Cruise surprised me. I was a bit confused as to why they would put Cruise in this movie, but he kind of blew me away. His sexiest and funniest role ever, perhaps! At least the best performance in years. If you love classic rock music, you'll enjoy this musical a lot!
Remember the 80s? Big hair. Loud guitars. A mindless marketing drive toward cool and sex as epitomized by leather-clad rockers? Those 80s? As some said about the 60s, if you remember it, you weren't there - at least that's the impression that "Rock of Ages" a new movie musical based on a jukebox broadway show of the same name wants you to believe about rock stars in the 80s.
The narrative thread sewing the hit 80s hair-metal anthems and power-ballads together is a boy-meets-girl love story and their oddly polished, American-Idol-like, desire for fame despite the looming fame-shame spiral that is Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise). Cruise is fantastic as the drunk, sexaholic, border-line washed up, crazy frontman of Arsenal as he channels a frightening mix of Alice Cooper (visually, at least) and Axl Rose (more thematically) in this role. He's even quite the singer.
Yes, the movie is exploitive of just about every woman on the screen - though it does technically pass the Beschdel test (really, it shouldn't though considering the rest of the movie) and men are symbols of power and sexual domination - but, in an accurate way, this was the 80s. We like to pretend things have changed, but in a lot of ways, they haven't.
Ultimately, the sexism isn't the point and if you can look past this, you're in for a pretty good - albeit 20 minutes too long - time. There is a surprising amount of laughs, and only a few parts that flat-out don't work. The rest is just pure entertainment.
Started off as a disappointment (I couldn't stand Sherrie & Drew). They should have used a better lead actor/actress, they ruined the movie quite a bit in my opinion. Tom Cruise and Russel Brand were the "stars" in the movie, if I could call anyone a star in it. The movie got better and better though the longer I watched it, had a few giggles thanks to Russel. So I guess it was an ok movie, but not much more
The controversy in my head is way too overwhelming right now. It's sacreligous, a blockbuster sellout, a cinematic masterpiece that screams I was re-done in 2012 and was a way better movie in the 80's. It's transitions slid like slimy snakes against the legendary melodies of our most epic rock pasts. It spoke to the very alarming problem that we have today. Is rock 'n roll dead? If I showed this movie to any rock patriot still with us today; they'd down whatever pills and fingers they could find in they're cabinets, shed a tear and answer "F***ing god!!?" Russel Brand saw the disaster and could not prevent it. As a punishment he relinquished his rainbow card. It was crap, but maybe that's just what the movie industry need in order for them to be like "You know; we're really starting to smell like shit. Perhaps it's time for a shower." I couldn't stop watching. I couldn't stop. Please don't let this movie fall into the hands of our future. It's not a waste of time to watch; But Rock'nRoll [u]do[u] deserve better.
I know a lot of movies change certain things from musical but damn did the change a lot. From villian to whether Stacee actually slept with Sherri to non of the meta comedy (like bringing a playbill to say we are in a play)
This is a entertaining but a not a good film. Julianne Hough is a bad lead with a grating voice and underwhelming acting. The best scene HAS to be between Alec Bladwin and Russell Brand!
