review by Mr. DuLac Pro
Rock of Ages 2012
Watched Jun 16, 2012
Mr. DuLac’s review:
This place is about to become a sea of sweat, ear-shattering music and puke.
-Dennis Dupree
The two main characters in this film are huge clichés... and their story is an even bigger cliché. They'll be a point in the film where you'll be like "Oh... THAT's what their doing here? Seriously?". I think Diego Beoneta and Julianne Hough play likeable enough characters and do what they can with the roles they are given, which really isn't much.
Where the film really shines is the rest of the cast. They're given much more to work with and much more to have fun with, especially Tom Cruise. He pretty much personifies what most people imagine the lead singers of almost every "hair band" of the 80s was like. The rest of the cast just look like they are having a blast in the film and it really comes through in their performances.
The real deciding factor of whether or not someone will like the movie will probably be directly proportionate to your love of the music in the film. I'm an unapologetic child of the 80s and loved every single song in this film. The film opens up with Paradise City playing over the Warner Bros logo... and then Paradise City plays again over the closing credits, that factor alone would signal anyone who knows me personally that the film had me wrapped around it's little finger. Is this a 4 star movie? No, but it gave me 4 stars worth of entertainment and then some.
We went today... had a BLAST!
She couldn't stop talking about Tom Cruise after... including right now.
@Shawn: I know, her and Carrie are openly talking about him on Facebook right now. I pointed out that he's like 80 years old... apparently I'm not accurate in that statement.
I offer no apologies for loving this film.
Paradise City playing over the Warner Bros logo... and then Paradise City plays again over the closing credits
I'm surprised you didn't give it 5 stars lol
I'm proposing a letterboxd field trip to a sing-along screening. No?
@Travis Lytle: I nudged my better-half during the film for her to not sing so loud in the theater lol.
Loved this so much.
@Travis, I'm with you on this, the soundtrack to my teen years, thought it was great fun, Cruise made the film for me, I just wasn't expecting that from him!
Overall I was thoroughly entertained by it, so was my wife.
There were people dancing (well, whatever it is you do in a theater without leaving your seat but making it obvious to everyone in the room that you're enjoying the music) with abandon in my screening. It would have been embarrassing had I not been enjoying myself too.
LOL - Brilliant, I was a little more subdued but I wanted to, my foot was taping in all the numbers. I've got the soundtrack and am really impressed with Crusie. They are pretty good versions of the songs! Still brings a smile to my face thinking about the film!
Now looking back on it... considering the broad comedy in the film I'm wondering if what I'm taking for cliches aren't actually spoofs on it... either way I still love the movie.
I lean toward spoofs. I think the film is smart enough to send up (or mock lovingly) the sources of its subject matter.
LOL - I stear clear of spoofs, well full on spoofs, like Scary Movie etc. But I don't mind films like this, where it's having fun with it's content but never going over the top. Like Cruise getting up from under all the women, I could image Bret Michaels doing that.
I really think alot of critics missed the point of this film, it's far better then the 1 or 2 star reviews it was getting.
Off the subject but just wanted to mention that full on spoofs have been ruined by movies like Scary Movie.
Roger Ebert gave "Rock of Ages" three (out of four) stars, so he's one critic who gets it.
And, yes, it's not spoof-y in the mode of "Scary Movie" and its ilk, so maybe spoof is the wrong word, but at least *we* understand what we mean.
(What was the last high-quality, full-on spoof movie? "Spaceballs?")
I just can't do musicals of any kind so I have no desire to see this. I get why some people would like it especially if you're a fan of the music. I was born in 76 so I grew up in the 80's, but the music from that decade had the opposite affect on me. Most of my musical influences come from the 90's.
@Travis: Yes probably Spaceballs, I can still watch that and find it funny... like Airplane, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, ect... those films seem so damn high quality compared to Scary Movie, Epic Movie and all that other garbage.
"Young Frankenstein" is my favorite comedy of all-time. I screen it in my Film Criticism class for the sake of pure self-indulgence and whatever academic reason I can find.
Going to put on the "Rock of Ages" soundtrack now.
I want to go see it again!