Rock Star

Rock Star follows a familiar story line to its logical conclusion without stopping for too many detours along the way. Mark Wahlberg stars as the singer of a heavy metal cover band who gets the chance of a lifetime when the group he idolizes needs a new front man. Suddenly he finds himself catapulted to the kind of life he's always fantasized about. Of course, as is usually the case, it comes with a price. Rock Star echoes another of Wahlberg's films, Boogie Nights, in the way that his character gets swept up into a decadent lifestyle that eventually overwhelms him. There are also shades of Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous and, perhaps unintentionally, Rob Reiner's This is Spinal Tap. Rock Star, however, lacks those films' ambition, depth, and originality. Still the movie is fairly enjoyable, and is certainly never boring. It boasts an admirable cast, highlighted by Dominic West, Timothies Olyphant and Spall, and a very funny though rarely seen Beth Grant. Steel Dragon, the fictional band, is perhaps less engaging than the sight of Wahlberg fronting a glam rock group; their songs are largely uninteresting, and they seem like the sort of band that might tour with Spinal Tap. The movie's tone comes off as slightly schizophrenic, switching between earnest drama and fevered camp. Whether the laughs are intentional or not, things progress with an undeniable charm, driven by the logic of male preteen fantasies. Rock Star is indeed worth checking out; viewers may be swept up along with Wahlberg or may find themselves laughing at his ridiculous exploits, but either way, they will likely end up having a good time.