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(About Our Ads) "ROCK STAR" (2001) (Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer Aniston) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Extreme Mild Heavy Minor Mild Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Heavy None None *Mild Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Extreme Moderate None Mild Mild QUICK TAKE: Drama: A young singer of a tribute band finds his dreams answered and nightmares realized when he's chosen to replace the lead singer of his favorite heavy metal group. PLOT: It's 1985 and Chris Cole (MARK WAHLBERG) is the lead singer of Blood Pollution, a tribute band that covers the songs of Steel Dragon, a mainstream heavy metal group. Chris' perfectionist ways about the music and his refusal to perform original songs soon wears thin with his band mates, including guitarist Rob (TIMOTHY OLYPHANT), eventually forcing them to replace him with Bradley (STEPHAN JENKINS), the lead singer for rival tribute band, Black Babylon. Chris and his girlfriend-cum-manager, Emily Poule (JENNIFER ANISTON), storm out, with her sure that he's destined for bigger and better things. It doesn't take long before that happens as he receives a call from Kirk Cuddy (DOMINIC WEST), Steel Dragon's guitarist. It seems that lead singer Bobby Beers (JASON FLEMYNG), Chris' idol, is similarly being booted out of the group, and they're looking for a replacement singer. Accordingly, Chris auditions for the gig and gets the part, soon joining Kirk, drummer A.C. (JASON BONHAM), bassist Jorgen (JEFF PILSON) and guitar wizard Ghode (ZAKK WYLDE) on the road and in the recording studio, instantly becoming famous and thus reaping the benefits of being a rock and roll star. Befriended by Mats (TIMOTHY SPALL), the group's veteran road manager and drawing the amorous attention of Tania (DAGMARA DOMINCZYK), their P.R. rep., Chris - now christened Izzy - suddenly finds himself living his dream. Yet, the lifestyle begins to swallow and change him, putting a strain on his relationship with Emily who learns from the other girlfriends and wives about ignoring the perks afforded the band members. From that point on, and as the allure begins to wear off, Chris must decide what's right for him. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of someone in the cast or are into films about rock groups - particularly heavy metal ones - they just might. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For language, sexuality and some drug content. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: MARK WAHLBERG plays the lead singer of a tribute/cover band who has his dreams answered when he's chosen to replace the lead singer of his favorite heavy metal group. As he's suddenly thrust into the limelight, he uses strong profanity, participates in what appears to have been an orgy while drunk/high (and drinks and is "wasted" in another scene), and has later implied encounters with groupies. JENNIFER ANISTON plays his girlfriend and manager who enjoys the limelight and success for a while, but then becomes disillusioned with the lifestyle and the many female perks offered to the band members. She uses some strong profanity, smokes a few times, and participates in what seemed to be an orgy of sorts while drunk. DOMINIC WEST plays Steel Dragon's guitarist who's the unofficial leader of the band and uses some strong profanity. TIMOTHY SPALL plays the band's veteran road manager who smokes, uses some strong profanity and arranges for the band members to be visited by various, willing groupies. DAGMARA DOMINCZYK plays the band's P.R. rep who comes on to both Chris and Emily (and may actually be a man). TIMOTHY OLYPHANT plays one of Chris' original band mates who uses some profanity and agrees to kick him out of the band. JASON FLEMYNG plays the former lead singer of Steel Dragon who turns out to be gay. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a quick look at the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity is listed as extreme due to the use of at least 14 "f" words, with various other expletives and colorful phrases also being used. Various moments of dialogue are sexually related - with some of them being explicit - while a party includes some sensual dancing, woman on woman kissing and the sight of what appears to be a woman performing oral sex on a man. All of that leads to what's presumably an orgy since a woman wakes up nude (under the sheets) with two other people, and a living room is full of partially nude bodies of both sexes sprawled everywhere. Female groupies who are ready to have sex with the musicians are seen several times. In addition, a woman (who may be a man) comes on to both men and women, while a male character is noted as being gay, and partially nude (bare breasts or butts) and scantily clad women are also seen in various scenes. Various characters smoke, drink and/or do drugs (and are "wasted" at times), while varying degrees of bad attitudes are present (as are various forms of imitative behavior). Some scuffling and property damage occurs, while a character falls from a stage (resulting in blood on his head) but is otherwise okay. If you're still concerned about the film's appropriateness for anyone in your home who may want to see it, we suggest that you more closely examine our detailed content listings for more specific information about what's present and/or occurs in the film. For those concerned with repetitive flashes of bright light, a party scene contains some moments of strobe effects. