Rock of Ages
1/4
Starring: Diego Boneta, Julianne Hough, Tom Cruise, Paul Giamatti, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Bryan Cranston, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Malin Ackerman
Rated PG-13 for Sexual Content, Suggestive Dancing, Some Heavy Drinking and Language
"Rock of Ages" was a smash hit Broadway musical, and that doesn't surprise me. It's essentially a rock concert with some dialogue and drama filled in. And as anyone who has been to a live rock concert can tell you, the energy of being in front of a live band is intense and infectious. But translating this feeling to film is next to impossible, so to compensate, the filmmakers have to open up the setting to make it a different experience. Choreographer-turned- director Adam Shankman doesn't do this, and the result is an overlong bore.
Sherrie (Hough) is a small-town girl from Oklahoma looking to make it big in Los Angeles. Right off the bat, she gets a job at a concert hall called the Bourbon Room, where the legendary Stacee Jaxx (Cruise) is going to play. She also falls for a talented barback named Drew (Boneta). Both are looking for fame and fortune, and their run-in with Stacee Jaxx may make their futures or tear them apart.
The acting is, with two exceptions, unremarkable. The two leads are Sherrie and Drew, but so little time is devoted to their relationship that it's impossible to care whether or not they end up together. Worse, they're boring. Neither one of them is worth the screen time they're afforded and while both are attractive, they have zero chemistry. Hough in particular is problematic because her singing is enhanced and she sounds like one of those generic pop stars that come on the radio every time you turn it on. Neither Bryan Cranston or Catherine Zeta-Jones are any more interesting. Cranston blends in with the background while Zeta-Jones doesn't go far enough over-the-top.
As the famous Stacee Jaxx, Tom Cruise is minimally effective. The trailers are trying to paint the character as the next Les Grossman from "Tropic Thunder," but for the most part, Stacee is a drugged out walking corpse. Cruise manages to get us invested in him a little, but there's only so much that he can do. He does have a great singing voice, although that may be a voice over.
The two stars with the most life are Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand. They work hard to bring energy to their scenes, and some of their antics are quite amusing (their duet is a case in point). If there's anything good to come out of this misfire, it's that Brand and Baldwin have potential as a comic duo.
Adam Shankman doesn't have a stellar track record. His background is in choreography, but he's directed a number of generic comedies and dramas, including the overrated "Hairspray." He should know better than anyone that a stage musical must be completely revamped to work on film. Even the songs, many of which are classics, are lifeless because of the way that Shankman presents them. It's hard to believe that a filmed version of "Any Way You Want It" and "Don't Stop Believin'" can be boring, but that's what happens here.
It's entirely possible that Rock of Ages wouldn't have worked as a film no matter what the attempt. The narrow dimensions of the story and setting demand at the very least a dramatic reimagination of the story, or a particularly skilled director. As it is though, Rock of Ages should be called "Rock of Snoozes."
Starring: Diego Boneta, Julianne Hough, Tom Cruise, Paul Giamatti, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Bryan Cranston, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Malin Ackerman
Rated PG-13 for Sexual Content, Suggestive Dancing, Some Heavy Drinking and Language
"Rock of Ages" was a smash hit Broadway musical, and that doesn't surprise me. It's essentially a rock concert with some dialogue and drama filled in. And as anyone who has been to a live rock concert can tell you, the energy of being in front of a live band is intense and infectious. But translating this feeling to film is next to impossible, so to compensate, the filmmakers have to open up the setting to make it a different experience. Choreographer-turned- director Adam Shankman doesn't do this, and the result is an overlong bore.
Sherrie (Hough) is a small-town girl from Oklahoma looking to make it big in Los Angeles. Right off the bat, she gets a job at a concert hall called the Bourbon Room, where the legendary Stacee Jaxx (Cruise) is going to play. She also falls for a talented barback named Drew (Boneta). Both are looking for fame and fortune, and their run-in with Stacee Jaxx may make their futures or tear them apart.
The acting is, with two exceptions, unremarkable. The two leads are Sherrie and Drew, but so little time is devoted to their relationship that it's impossible to care whether or not they end up together. Worse, they're boring. Neither one of them is worth the screen time they're afforded and while both are attractive, they have zero chemistry. Hough in particular is problematic because her singing is enhanced and she sounds like one of those generic pop stars that come on the radio every time you turn it on. Neither Bryan Cranston or Catherine Zeta-Jones are any more interesting. Cranston blends in with the background while Zeta-Jones doesn't go far enough over-the-top.
As the famous Stacee Jaxx, Tom Cruise is minimally effective. The trailers are trying to paint the character as the next Les Grossman from "Tropic Thunder," but for the most part, Stacee is a drugged out walking corpse. Cruise manages to get us invested in him a little, but there's only so much that he can do. He does have a great singing voice, although that may be a voice over.
The two stars with the most life are Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand. They work hard to bring energy to their scenes, and some of their antics are quite amusing (their duet is a case in point). If there's anything good to come out of this misfire, it's that Brand and Baldwin have potential as a comic duo.
Adam Shankman doesn't have a stellar track record. His background is in choreography, but he's directed a number of generic comedies and dramas, including the overrated "Hairspray." He should know better than anyone that a stage musical must be completely revamped to work on film. Even the songs, many of which are classics, are lifeless because of the way that Shankman presents them. It's hard to believe that a filmed version of "Any Way You Want It" and "Don't Stop Believin'" can be boring, but that's what happens here.
It's entirely possible that Rock of Ages wouldn't have worked as a film no matter what the attempt. The narrow dimensions of the story and setting demand at the very least a dramatic reimagination of the story, or a particularly skilled director. As it is though, Rock of Ages should be called "Rock of Snoozes."
Comments
Post a Comment