Simply Perfect

Nice effects though.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

If you read my other reviews, I tell the overview plot of the movie in a few sentences. Robert Fish (Rainn Wilson) would be booted out of a band that would be extremely successful, Vesuvius due to politics. Vesuvius would continue to be popular for over 20 years. Fish is recruited by his nephew Matty (Josh Gad) in need of a drummer for his own band. Fish, tired of living life as a couch potato accepts the offer and tries to take the limelight and be as successful as Vesuvius.My biggest gripe with the movie overall is that it's EXTREMELY predictable. An unnecessary scene of drinking at a bar after a gig? Check. Emma Stone in the movie only there to act as eye candy to the audience? Check. You can essentially write the script in it yourself. Another issue is that character development is really only given to Rainn Wilson and nobody else. Near the end of the movie, the band Matty formed (A.D.D) plays as an opening gig for Vesuvius and there's NO chemistry given between Rainn Wilson and his former band mates and if they should let the past be behind them or not but, no.There's no apologizes given for the two former band mates. And there's no real character development for the rest of the A.D.D. band that would make you care for why they formed a band in the first place (minus Fish)The ending of the movie comes with A.D.D. stealing an encore presentation from Vesuvius after they were caught lip syncing and the movie ends in bittersweet fashion. I didn't laugh once in the movie, but that's probably because Rock Band and Myspace (some of the gags in this movie) are not even relevant anymore in 2015.Not a very good movie. I only recommend you check it out if you are musically inclined.

Overall, I liked The Rocker, it had a decent comedy story line, and Rainn Wilson's starring role as a has been (before he was ever a star) rocker had its good moments. I especially liked one scene when he staged his comeback after a 20 year absence from the music industry. While practising with his new band and trying to understand how a web cam works he was sitting in his garage buck naked and mucking around with the web cam but he had no clue his drum sequence while being buck naked was going viral.Now he meets up with his old rock band who abandoned him 20 years earlier for their own fame and fortune. His old band members include SNL alumni Will Arnett,and Fred Armisen, and a wild looking Bradley Cooper. You just know that at some time in the movie there would have to be a showdown between Rainn Wilson's former band who are now rock legends and Rainn's new band who have a great songwriter and lead singer in Teddy Geiger. Teddy Geiger's road trip mom is played admirably by Christina Applegate.This movie reminded me of some of Adam Sandler's similar type movies. A story line with a bit of romance (the romantic interest played sincerely by Christina Applegate) the sad sack (Rainn Wilson) and the blossoming friendship between two of his new band mates, Emma Stone and Teddy Geiger.The movie is very light, and worth a watch, but it is nothing memorable either.

After achieving fame on the TV series 'The Office', actor Rainn Wilson here shows himself capable of carrying a feature film, in this vehicle. It's got some heart as well as some degree of silliness, and it doesn't conclude as well as one might like, but it does do its job, and keep entertaining the viewer for a well paced 103 minutes.Wilson indeed is playing the kind of part one could also easily see Jack Black playing: Robert "Fish" Fishman, wildman drummer for Vesuvius, a rock band on the rise, whose bandmates cruelly kick him out just before what could have been a life changing event. He spends the next 20 years bearing a grudge and deeply resenting his lot in life when an opportunity presents itself. Fish's nephew Matt (Josh Gad) is keyboardist for a high school band named A.D.D., and they need to replace their drummer in time for the prom.In record time, this band begins to take off, and the members - also including singer / guitarist / creative force Curtis (Teddy Geiger) and bass player Amelia (Emma Stone) - find themselves having to deal with a crazed Fish desperate to live out all the decadent rock 'n' roll dreams he never got to realize before.Ultimately, this is a pretty, if not entirely, predictable affair. At least it doesn't act as if a romance between Fish and Curtis's hottie mom Kim (Christina Applegate) is inevitable. It goes utterly over the top in the early going (that bit with the incensed Fish pursuing his Vesuvius bandmates is priceless), but for most of the rest of the picture, it's a little more down to Earth.Wilson proves to be fearless (witness the naked drummer routine) and delivers a performance of true enthusiasm. His castmates are equally appealing. Jeff Garlin has his moments playing Fish's brother; also co-starring are Jane Lynch, Jason Sudeikis, and Howard Hesseman; it's hilarious to see Will Arnett, Bradley Cooper, and Fred Armisen in long hair wigs as they portray the other members of Vesuvius (and affect ridiculous faux English accents near the end). Appropriately enough, Pete Best, the man infamous for being the drummer fired from the Beatles, has a cameo.Overall "The Rocker" is likable enough and amusing enough to qualify as agreeable entertainment while it lasts. It may not be terribly memorable, but it is quite easy to take.Seven out of 10.

While it starts off hilariously with some promise, Peter Cattaneo's 'The Rocker' quickly treads on a predictable path and the end result is a generic comedy about a rockstar's fall from grace and then climbing back up. The story lacks development and the pacing is uneven. It starts off with a decent pace and then moves very fast and then slows down in the latter portion. That is not to say that this isn't an enjoyable watch. Thanks, mainly to the cast, especially Rainn Wilson, that most of the humour works. It was also a relief that Cattaneo and the writers didn't rely too much on toilet humour. Rainn Wilson is terrific in his role and he easily carries the film. However, comedic talents like Christina Applegate and Jane Lynch are wasted. The younger cast is impressive despite the lack of development in their characters. While Teddy Geiger and Josh Gad turn in sincere performances, Emma Stone turns out to be the outstanding one of the lot as she continues to prove why she is among the best of the young lot. The songs are forgettable. Overall, it's not a great film but funny enough, thanks to Wilson, to draw some laughter.