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Some tailgaters at a concert drink. Chris' brother, a cop, asks him where he's hiding his "stash" these days. We see a bottle of whiskey by Emily and Chris as she prepares to pierce his nipple (they've apparently been drinking some of it and she sterilizes the needle by dipping it into a filled cup). A band member drinks a beer while performing. A band member drinks a beer, while Mats pours hard liquor for Emily who drinks it. As Bobby leaves, he tells Chris that people think it's all sex, drugs and rock and roll, but then adds that he doesn't do any drugs. Some of the band members drink before a concert, and we then see one of them drinking two beers at once after it. Others, including Chris, also drink after it. Various people drink at a party, including Chris who must follow an initiation by grabbing a vial of liquor with his mouth from a woman's cleavage and drinking it. Emily's also drinking and appears quite intoxicated. During a party, Tania appears to pop some sort of pill into Chris' mouth. Various band members drink and then offer Chris something (possibly drugs and seen very briefly) that they say is good for helping write lyrics, but he declines the offer. Several women drink liquor straight from the bottle. Some people drink at a drag race. Chris comes out of a hotel room under the influence of something that makes him confused (while others drink) and Emily comments on him being "wasted." Some men drink beer and Mats may be smoking a joint (or just a cigarette). Chris and Mats drink in a bar. BLOOD/GORE Chris has a great deal of blood on one side of his face after falling down some steps and crashing to the stage during a concert. We hear Tania urinating as "she" stands (thus indicating she may really be a guy). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Chris's band and a rival band have both types of attitudes toward each other. Chris' brother, Tony, makes fun of him and his fixation on Steel Dragon. Chris and his Blood Pollution band mates begin to have both toward each other, with the latter eventually kicking him out of the band. We see that the band has nailed/glued hotel furniture to the ceiling and Chris rides a motorcycle down a hotel hallway, jumping off just as the bike crashes through some doors. One member then trashes a hotel room and tosses a TV out the window where it falls several stories before shattering on impact with the street. Chris, under the influence of something that makes him confused, forgets that Emily is coming to visit and apparently has been with various groupies (sexually) despite still being her boyfriend (although she moved to Seattle while he was still on tour). Mats tells the story of him once being married, suddenly getting cold feet, and then leaving without telling his wife that he was going. FRIGHTENING SCENES For those sensitive to such matters, we see Emily preparing to give Chris a pierced nipple (we see the "needle" placed to it, but don't see the actual penetration). We also see Chris fall down some steps and then to a stage floor where he lands quite hard (all during a concert) and has blood on his head as a result. GUNS/WEAPONS Shotgun: Fired by a band member at a highway sign as the group passes by it in a bus. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "What's so f*cking funny?" "John f*cking Wayne," "That was f*cking brilliant," "Out of my f*cking way," "I don't give a f*ck where he is," "Bullsh*t," "You're taking this sh*t too seriously," "I'm proud as sh*t," "Don't make me feel like sh*t," "Holy sh*t," "Oh sh*t," "C*ck smoker," "Ass burn," "Get your ass out of bed," "Freak," "Such a wuss," "Balls" (testicles), "Crappy," "Kicks ass," "You're not too fagged out, are you?" (tired), "You wanker," "Bastards," "(Take a) Piss" (urinate), "Like hell, he's not," "What the hell /is going on in Seattle/is he doing?" "Chick" (woman), "See you in hell, Batboy," "Screwed up," "Bollocks" and "Busted my ass." Chris and others often give the Steel Dragon salute/hand gesture (which consists of raising one's hand and pointing just the index and pinky fingers). Bobby Beers does some pelvic thrusting while singing onstage during a concert. Various male characters have pierced nipples and we see Emily giving one to Chris, and he later shows up with a pierced eyebrow. We also see that Kirk has various tattoos on his arms. Various people give "the finger" to others (with one saying "Sit and spin" while doing so and in relation to his upright finger). Chris takes a fire hose of sorts and puts it between his legs, simulating a penis, and then shoots it onto various concertgoers during a performance. Various people drink at a party, including Chris who must follow an initiation by grabbing a vial of liquor with his mouth from a woman's cleavage and drinking it. Chris and Kirk have a drag race. A band member fires a shotgun out the bus window at a street sign - hitting it - as they drive by. We see that the band has nailed/glued hotel furniture to the ceiling and Chris rides a motorcycle down a hotel hallway, jumping off just as the bike crashes through some doors. One member then trashes a hotel room and tosses a TV out the window where it falls several stories before shattering on impact with the street. