Official Summary:
A gifted singer learns that when rock star dreams turn into reality, they don’t always look quite so rosy.
FYA Summary:
Chris is the talented singer for a Steel Dragon cover band, and he is completely dedicated to his craft — down to the clothes the real Steel Dragon singer wears, and obsessive recreations of each song. Like, seriously, dude, get a grip. This works out pretty well for him, however, when Steel Dragon’s singer steps down and Chris (and his pipes) get the gig. Suddenly he’s playing to a gigantic established fanbase, basically getting to live his idol’s life. And that dream life comes with a lot of sex, drugs, and hairspray.
Familiar Faces:
Mark Wahlberg as Chris “Izzy” Cole
Jennifer Aniston as Emily
Dominic West as Kirk Cuddy
Timothy Olyphant as Rob Malcolm
Jason Bonham (yep, John Bonham’s son!) as A.C.
Zakk Wylde (that’s Ozzy’s guitarist and member of Black Label Society) as Ghode
Couch-Sharing Capability: Medium
This is the perfect background movie for a party: full of shiny ridiculous outfits, familiar music, and people doing all sorts of brain-damaging things in the name of rock and roll. I wouldn’t watch it with your parents (unless you also watch Cruel Intentions with your parents), but as long as you’re okay with some seriously awkward makeout-and-more scenes with your friends…go for it!
Recommended Level of Inebriation: Medium-High
This isn’t a bad movie, but it does trend toward the unintentionally hilarious sometimes. (Obviously! Hair metal is hilarious all by itself.) If the characters in the movie are gonna party like it’s 1989, then you deserve to knock back a few pints, too.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: What Netflix Was Made For
I didn’t bother to see this in the theater (gulp — fifteen years ago), but every time it’s on TV I will watch it. It’s the perfect movie for having on when you’re cleaning the house or cross-stitching subversive things on pillows: silly, sparkly, requiring of very little brainpower, and totally the stuff rock fantasies are made of. The music is surprisingly good, and everyone turns in a great performance — Jennifer Aniston’s sexy girl-next-door, voice-of-reason charm is played to great effect, Mark Wahlberg is appropriately intense, and watching Dominic West camp it up (especially if you watch The Affair) is pure, blissful hilarity.
