ROCK THE KASBAH
US, 2015, 106 minutes, Colour.
Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Kate Hudson, Zooey Deschanel, Leem Lubany, Arian Moayed, Scott Caan, Danny McBride?.
Directed by Barry Levinson.
Rock the Kasbah should not be confused with the Israeli military film, Rock the Casbah, or the Moroccan film of the same name about a large family and their relationships. This one is set in Afghanistan.
Since the 1960s there have been satiric films about war and the waging of war, from Dr Strangelove in 1963 to M*A*S*h and Catch-22 in the early 1970s. M*A*S*H introduced the idea of comedy and satire even in contemporary war. While there have been very serious films about American involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, It is only now that we have the satiric comedies coming in, this film as well as Whiskey Tango Foxtrot with Tina Fey and Margot Robbie.
This is a star vehicle for Bill Murray, capitalising on his laid-back, touch of the lazy, wisecracking conman style. In the United States, Murray is a record executive, Richie, holding auditions with his secretary, Zoe Deschanel who has singing hopes of her own, but mainly interested in affirming the singers and getting them to pay their fees. When a military recruiter visits a club, he is impressed by the singing and suggests to Richie that he goes on one of those entertaining the troops tour – in Afghanistan.
It is an opportunity that Murray has been looking for, but his secretary gets cold feet and, after landing in Afghanistan and experiencing the military atmosphere as well as the possibility of terror attacks, she opts out with the help of a local military character played by Bruce Willis, Bombay Brian.
Richie also gets tangled with Merci, a local prostitute (Kate Hudson) who decides that there are possibilities in a record executive working with local talent. Audiences might be surprised to see one of the Afghan television shows, Afghan Star (a local version of American Idol), with all the glitz and enthusiasm compere and judges, of Western TV talent shows. This becomes all the more important when Richie is caught up country and hears a young woman singing, is entranced by her voice and decides that she is the one. Needless to say, her father and other members of the clan in the village are not support of this at all – although they are not above having a look at the TV show later on.
The singer, Salima (the Leem Lubany) hides in the boot of the car, persists in pressurising Richie that she go on the show and, between the jigs and the reels, many of them, she eventually does, breaking through a lot of the taboos about women, singing, public performance.
As might be expected, the film is very (very) American in tone which might be very popular at home but has its moments of grating on audiences beyond the United States.
1. US, 21st century? Post 9/11? Military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq?
2. The rock world, singers, agents, gigs, audiences?
3. The musical score, the range of songs, in the gigs?
4. The Muslim background in Afghanistan, sharia law, the Afghan war, the warlords, codes, the role of women? Singing in public and the TV program?
5. The American background, Ricky as a Bill Murray character, as an agent, his image of himself, his age, memories, false memories, his agency, working with Ronnie, the initial singer, his praise for her, offering the contract, the handshake, getting her fee?
6. Ronnie, the work for Ricky, composing songs, wanting to sing, her gig in the club, people walking out? The military agent, his enthusiasm, the possibility for tours, Ricky and his agreement, Ronnie and her apprehensions? The plane, fear, arrival, the military, bombs? The hotels, rooms? Ronnie petrified, Bombay Brian and the military background, offering him cash, leaving, Ricky stranded?
7. The contact with his wife, the discussions with his daughter, her warnings? is being stranded and asking for money?
8. The American scroungers, in the clubs, the women, Merci, her typed? The night, the plan, her character, becoming a partner, enthusiastic, despairing with Ricky as a loser, giving up? Urging Ricky to go back to work?
9. The taxi driver, talk, as interpreter, the military connections, going into the villages, the encounter with the warlords?
10. Ricky hearing Salima missing, her being hidden, the desire to sing, gift, Ricky and his trying to persuade her, persuade the father, the guns, the violent reaction of the father, leaving, her hiding in the boot of the car, wanting to walk to Kabul, Ricky taking her?
11. The credits, the TV show, the Afghan Star? The host, discussions with Ricky, listening to Ricky’s lying? The contestants and their reactions? The audience, the judges, the glitz? The range of audiences? The singing, everybody watching on television, the votes? The father’s anger, taking Salima home?
12. Ricky, wanting to give up, Merci, challenging him? The votes and Salima winning?
13. Ricky and his success? Despite himself?
14. The precedent for this kind of film in the Vietnam War, dramas about rock? The role of the Americans, intervening – and the scenes where they were told off? American supremacy, arrogance, telling everyone what to do?
15. For worldwide audiences, the dramatising of situations in Afghanistan?
