'Rock of Ages' - Much like the 80's, a guilty pleasure!
Ok, so what if 'Rock of Ages' is basically karaoke for a bunch of movie stars? It's a blast from the past and I dare you not to bounce your head to the beat of the music we all loved to hate in the late 80's! The tribute to the head banging hits from Def Leppard, Twisted Sister, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Joan Jett, and others is possibly the guiltiest pleasure of the summer. While the movie tends to grind to a halt during the speaking parts, the musical numbers rock and it is obvious the actors are having a great time.
The main 'stars' are not as good as the supporting cast. Julianna Hough is Sherrie, a young girl from the sticks hoping to become a rock star; and she is better here than she was in 'Footloose' - but she still needs to come into her own as an actress. Her singing and dancing are entertaining and a pleasure to watch; her acting...well, let's just say that one hopes she sticks to musicals. Diego Boneta (who?) is passable as Drew, Sherrie's boyfriend and rock star in the making. While his signing and dancing are less than perfect, belting out 'Jukebox Hero' was entertaining. Neither leads though were outstanding in any way.
Better to focus on the supporting cast lead by Tom Cruise as the Rock God Stacee Jaxx. Cruise once again shows he is totally adept at comedy and proves he has something of a singing voice as well. As Jaxx, Cruise steals every scene he is in and turns in a gem of a performance. Equally up to the task was Catherine Zeta-Jones as Patricia Whitmore, the wife of the mayor on a crusade to rid the LA Strip of it's rock clubs. As was her performance in 'Chicago', Jones proves that she has the stuff to perform in musicals. She can sing, dance as well as act circles around just about anyone in the film. Alec Baldwin as club owner Dennis Dupree was as funny as always and saves the scenes he shares with Russell Brand, who really should reconsider a career in the movies an of course, Paul Giamatti was flawless as the sleazy manager Paul Gill!
It's a crowd pleasing movie that is filled with fun, goofy moments and music that will keep your toes tapping (and even singing along as some of the patrons did in the showing I attended!). Is it an award winner? Not by far! But if you are looking for a thoughtless good time at the movies, 'Rock of Ages' fills the bill very nicely. You won't leave the theater enlightened, but you will leave the theater with a smile on your face and a hair band song in your heart with this 3 star effort!