ROCK STAR
US, 2001, 105 minutes, Colour.
Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer Aniston, Jason Flemyng, Dominic West, Jason Bonham, Timothy Spaull, Timothy Olyphant, Dagmara Dominczyk, Beth Grant.
Directed by Stephen Herek.
Rock Star will appeal only to those who like the 80s and its music – and the opportunity to travel back into the atmosphere of rock groups at that period.
The film was allegedly based on an actual character, Tim Owens who was a singer in a Judas Priest cover band and was chosen to replace the main singer. In this film, Mark Wahlberg plays Chris Cole who imitates Bobby Beers, the lead singer in a band called Steel Dragon. He emulates Bobby Beers at a concert to Beers’s annoyance. Cole is ambitious to reproduce the music of Steel Dragon and is alienated from his own small band. He then receives a call from Steel Dragon to front them – and he accepts. From then on, the ingenuous enthusiast becomes caught up in the rock star world and its decadence.
Mark Wahlberg, who was himself a singer, Markie Mark, performs credibly enough in the central role. Jennifer Aniston is his girlfriend and manager. Three British actors are in the leads in Steel Dragon, Jason Flemyng as Bobby Beers, Dominic West (in an extraordinarily odd wig) as the lead guitarist and audition and Timothy Spaull giving an interesting performance as the road manager.
The film shows the glamour of the American dream to be a rock star, offers a critique of it, offers a look at the sleazy and decadent way of life. It becomes moral at the end, with Timothy Spaull giving a parable about walking out on an old life to form a new life and the romance between Wahlberg and Aniston taking centre stage. Ultimately, he is reunited with his former band.
For those who enjoy the music, there will be entertainment value. For others it is a mere curiosity item about a past era. Direction is by Stephen Herek who has directed a wide range of light films like The Three Musketeers but his most serious film was Mr Holland’s Opus.
1.The niche market for this film? Fans of the 1980s? Rock 'n roll of the 1980s? The life and dreams of the rock star?
2.The Pittsburgh setting, ordinary life, the rock 'n roll scene, the concerts? The workplaces and homes? The transition to California, the opulent lifestyle? On the road, the concerts, the hotels, the groupies? The re-creation of the rock world?
3.The music, the songs, the rock 'n roll style, the groups, styles of performance?
4.The focus on Chris Cole? His place in the family, his rock 'n roll parents and their continued support? His policeman brother and the criticisms? His relationship with Emily? At work? At the concerts, making himself up, his playing in his group, his relationship with Rob? The other members of the band? At the concert, watching Bobby Beers, screaming, singing better than Bobby? Bobby’s reaction? His not getting tickets from Mats? The girls getting the tickets? His dream of being a rock star, life at home, his room, songs? Relationship with the band, wanting them to be perfect in the singing, the clashes with Rob? His decision to leave, wanting just simply to imitate Steel Dragon? Their letting him go? Going with Emily?
5.Emily, her friendship with Chris, support, manager? Her appreciating his talent and telling Rob and the others?
6.The phone call from Kirk Cuddy? His disbelief, going to California with Emily? Meeting Tanya? Her style? The house, affluence? Meeting the group, the audition? His being accepted? His being renamed Izzy? The English accent? The press conference, answering questions, the expected answers, the lifestyle, women, drugs?
7.Performances, his success? The fall from the steps, his getting up and continuing? His meeting Mats again, Mats and his support? The various members of the group? Chris and his wanting to write songs, A.C. and his not allowing him, Kirk telling him straight about his place in the group?
8.On the road, the groupies, the girls? The parties? Emily being caught up in this, waking up with all the people in the house? Trying to make a go with Chris? Having to sit with the other women in the cars, their talk, their acceptance of the men’s infidelity and behaviour, coming back to them, giving them gifts, going shopping? Emily not wanting to be part of this?
9.The collage of the time passing, Chris’s success, the concerts, the music? Arriving in Seattle, Emily and the girls in the elevator, their talking promiscuously? Her confronting Chris, his not knowing that he was in Seattle? Her wanting to set up her own business? Her grief and departure?
10.Chris and his talking with Mats, Mats’s story about walking out on his wife? The concert, Chris coming to his senses, deciding to walk out?
11.Back home, with his own group, with Rob, his own songs? The possibility of a new life? Emily and her wanting a life, going to the concert, seeing him?
12.A re-creation of the period, the fantasy of the rock star’s glamorous life? The reality? The moralising about it?
