Rock Star Details

A bedtime story may be an unlikely foundation for the exploration of the excesses of the heavy rock industry, but without doubt it's a fairy tale that director Stephen Herek's riotous drama Rock Star most closely resembles. Dressed up in the clothing of hedonism and outrage, this rags-to-riches morality lesson is little more than a leather-pants clad Cinderella. Inspired by the real-life story of rock group Judas Priest, it centres on tribute band vocalist Mark Wahlberg, who learns life's harshest truths when he joins his rock heroes as their new lead singer. Coloured acid-bright with a series of boisterous vignettes plucked from documented rock history, the film is a wild and often hilarious trip — a well acted “boys will be boys” rampage with a romantic soft centre. Crazy episodes involving hotel furniture glued to ceilings, drug-fuelled orgies and groupie selection give the piece some Spinal Tap charm, while the pervasive old-school metal soundtrack is intoxicating enough to help distract from Jennifer Aniston's woeful miscasting as the rock chick girlfriend. The result is throwaway entertainment that's as fluffed up as the hair of the rockers it portrays, yet endearingly satisfying nonetheless.

Although based on a true story, this has little sense of reality about it, and is merely an uninteresting update of the familiar showbiz tale of the understudy who becomes a star.