“The story of a wanna be, who got to be”

I will start off by saying that by no means did I view this film legally, by parting with any money, or by selling my body to medical science. It was downloaded using Morpheus in less time than the movie itself actually lasts thanks to my cable connection, and so it came to be in my possession.

Set to Full Screen > Sit back a bit (to avoid blurred vision), and enjoy the show. For it – is a good one.

The film title bears no hidden meaning, it doesn’t shy away from hitting you with the truth and you shouldn’t read between any lines, which hopefully you aren’t trained to do. Because once you are, you’ll never view a movie in the same way, and this will ruin your life. There is more depth however to the title than my previous two sentences may have led you to believe – however you do have some common sense and you have seen the trailer by now so I’ll assume I’m just going over old ground.

So it’s not just about a rock show, if that’s what you came looking for may we suggest a rental of Wham’s greatest hits, for you’re not welcome in our house. ‘Rock Star’ is the story of Chris Cole (Mark Wahlberg) and his dream to become his all time rock idol and lead singer of Steel Dragon; Bobby Beers. He lived his life the way he dreamed it, he moved they way they moved, sang the way they sang and his friends couldn’t tell where Bobby ended and he began.

Wahlberg plays the lead singer of a Steel Dragon tribute band, and he plays it well. Previous to seeing the movie, before I knew of it’s impending existence I had never pictured him playing this kind of role, it’s ambitious and perhaps others could’ve played it better, but we’ll never know and for that reason – why would she care? Don’t question something, which has absolutely no need to be questioned.

The rest of the tribute band get bored of being how they describe it as, a “cover” band, Cole is replaced after a bust-up with a fellow band member on stage and is left shattered that he’s been dumped from the very band he started. Loyal girlfriend Emily (Jennifer Aniston) stays by him and although Aniston is playing a character with little real place or purpose throughout the majority of the film, is vital none the less to the outcome. The next morning, Chris receives a phone call, a phone call, which will change his entire life for ever. He replaces the man he once dreamed to be, and becomes the rock star he always wanted to become, until one day – but what happens when and average guy gets everything he ever wanted, and discovers it’s not enough.

This film is not a deep masterpiece, it’s not here to be the best story you’ve ever encountered, and it will never be something it’s not. It’s an adrenaline rush, it’s the best music you’ll ever hear in a movie and it is overwhelmingly real. This movie allows us to become it’s star, to ‘live the dream’, the dream we’ve all had at some point in our lives. It then shows us it’s not a perfect world, something we’ve also always known but never said out loud, and we are allowed to revel in this. However, rather than being a disillusioned and bitter representation of rock stardom, it’s real, it’s real people, real life and real emotions. You will understand.

The film chooses the ending, it’s the ending you would choose, and you know it.

You also know you should watch this film, and that everything I’ve said is all soil under grass until you’ve experienced the dream.

Wahlberg: 17/20
Soundtrack: 20/20
Satisfaction Afterwards: 20/20
Adult Content: 11/20
Portrayal of Rock Stardom: 20/20

89%
”Live the Dream”

Article Written by Jay
jay@theonlinenet.co.uk