Based on the highly successful Broadway musical, Rock of Ages is a jukebox musical (one which uses already existing songs) that celebrates classic ‘80s rock in a way that, while completely forced and artificial in nature, is nevertheless a fun throwaway piece of Hollywood entertainment.
Set in 1987, the film follows a smalltown girl, Sherrie (Julianne Hough), who comes to Hollywood to pursue her singing dreams. Upon arrival she meets the equally ambitious Drew (Diego Boneta) who works at a legendary rock club on the Sunset Strip. Said club is under threat of being closed down from the mayor (Bryan Cranston) and more specifically his wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) when the legendary Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) and his band Arsenal comes to play to their last gig before launching his solo career.
Over-the-top, bombastic and indulgent, Rock of Ages pretty much does what it says on the tin. Blissfully wallowing in the atmosphere of ‘80s rock, and bursting into songs like Twisted Sister’s We’re Not Gonna Take It, Bon Jovi’s Wanted Dead or Alive and, of course, Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ (to name but a few) at every turn, it’s a ridiculous romp filled with big caricatures and even bigger hair.
It sometimes suffers from being a bit too over-eager to jump head first back into another song, as if they had a checklist of songs they needed to get in there and rushed to fill every free space available. Having said that those issues are preferable to the real troubles of the film which lie in the non-musical segments. An unbelievable and melodramatic love story takes centre stage amongst a crowd of subplots, some more entertaining than others.
The cast – which includes famous faces like Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin and Paul Giamatti – are all clearly having a blast doing this stuff, particularly Tom Cruise as an exaggerated “rock god” named Stacee Jaxx, who turns up late to every gig and is first seen rising from a pile of half-naked women. Surprisingly he takes a back seat to a lot of the other cast but his character is leagues ahead of everyone in terms of entertainment value that you kind of wish the whole movie was about him.
Loud and outlandish, Rock of Ages can’t exact lay claim to the term subtle when it comes both to how it celebrates the music and how it presents its characters and storylines. It’s glittering Hollywood nonsense but fun nonsense nonetheless that zips along at an enjoyable pace. A love letter to the glam rock of the ‘80s that’s entertaining, if frivolous, viewing.
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