Rock of Agesby Patti MartinsonReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Studio
Credits Grade: 7 Sherrie is a small-town girl from Oklahoma who arrives in Hollywood by bus and dreams of making it big. When she is mugged, a young man named Drew rescues her. He has big dreams of his own, wanting to be a rock star, but working at a struggling bar / music venue called the Bourbon room.Desperate to fend off the taxman, owners / operators Dennis and Lonny book the famous, but unreliable rock god, Stacee Jaxx. Stacee arrival brings more problems than it solves. Will everything be rocking ever after? I first saw Rock of Ages as a musical, rather than as a movie. The musical was fun, but I enjoyed the music in the movie a bit more; the performances by everyone were more engaging to me. As I was a teenager in the 80s, the music was right up my alley and I was already predisposed to liking the movie, just off the music alone. The story, while different than the musical, I liked, although it was pretty paint-by-numbers. The biggest issue was in some aspects of the acting by some of the characters. Drew and Sherrie were pleasant characters, but not really popping off the screen for me. Dennis and Lonny were likeable; I found Russell's characterization as Dennis was slightly more interesting. Alec Baldwin as Dennis was somewhat lacking, although I can't really pinpoint why; maybe because this feels like a lesser role for his abilities. Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx was more surprising to me. I was actually impressed with his singing. As a drinking, whoring, rock god, he was believable at times, but over-the-top at other times as well. With a layer of slightly stale cheese underneath everything, this still was a movie I enjoyed. Written: March 30, 2013
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