Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

One of my all time favorites.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

This movie was very funny and nostalgic.I would recommend to anybody who is a Kiss fan or grew in the 70s.

Detroit Rock City (1999): Dir: Adam Rifkin / Cast: Edward Furlong, Sam Huntington, Lin Shaye, Natasha Lyonne, James DeBello: It resembles the hilarious Rock N' Roll High School in look, era and madness that celebrates KISS through the hysteria of its fans in this maddening comedy. Detroit represents destination, reputation and enthusiasm. Inspiring setup follows four high school teens on a road trip to obtain KISS tickets after the protesting mother of one of the boys burns their previous tickets. High energy farce that breaks more rules than it should. The portrayal of Priests and religious figures is offensive. Directed by Adam Rifkin with hysteria satire that remembers the mentality of music and the so-called rules. Lin Shaye steals scenes as a protesting mother. Her opening scene is priceless with an interrupted evening but the rebellious defeat may require discernment. Sam Huntington plays her son seeking escape, which he finds in union with his friends and their love for KISS. Edward Furlong plays the ring leader who strikes more trouble than needed. Natasha Lyonne plays a hitchhiker whom they saved. KISS make the promising appearance on stage with their phantom face paint and a knack for revealing the tongue. One can argue the morality of the rebellious nature of the teens that seems to be applauded but it also examines an era that knows no shame. Score: 7 / 10

Avant-garde director Adam Rifkin has successfully made a teenage film that shows passion, urgency, and desire all in a believable state. The story of his film Detroit Rock City works because we like these characters even though they are odd and strange outcasts, and because the story's central point of focus, KISS concert tickets, seem to be so easy yet so difficult to obtain. It's a simplistic story made complex because of heavy factors; like age, overprotective moms, and disco Guidos.The four boys are do-it-all Hawk (Furlong), party-boy Lex (Andrews), loudmouth Trip (DeBello), and insecure Jam (Huntington) who love to rock out, work soft, play hard, and smoke marijuana. They have a garage band called "Mystery" that mirrors the band they idolize, KISS. After much trouble they look to have their eardrums blown off at an upcoming KISS concert, but because of Jam's overbearing mother, the tickets are gone and so are their hopes for the best concert ever.Though by sure luck, Trip calls into a radio show, answers the obligatory KISS question, and wins the four boys four tickets and backstage passes to the same concert. So now, they break Jam out of a boarding school his mother placed him in and are now resuming their plans for the best concert ever.Rifkin clearly knows how to have a fun time. He seems to know how it was to be a teenager who loved sex, drugs, rock and roll, and loud music. All the boys start as cookie cutter stereotypes, but it isn't until the final act of the film where they go off on their own that we see the true side of everyone of them.The fatal mistake Detroit Rock City made back when it was released in 1999; it cut off its main audience. Because of its R rating, used to fully utilize the language and drugs true to the youth, certain High Schoolers who I'm sure mirrored the behavior of the individuals portrayed in the film weren't allowed to see it without a parent. But how could you make a PG-13 Detroit Rock City? I just don't see it.This also occupies one of the best film soundtracks I've heard in quite sometime. Yes, lots of KISS songs are played to amuse the fanboys, but songs like "The Boys Are Back in Town," "Highway to Hell," "Iron Man," "Jailbreak," "Rebel Rebel," and more are all snuck in. Detroit Rock City doesn't just stoop to the level of all KISS, all the time. I sneaks in other easily recognizable rock tunes to please both the fans of the band and rock fans in general. No assembly of knowledge on KISS is required to enjoy this film. It's a centrist kind of film.Now if only the ending could've been more. I dare not spoil it, but it feels like something was thrown on the cutting room floor too early. It feels vacant, void, and abrupt. Detroit Rock City is an eventful camaraderie of enjoyable characters and amusing events that please the most persistent and choosy buddy comedy fan.Starring: Eddie Furlong, Giuseppe Andrews, James DeBello, and Sam Huntington. Directed by: Adam Rifkin.

Detroit Rock City is a fun adventure comedy that tells the story of 4 friends who will stop at nothing to get into a KISS concert. Trip, Lex, Hawk, and Jam are ready to take a trip to the concert in Detroit, but Jam's fanatically religious and chain-smoking mother (Lin Shaye in an incredible performance) discovers the tickets and burns them in front of him. Undeterred, the boys still travel to Detroit running into trouble along the way and doing whatever it takes to get tickets, from stripping to attempted mugging and so forth. Do the boys get into the concert? You'll have to see the movie to find out. Detroit Rock City is a fun movie and you don't have to be a KISS fan to enjoy it. Lets Rock!!