Rock Star (2001)

★★★
Rock Star is one of those standard rags-to-riches stories. Through an amazing coincidence, one faithful fan of a heavy metal band will get his chance at stardom with the same band. The plot contains many elements akin to such a movie, yet it all plays out with satisfaction. Perhaps it's Mark Wahlberg's giddy-eyed performance that saves the day, or it could be director Stephen Herek's faithful recreation of the 1980s music scene. Either way, I enjoyed the movie. It has a lot of light humor, pleasant surprises and good songs.

Chris Cole (Mark Wahlberg) is the lead singer of Blood Pollution, a tribute band that plays in dance clubs in and around Pittsburgh. His favorite group is Steel Dragon, and when the group arrives in the area, he's in the front row singing along with the beloved tunes. After Chris gets some heat with Blood Pollution, the band members agree to kick him out. He and his girlfriend Emily (Jennifer Aniston) move on, but before you know it, he gets a phone call from Steel Dragon. The members of that group were impressed by his video, and they fly him to Los Angeles to give him a tryout. Chris brings Emily along, and once he gets the job as new lead singer, he kicks into star mode and indulges in all that fame can bring him.

Much like in Boogie Nights (1997), Mark Wahlberg plays a character plucked from everyday life and who achieves celebrity status. In fact, just as in his 1997 effort, he wants to be called by his stage name (Izzy) only. After over a year with the group, Chris transforms from a likable suburban kid to a slimy drug addict who can't even remember what city he is in currently. Emily puts up with as much as possible, but eventually she tires of being on the road and settles in Seattle to open a business. Life goes on for Chris as he continues to sing for the band and make a name for himself.

Director Herek, who's been working steadily since the mid '80s, remembers this wonderful decade well. He captures the period with amazing detail, from the cars to the styles. He goes behind the scenes to expose the band as whoremongering drunks when not in public. In public, however, the members change into totally different people who love the thrill of the cheers and lights. Wahlberg turns in another effective performance in his ever-expanding résumé. He's a bundle of energy that just lets loose when he's on stage and in front of the camera.

Rock Star doesn't try anything new, but it is a satisfying film. The performances are good and the director throws in nice touches here and there, and there's not much that goes wrong in his presentation. A sense of humor doesn't hurt things either. I liked a scene in which a cop breaks into Chris's room, but it doesn't turn out the way we expect. Also, watch the closing credits for the chance to hear Wahlberg's most famous song. It's one of the better examples of an artist kidding himself. As for the music itself, even though I'm not a fan of heavy metal, the songs here did impress me. Since the movie is about music, then this is the most important aspect, and Rock Star gets it right.

© 2001 Silver Screen Reviews