Auch, that was painfull. Cruise is TERRIFIC, Baldwin fun but the rest......stupid non story. Great fun POP/Rock songs are butchered by non singers....Mary J Blidge excluded,
The story line was predictable and the dialogue was simple. This was a vehicle to sing a bunch of '80s music. I don't understand why Tom Cruise and Alec Baldwin agreed to do this. It boggles my mind.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 22
LarsC
Fun. For those of us who were young enough to enjoy the 80's. The movie is actually made like it was an 80's rock musical. Cheezy and fun.Saraxx
A brilliant fun musical!! What more could you ask for? It was so much better than I expected it to be.dreiser
I had a good time watching this movie. The singing was impressive all around, especially Cruise and Hough.CarlyK
Cruise surprised me. I was a bit confused as to why they would put Cruise in this movie, but he kind of blew me away. His sexiest and funniest role ever, perhaps! At least the best performance in years. If you love classic rock music, you'll enjoy this musical a lot!frankqb
Remember the 80s? Big hair. Loud guitars. A mindless marketing drive toward cool and sex as epitomized by leather-clad rockers? Those 80s? As some said about the 60s, if you remember it, you weren't there - at least that's the impression that "Rock of Ages" a new movie musical based on a jukebox broadway show of the same name wants you to believe about rock stars in the 80s.The narrative thread sewing the hit 80s hair-metal anthems and power-ballads together is a boy-meets-girl love story and their oddly polished, American-Idol-like, desire for fame despite the looming fame-shame spiral that is Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise). Cruise is fantastic as the drunk, sexaholic, border-line washed up, crazy frontman of Arsenal as he channels a frightening mix of Alice Cooper (visually, at least) and Axl Rose (more thematically) in this role. He's even quite the singer.
Yes, the movie is exploitive of just about every woman on the screen - though it does technically pass the Beschdel test (really, it shouldn't though considering the rest of the movie) and men are symbols of power and sexual domination - but, in an accurate way, this was the 80s. We like to pretend things have changed, but in a lot of ways, they haven't.
Ultimately, the sexism isn't the point and if you can look past this, you're in for a pretty good - albeit 20 minutes too long - time. There is a surprising amount of laughs, and only a few parts that flat-out don't work. The rest is just pure entertainment.
Seven out of 10.
Elica
Started off as a disappointment (I couldn't stand Sherrie & Drew). They should have used a better lead actor/actress, they ruined the movie quite a bit in my opinion. Tom Cruise and Russel Brand were the "stars" in the movie, if I could call anyone a star in it. The movie got better and better though the longer I watched it, had a few giggles thanks to Russel. So I guess it was an ok movie, but not much morethestaulker
The controversy in my head is way too overwhelming right now. It's sacreligous, a blockbuster sellout, a cinematic masterpiece that screams I was re-done in 2012 and was a way better movie in the 80's. It's transitions slid like slimy snakes against the legendary melodies of our most epic rock pasts. It spoke to the very alarming problem that we have today. Is rock 'n roll dead? If I showed this movie to any rock patriot still with us today; they'd down whatever pills and fingers they could find in they're cabinets, shed a tear and answer "F***ing god!!?" Russel Brand saw the disaster and could not prevent it. As a punishment he relinquished his rainbow card. It was crap, but maybe that's just what the movie industry need in order for them to be like "You know; we're really starting to smell like shit. Perhaps it's time for a shower." I couldn't stop watching. I couldn't stop. Please don't let this movie fall into the hands of our future. It's not a waste of time to watch; But Rock'nRoll [u]do[u] deserve better.ryanpoole
I know a lot of movies change certain things from musical but damn did the change a lot. From villian to whether Stacee actually slept with Sherri to non of the meta comedy (like bringing a playbill to say we are in a play)phaer1
music okay but tom cruise's acting seemed like he was sleep walkingroxannepena
If Tom Cruise isn't here, it will be a total waste of time. The story is just the usual. Didn't like the lead actor and actress.Inactivated123
This is a entertaining but a not a good film. Julianne Hough is a bad lead with a grating voice and underwhelming acting. The best scene HAS to be between Alec Bladwin and Russell Brand!Earring72
Auch, that was painfull. Cruise is TERRIFIC, Baldwin fun but the rest......stupid non story. Great fun POP/Rock songs are butchered by non singers....Mary J Blidge excluded,JimEastwood71
Rock of Ages or How I Learned to Hate a Lot of my Favorite 80s Songstwistedthursday
This is just plain offensive to the great tradition of musicals. Awful.duggmore
The story line was predictable and the dialogue was simple. This was a vehicle to sing a bunch of '80s music. I don't understand why Tom Cruise and Alec Baldwin agreed to do this. It boggles my mind.Showing items 1 – 15 of 22