel terribly out of place, which also can be said for its humor.

You could say that the movie its humor is being a bit too goofy at times, which also can be blamed on its lazy writing, that was uninspired and without any true original or creative moments. It also all really makes the movie feel needlessly overlong. There just was no good reason for this movie to be about 2 hours long and they could and should had shortened it with at least 30 minutes.

Not horrible or a movie that I hated but there is nothing about it that is being ever truly great or successful at what it is trying to achieve.

5/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Why do people who hate musicals watch musicals?

[sherigeoff1-139-667308 · 9/10 · 25 November 2019]

Is this a great film? No. Is this a significant piece of art? No. Is this a good time? Yes!

It's cheesy and raunchy and fun and messy and tacky...just like the era and the music. Tom Cruise does another "I can't believe he's playing this role" turn as Stacee Jax and his voice is just right for an aging rock star who is lost and looking for a sound. I wanted to smack the crap out of Paul Giamatti and that's how I was supppsed to feel.

There is some good stuff in this movie and the cameos from actual rockers make for a great drinking game. It is a musical so if people randomly bursting into song pisses you off, don't watch this. Stay in your sad little bubble.

Great Kitsch. Great parody. Over the top.

[imseeg · 7/10 · 1 November 2021]

The good: Seeing Tom Cruise in his role as an arrogant rock star is to die for.

More good: this movie has got it nailed. It's the perfect parody on the terrible poprock music from the eighties.

Any bad? Well there are quite a few lesser supporting actors. This movie is over the top and although this can be fun, it sometimes does become a bit too silly to my likings.

Dire miscasting

[snodlander · 2/10 · 18 June 2012]

There's not a lot to say that's good about this movie. I understand it's a spoof, but spoofs should be funny, and I didn't laugh at all in this waste of two hours of my life.

I had problems with the casting. Alec Baldwin is totally miscast as the aging rock and roller owner of a nightclub. Every time he came into shot I was mesmerised by his shoulder-length wig. He seemed to be the sort that would kick back to some gentle jazz or Sinatra rather than heavy metal.

Tom Cruise as a younger Iggy Pop style drunk, drugged, spaced-out sex god just didn't work. He obviously had fun in the role, but sadly I didn't.

Brand's phony Scouse accent added nothing to his part, and the gay revelation between Baldwin and Brand was simply excruciating.

The love interest, two young idealistic rock and rollers made Sandy & Danny from Grease look carbolic. They were too clean. When she became a stripper, it was simply unbelievable.

But the biggest gripe I had was with the music. The fans devil-horned, dressed in leather, and partied like Satan worshippers. The band posters looked like an explosion between def leppard and kiss. So what sort of Rock and Roll songs did they belt out? I want to know what love is. Really? A fine ballad, but the sort of Rock and Roll that would cause churches to protest outside? Please. It made me embarrassed to be part of the generation that first bought those albums.

A comedic rock musical that shouldn't be taken seriously

[KineticSeoul · 6/10 · 23 July 2012]

Few minutes into this movie I thought I was going to hate it. But it starts to get corny and doesn't take itself seriously at all and for some reason those elements make this movie work. That and if you watch it with the right audiences that know how to make the right comments with roasting included without disturbing and annoying everyone and laugh at the right parts. This movie is basically a musical with couple of popular rock music from the 80's thrown in. If you grew up during that era chances are your going to like this movie even more. If you don't like 80's music you might not enjoy this movie as much. Some critics complain about the music choices for this flick but I thought it fit in with the story pretty well with the lyrics and all. The acting in this movie is pretty darn corny without being awful but that is also one of the reason why this movie works because it knows which direction it wants to go and doesn't try to take itself seriously. Julianne Hough never stood out in movies for me until now, the girl has talent. I am not sure if she was being herself but she plays the cute and perky role really well as Sherrie. Wouldn't mind seeing her in other future roles. Now I didn't like Diego Boneta in the beginning but his character grows on you as the movie progresses. Never really liked Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin but they are actually likable in this. Tom Cruise doesn't really seem to be acting in his role despite his Axl Rose style attire. Maybe that is why he fit right into his roles and adds a bit of humor to it all. Catherine Zeta-Jones is also good as one of the main protester against rock and roll. If you like 80's music and can handle a bit of corniness and not take this movie seriously you just might have a good time with this.

