THE ROCKER
US, 2008, 103 minutes, Colour.
Rainn Wilson, Christina Applegate, Teddy Geiger, Josh Gad, Emma Stone, Jeff Garland, Jane Lynch, Jason Sudekis, Will Arnett, Howard Hesserman.
Directed by Peter Cattaneo.
Sometimes a trailer, which, of course, is designed to attract audiences to go to see a film, can be extremely off-putting. Having been trapped in some cinemas several times with the trailer for The Rocker, I was certainly not attracted but was rather dreading it. The central character, Fish, is one of those arrested development forty somethings who seems determined never to grow up, played by Rainn Wilson from the US version of The Office.
For the first ten minutes, every harsh preconception seemed to be being fulfilled as Fish (our non-hero) plays the drums in a rock group called Vesuvius.
But... a film isn't over until it's really over. And, after ninety minutes, I had found that I enjoyed The Rocker.
Despite the fact that Fish is an archetypal slob for most of the film – and finds adjusting to a 9 to 5 job impossible – we realise that everyone deserves an opportunity to be their better selves and try to fulfil some of their dreams.
Fish is very unceremoniously and disloyally dumped by Vesuvius in 1986 so that a producer's nephew can be the group's drummer and they can hit the big time. Fish has almost opted out of life for 20 years when he loses yet another job and moves in with his sister. His nephew (largish with some low self-esteem) is going to play in a band for the school prom. There drummer is suspended at school and, guess what!
Josh Gad, Ted Geiger (an actual teenage singing star) and Emma Stone are the nice, clean-cut trio for whom Fish is culture shock. Rebel and hedonist Fish is a fish out of water in this rather sedate 2006 US town. The plot is wish- fulfilment but the twist comes courtesy of the exploitational side of the internet and instant celebrity. This development would not have been a surprise to the British director of the film who made that most popular of comedies, The Full Monty. It's not quite that here. Rather it is the almost-full Monty (Fish's only) which becomes the first step to America- wide success. Most aspiring bands will think, 'if only...'.
There is a pervading niceness about the film and many parents may be relieved to see teenagers portrayed so generally responsible and pleasant.
For those of a vindictive frame of mind, there is a wonderful on stage before thousands comeuppance for Vesuvius and a nicer Fish (with a haircut) has happily filled the void of the previous twenty years. And there are quite a few laughs as a bonus, especially in the send-up of the rock culture and venal agents. So, it's best to wait until the end before passing judgment.
1.A rock ‘n roll film? The music, fans, the bands, the history of rock ‘n roll, ambitions of the groups, individuals, the lifestyle, the success?
2.Dreams, fulfilment, gifts, opportunities?
3.The style of the comedy, the arrested development central character, the one-liners, the spoofs?
4.The music, the songs, the lyrics, Curtis and his composing the songs, based on the experience of his father’s leaving? The Vesuvius songs? Their popularity?
5.The cast, Rainn Wilson and his comedy, Teddy Geiger and his music? The comedians and supporting roles?
6.1986: Vesuvius, playing, their fans, rowdy, Fish and his energy, playing the drums? The success of their gig? His being out of the room, the manager doing a deal with the others, their momentary hesitation, the son of the producer to be the drummer? Fish being dropped? His reaction, the betrayal, upset, running beside the car, their driving, his on the top of the car, on the road and left?
7.The twenty years, his phone job, the fellow workers being fans of Vesuvius, his anger, their playing the music, being upset, losing his job?
8.Moving in with his sister, the family, his brother-in-law welcoming him? His nephew? Their not wanting him to impose? In the loft, accident-prone? His manner, the eternal adolescent, aged forty-one? Clothes, language?
9.Matt and the band, the auditions, the boy suspended from school? Fish being invited, refusing, accepting? His relationship with Matt, Curtis and Amelia? At the prom, their dressing up, his old-style clothes, arrival, taking over, playing, the initial response to the band, favourable? His going out of control? Their upset?
10.His playing again, change of heart, trying to make up to them, the offer for a gig, the range of phone calls and failure? Finally getting a gig? Their playing? The possibility of making a record? The group and their name ADD? People’s response? Not playing their record? The reaction of their parents? Their forbidding them to be with Fish? The rigging up of the computers? Practising together via computer? His nakedness, its being on YouTube?, everybody seeing it, the range of responses?
11.YouTube celebrity, the agent seeing the YouTube? clip, offering something more permanent, the range of performances, the curious audiences? The arranging of the tour, the bus driver, travelling across America, Fish and his reaction to the luxury of the bus? The discussions with the parents, whether to let their children go or not? Kim and her threats to Fish?
12.The personalities of Matt, Curtis and Amelia? Curtis and his songs, the background, the relationship between the two? Tentative? Amelia and her severity? Curtis shy? Matt and his thinking that he was not attractive?
13.The success of their concerts, the fans? The groupies? Fish and his noting for them the first of everything on their tour? The hotels, Fish and his raucous behaviour, throwing out the television? Going to jail? The youngsters preferring to play computer games? Their being bailed out? Kim and her anger, her decision to come on the tour?
14.David Marshall, the unctuous agent, insensitive, venal? An effective spoof on this kind of agent? His getting the gig for Vesuvius? His making mischief about Kim and Fish with Curtis?
15.Fish and his reaction, not wanting to play for Vesuvius? Talking with Stan, getting the haircut, the nine-to-five job, looking forlorn?
16.Curtis upset with him? Kim and her trying to help? The kiss and her controlling him? The misjudgement?
17.Curtis and the plea, Fish agreeing, meeting Vesuvius and his waiting for twenty years for this occasion, their fake English accents, their manner, rudeness to Fish and looking down on him? The contrast with Fish and where he was – and what he might have been had he stayed with them?
18.ADD performance, their success? Vesuvius and the accident, the discovery of their lip-synching, their being booed off the stage?
19.Matt, the girlfriend, Amelia encouraging him? Curtis and Amelia going out for a meal? Fish and his relationship with Kim? Everyone happy?
20.A fairytale 21st century USA?
