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All-Reviews.com Movie/Video Review
Almost Famous
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  out of 4
Review by Chatterbox
4 stars out of 4
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Cameron Crowe (wrote the screenplay
for "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" as well as
wrote & directed another great rock n roll movie "Singles") wrote &
directed this flick & he knows rock n roll. He wrote articles for Creem
Magazine (I used to love that rag), Playboy, Penthouse & Rolling Stone. At
15 years old he was interviewing bands as big as Led Zep for the
magazines. That's what "Almost Famous" is centered around...a 15 year
old boy who gets a job writing a story for Rolling Stone. He travels
with a fictional band called "Stillwater" (they are the most believable
bunch of actors portraying a band I've EVER seen). Billy Crudup
(he's gonna be huge) is amazing as the bands lead guitarist. The story is
mostly about the kid & his adventures with the band & his struggles as a
journalist (should he get as close to the band as he is? will it effect
his writing?) & his relationship with the Crudup character Russell
Hammond, as well as your regular coming of age stuff that's such a common
movie subject...But there are several other great substories...one
about internal turmoil within the band....most all bands have this
problem where one guy is the brains behind the band & carries the others along
& it causes a lot of friction (Think Billy Corgan from the smashing
pumpkins & his ego..he's a dick but the music really is all him). Another
story is about the kids mom (Frances McDormand)..she tries to be a good
mom & underneath her ignorance & plain old fear of rock music she's
actually pretty wise....There's also some great stuff about
groupie's VS. band aids (band aids are like groupies...only they are real
fans who have real love for the music & aren't just sluts). Penny
Lane (Kate Hudson..who I am now in love with..also daughter of Goldie
Hawn) is also a main character who has a thing for Russell & also
helps the kid who's new to this sex & drugs on the road lifestyle get in
with the crowd. Philip Seymour Hoffman (has he ever given a bad
performance? I don't think so) is great again as the real life editor of Creem
magazine Lester Bangs. I read the mag like crazy from when I was like 9
till I was 16 then I think they called it quits (that was the end of
real rock anyway)...read about all things rock n roll that could
warp the mind of a kid from a small town in Illinois...so I found Lester
interesting...he took it seriously & had a real life impact on me.
Back to the movie....He is honest to the kid & gives him great advice...
"Don't become friends with the bands..they will make you feel cool to get
good press & believe me kid...your not cool".
There's still a lot more to the movie & it's also really funny but I'll
stay brief (for me). The soundtrack is great. The songs Stillwater plays
were written by Crowe & his wife Nancy Wilson from Heart. I hope this
movie gets popular if anything just to influence the kids & media that
see it & show them how great some of that classic rock was. I'm sick of
rap & soul being a background to everything on TV. Yeah, you could argue
bands like The Who selling out & being used in a Nissan truck commercial
but thats another story....in 1973 (when the movie takes place) we
didn't have video's & all the other media selling the bands as a
product. The music had to be good... Everything I knew about the bands &
the music I grew up with came from Creem magazines & convincing my mom
to buy me rock records from yard sales based on what I read. Just go
see it....I'll see it again & look at it to enjoy it's technical
accomplishments like the great editing & camera work. It struck emotions
in me but it's a movie that anyone who likes music (or movies) can
relate to. It just reached #1 on my list of favorites so far this year.
And hey those of you who don't quite get as excited about music as I
do...remember Crowe was also the guy who brought you Jerry Maguire.
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