6.5/10

Cheese smothered in bad music covered in more cheese

[headly66 · 1/10 · 30 September 2012]

This sad, silly attempt to bring back musicals is as lame as you could imagine. The fact that it is set in the 80's and filled with every over played hit from that era makes it even worse. I went to high school in the 80's and there was a reason we all listened (except for a few exceptions) to much older, better music. The amount of talent in this film is far outweighed by the corny "burst into song" cringe worthy intro into each new tune. I found myself laughing out loud. The plot is so simple and cliché it's not worth mentioning. Cruise is actually the only entertaining thing about this but that is not saying much. The 80's were not a great time and only 45 year old chicks would want to relive it channeled through Bon Jovi and Journey.

Twisted Mamma Mia! -- in a rock scene

[BeneCumb · 7/10 · 2 May 2013]

Movies like this tend to lack smoothness and wittiness - so does Rock of Ages where the plot is a mixture of this and that, with lots of clichés and patterns with 1970/1980ies cult movies such as Grease and Dirty Dancing. But the music is great and mass concert scenes are skillfully produced and performed - a real fun and joy, unless you dislike the music of that kind and that era. As for the cast, then the older the character and the actor/actress, the better, i.e. more catchy and versatile; the youngest stars of the movie - Julianne Hough as Sherrie Christian and Diego Boneta as Drew Boley - were least credible to me, but the older ones, especially Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx, Alec Baldwin as Dennis Dupree, Russell Brand as Lonny Barnett, Paul Giamatti as Paul Gill, and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Patricia Whitmore were really pleasant to follow. I am confident they squeezed everything possible and impossible out from the mediocre script.

Recommended nostalgia "slap" to all whose teen or 20+ years were filled by (pop)-rock.

Not even Tom Cruise could save this movie.

[KelseyPritchard · 20 July 2012]

I went to see "Rock Of Ages" tonight and I couldn't be more disappointed, I had been waiting for this movie for a long time and had such high hopes for it that it all just came crushing down.

I was expecting to see much more of Tom Cruise but he isn't in the movie as much as you'd think,

I was also tricked by the soundtrack songs, with the name of the movie being "Rock Of Ages" and the songs used in the soundtrack coming from bands like Guns'n'Roses, Bon Jovi, Joan Jet, Journey etc I was expecting actual ROCK music but they managed to ruin 90% of the songs in this movie. Tom Cruise did a good job in the ones he sang but that was about it.

The only two good things about this movie were Tom Cruise and Russell Brand and only them made the film bearable.

I'm not even going to go into the annoying love story which just made it seem more like a Disney movie with bad acting.

Long story short, if you're a die-hard rock'n'roll fan don't waste your money with this movie. I'd say this is more of a family movie but it it has too much mature content for kids as well so, I don't know who this would be suited for really.

"Rock Of Ages" is a cross between Disney's "Camp Rock" and a 80's rock video parody and it's awful.

The Vidiot Reviews...

[capone666 · 5/10 · 10 October 2012]

Rock of Ages

The worst thing about being a ripened rock star is over time your face starts to look like your leather pants.

Fortunately for the singer is this musical, he's too self-absorbed to notice.

In 1987, an indebted bar owner (Alec Baldwin) raises funds for his unpaid taxes by hosting Arsenal, before their singer Stacee Jaxx's (Tom Cruise) embarks on a solo career.

Elsewhere, a small-town girl (Julianne Hough) comes to L.A. to pursue her dreams but gets entangled with an up-and-coming singer (Diego Boneta).

Meanwhile, the mayor's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) pickets Jaxx's pending performance, while a reporter (Malin Akerman) riles the temperamental talent with personal questions.

