The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

The success in the life has a heavy price to pay,it's has been happening so many times,yesterday,today and forever,The Rose show exactly how it works, Bette Midler has a very convincing acting as dying singer,who needs a break to put your head on ordinary life,but a never ending of agreements for money put everything to loose...including a own soul and life...this movie is a bitter criticism of an entire generation of fame end up a dead end!!! However the movie has minor mistake in the beginning when Rose already famous sings in small venues...Resume:First watch: 1985 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7

I finally got to see "The Rose" (1979) last night. It's a sad tale of a Janis Joplin-like rock star, Mary Rose Foster (Bette Midler), who desperately wants to take a break from the rock 'n' roll train, but her manager (Alan Bates) won't let her due to business obligations.It's not all sad though. The film plays-out like a docudrama with quite a bit of lively concert footage. If you like this style of rock (guitar/horns/etc.) you'll like the movie more than I did. The Rose falls for a limo driver (Fredric Forrest) and they have some misadventures, mostly at bars and other places of the night, like a drag queen show. The plot culminates in The Rose' "coming home" gig at her hometown in Florida.Bette is passionate in the role, but I was never a fan. Nor do I dislike her; I'm neutral. The role calls for a lot of hysteria because that's the rock star lifestyle, at least it was in that era, 1970. As such, the film's really over-the-top. If you can't stomach a lot of hysterical scenes I'd suggest staying away.I prefer 1991's "The Doors", which has the same theme, but is about a real individual, Jim Morrison, and contains more recognizable (better) music.BOTTOM LINE: Unless you like Bette Midler and the style of music, this movie won't likely trip your trigger. It's the story of a rock star who needs a break but can't get it, so she goes totally out of control. It's "sex, drugs and Rock 'n' roll," but it's mostly alcohol and rock 'n' roll -- music, alcohol, bars, music, alcohol, bars, repeat to the end. That's the movie. I'm skipping something, but I don't want to give it away; it should be obvious anyway.GRADE: C+

'The Rose' is two hours of enjoyable entertainment. Described as a 'Joplin-like' drama, I initially wanted a Janis Joplin biopic. Too young to be a record buyer - or listener even, when Joplin was scorching the music scene with her incredible vocals that notion was intriguing and I wasn't going to the cinema when this film came out.Watching it late on TCM, the clichés and standard script clanked wearily and I was expecting a long haul. Seasoned and well respected Brit actor Alan Bates seemed an odd choice as the music manager and promoter and I initially thought that he had undersold himself. Luckily, his fairly subtle performance does not try and steal anything away from the raucous and bubbly Bette Midler, who was Oscar nominated for her efforts. That she performed the vocals, too, (the soundtrack seems to be available on CD, as well) is even more impressive - I was sure of - and looking at the end credits - to find out which singing sensation had performed the actual vocals.Harry Dean Stanton, always good value seemed to have a very small part, which was disappointing, whilst the two young men in Rose's chaotic life, Fredric Forrest and David Keith (the latter who I have recognised in other films) again do a credible job.The planes, limos and stadiums full of adoring fans are annoyingly predictable, but I guess you cannot get away from those. I have to add that the sound quality was very good on the music performance side (also Oscar nominated) and it's very tempting to crank up the volume when Bette belts those numbers out.There are some other good scenes; the one in the drag queen bar especially endearing and thankfully, hissy-fits and melodramatic outbursts kept just to the right side of OK.So, if you like your 'tough-at-the-top', pretty gritty fame flick and you enjoyed the music scene from the early '70s and especially if you are a Bette Middler fan, then The Rose has a lot going for it. The baggage full of clichés become a reluctantly necessary attachment - get over those and you might well enjoy it, as I ended up doing.

While the film is a very good one with Bette Midler giving a marvelous Oscar nominated performance, Ms. Midler is at worst when she belts out the songs. All you basically hear is loud music and Ms. Midler scream-singing.Nevertheless, Bette delivers a walloping performance as a boozy, emotionally distraught rock star caught up with drugs besides alcohol. She is emotionally unbalanced especially with the men who seem to come into and exit her lives in record time.Midler receives excellent support from Fred Forest, as an AWOL guy who befriends her, becomes her lover only to suffer repeated abuse as well as Alan Bates, in fine form as her manager unable to cope with her emotionally unbalanced behavior.Where is everyone going? This is the constant message stated by Bette (Rose) throughout the film.This is the usual story of a person's inability to handle success. Yet, Bette Midler proves herself a really competent actress.