The Rocker (2008)

I want you to listen to me, right here-this is not a bad movie. It is not a great movie, but it is not bad. Rainn Wilson, who you will probably know as Dwight Schrute from the U.S. version of The Office, is nothing but brilliant in this film. He pulls off a mediocre character and makes it much better than it was written. Also in the cast are Emma Stone, who is now in films such as Easy A and Zombieland, Teddy Geiger, who is more of a musician than an actor, Christina Applegate, who has been in a LOT of movies, and Josh Gad, who is slowly working up through television, and all these people are great. The film begins in the 1980s, where rock band Vesuvius is playing. They are offered a record deal that would make them huge, but one catch-they have to kick their drummer out of the band, and replace him. The band is played by Fred Armisen, Bradley Cooper, Will Arnett, and Rainn Wilson as the drummer in mention, known as Fish. Well, the band sells out, and Fish is out of the picture. Cut to present day, Fish is living in his sister’s (Jane Lynch) house, with her husband (Jeff Garlin) and son (Josh Gad), and Vesuvius is the biggest band in the world (think Vesuvius as The Beatles and Fish as Pete Best). Sorry Fish. Anyway, his nephew’s band is playing prom, and they just lost their drummer. So they ask Fish to help them out for one gig…and he sticks. And the band goes big, and starts to get involved with the big-shot world of producers (Jason Sudekis), psycho fans, and opening for the biggest band in the world, Vesuvius. The film portrays the internal conflict of Fish in such a comedic way, that there aren’t any moments in the film where you’re not smiling. I’ve heard this film get compared to the 2003 film School of Rock more than once, and I can understand why. But while tone of people loved School of Rock, I just thought it was kind of mediocre. I laughed more and had a better time in The Rocker. Call me crazy, but that’s just me.
8/10