Forgoing originals for played out hair-metal covers, this adaptation of the Broadway musical struggles to find a decent story worth telling amid its caterwauling.

Incidentally, when the singer of a band leaves, the rest of the band should audition for the singer's new band. (Red Light)

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Great musical

[masonsaul · 8/10 · 23 March 2019]

Rock Of Ages is a great musical that's fun and gleefully ridiculous with an incredible cast who give good performances, especially Tom Cruise who is easily the standout. The great songs and solid pacing help make up for the predictable plot.

Too much Glee

[Naughtia_Nah · 6/10 · 12 November 2012]

I was really excited to see this movie when I first saw the trailer. I'm a huge fan of the 80's glam rock and heavy metal, so I thought that this movie would be awesome. But when I started watching the movie I immediately got the impression that this is some kind of Glee smelling teen flick. They took all these fantastic glam rock/heavy metal songs and transformed them to something completely different. Also I was completely turned off by Julianne Hough's 'whiny' vocals, maybe she can sing but this is absolutely NOT the genre of music she should be representing.

One thing I really loved by this movie was Tom Cruise and the songs he performed. I was really impressed by his performance and his vocals.

Can you make the 80s boring??? The answer is yes. WARNING SPOILERS

[wendybrown2128 · 4/10 · 17 June 2012]

In 1987 I was 22. So I actually lived through this musical era. And it was a lot more fun being there in person in the 80s than sitting through this movie. First of all, there were filming glitches. In a couple of places including the bus station early in the movie there were things on screen that would not have existed in the 80s. That threw me off right away because the attention to detail of the era was lacking. But on to the acting and the music. The only real shining star of the movie was Tom Cruise. And I don't even like him. But he was fun to watch. Everyone else seemed air brushed and auto tuned. Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin were also decent. But the entire movie just didn't seem 80s enough to me. I'll put it this way. During the first hour I was debating walking out. The second hour I was checking my watch. I made it through but wish I had been more into it.

On another note, what was 80s about the strip club? The outfits, the interior....nothing said 80s to me. I feel like whoever was styling this movie either wasn't alive during the 80s or doesn't remember how everything, including outfits, looked.

Anyway, I give it a 4 for Tom Cruise. Other than that, it's 2 hours of my life gone forever.

Negative? Why?

[matapo70 · 9/10 · 5 January 2019]

Negative reviews? Incredible. It's the best musical since Grease. The songs selection is great and Tom Cruise too.

The rock opera

[Prismark10 · 7/10 · 3 September 2013]

This Rock Musical is an adaptation of the popular stage show set in the late 1980s. This gives it an excuse to show 80s fashion and feature 80s rock hits all mixed up with a cheesy Boy meets Girl love story.

The love story is predictable, in fact even the side stories are predictable but the cast give it gusto from Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta Jones to Alec Baldwin.

Cruise plays an Axl Rose/Bret Michaels type rock star in a glorified cameo. His singing one suspects had Auto-tuning involved.

However it is the songs that sells this film, ranging from 'We built this City' to 'Don't stop Believing.'

The film is a cheesefest but it is an enjoyable one. It might not rival Grease but a lot of thought has been put into bringing this to the screen.

Hough did this ever get made?

[brefane · 1/10 · 11 October 2012]

Not campy, not sexy, not down and dirty, no rock, no roll, no point. Bland and rhythm-less movie from director Adam Shankman, responsible for the bland, pointless remake of Hairspray, is a badly photographed episode of Glee with an unnecessary dash of kink. Can't Stop the Music, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, The Apple, Phantom of the Paradise were a lot more fun. There isn't an original idea at work anywhere in this film. It's a jukebox musical; a collection of music videos of no interest whatsoever. Tom Cruise provides little diversion while Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand and Bryan Cranston are merely odious. The two leads are as cute as they are uninteresting. Within the first few minutes you feel the movie dying; what follows is a wake.