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A loose cover version of the life of Tim `Ripper' Owens, the office supplies salesman who replaced Rob Halford in Judus Priest, Rock Star mixes satire, morality tale and road movie to set viewers' heads banging.
Just how much is fact and how much is fiction beyond the core premise is anybody's guess, but it really doesn't matter. Most won't even realise that there's a sniff of authenticity to this heavy metal riff on All About Eve. It seems too much the stuff of American dreams, rock clichés and predictable narrative arcs to be true, and Stephen Herek's bright, snappy direction hardly tries to replicate `reality'. What's more, it's impossible to view the backstage squabbles, lascivious groupies, booze, drugs and rampant egos without thinking of other movies: Almost Famous, Still Crazy... and, of course, Spinal Tap.
The Slippery When Wet of muso-movies, Rock Star is overblown, silly and fun. Lots of fun. Mark Wahlberg regains his dignity after being out-acted by apes, while casting real musicians as his band mates helps with the on-stage stuff. Worth a spin.