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) Chris sings a song that has lines about him freeing your sexuality, while various songs had lyrics that couldn't be understood, while others had lyrics that could be viewed in a sexual context ("Are you ready for a good time?" etc.). PROFANITY At least 14 "f" words (2 used sexually as is the term "buggering"), 18 "s" words, 11 slang terms using female genitals ("p*ssy"), 4 slang terms using male genitals ("d*ck," "c*ck" and "package"), 9 asses (3 used with "hole"), 6 hells, 3 craps, 1 damn, 1 wanker, 1 bollocks, 6 uses of "Oh my God," 3 of "Oh God" and 1 use each of "G-damn" and "Christ" as exclamations. In addition, there's some bleeped out profanity during the outtakes at the end of the film. SEX/NUDITY The camera sweeps by and into a porno theater showing films like "All The Jizz" and "Das Bootie," but we don't see anything pornographic as the camera then goes into the ventilation system and into the basement where Chris' band is rehearsing. A groupie shows some cleavage. After a young woman shows Mats the strap of her bikini-like panties to get a backstage pass, Chris asks if he can have one. Mats then jokingly replies that he could with "a blow job and sex change." After rival tribute bands mock each other, Emily taunts one of the rivals by asking what he shoves into his pants to make others think he's a man. He then replies by asking if she wants a piece of his "package" and see how a real man lives. Chris' brother jokingly tells their mother that he questions Chris' sexuality. We see Emily and Chris sitting on a bed, with him shirtless and her doing something to his nipple (as they also kiss). We then see that she's applying ice to it (to numb it for piercing). After doing one, she seductively asks if he wants the other done and he says he wants to do hers. One of the band members jokingly states that the more makeup he puts on (for a concert) "the more I want to f*ck myself." We see the top part of Rob's bare butt after Emily takes scissors and cuts out his underwear while he's still wearing his pants. We see Kirk with two women in revealing bikinis. While riding in a limo and after just meeting, Tania asks Emily, "Are those your breasts?" Emily doesn't know how to respond, with Tania then telling her that they're "sensational." Tania then stares at Chris' crotch in his leather pants and suggestively comments on them probably being easy to get in and out of. Chris learns that Bobby is gay, with a comment about "sausage jockeys" and others stating they don't care who he's "buggering" as long as he keeps his "d*ck" away from them. As Bobby leaves, he tells Chris that people think it's all sex, drugs and rock and roll. After Chris is asked at a press conference about how he keeps his voice in such good shape, Kirk chimes in that he eats a lot of "p*ssy." Chris then repeats the word and Emily sarcastically comments on how he handled "that p*ssy thing." We then see Chris repeatedly saying "I eat a lot of p*ssy" (and similar comments such as "I got my voice eating p*ssy," etc.) while looking at himself in the mirror (and making some sort of oral sex gesture with his mouth). Emily, who's under the covers, then tells him to "get in here and do it or shut up." We see one of the band members putting something down inside his pants (possibly a cup) before a concert. Chris takes a fire hose of sorts, puts it between his legs, simulating a penis, and then shoots it onto various concertgoers during a performance. We see a woman's bare breasts as she presses them against a limo window (and Chris' brother just happily stares at them). Various people drink at a party, including Chris who must follow an initiation by grabbing a vial of liquor with his mouth from a woman's cleavage and drinking it. As Emily starts down a stairwell at a party, it looks like some miscellaneous woman is giving a man oral sex (away from the camera and thus nothing explicit is seen other than we can tell her head is at his crotch). Tania then sensuously talks to Chris, asking him how it feels to "know that everyone here wants to f*ck you." She then says that she can't stop touching him or keep her hands to herself. Emily then shows up and Tania then tells the two that if she were them, she'd spend all of her time in bed. She then leads the two of them to a different part of the party where many others dance with them. During this, Tania goes down toward Emily's crotch and then comes back up and kisses her on the mouth. We then see both Chris and Emily surrounded by others dancing very close in front of and behind them. Tania and Chris then kiss as more sensuous and close dancing occurs among the many people. The next morning, Emily wakes up in bed with two other people (a man and woman, the latter of which is just wearing bikini style underwear and is topless, but we don't see anything, and the former who's lying in the opposite direction). She then gets up, covered in just a sheet that shows all of her bare back (down to the top of her butt). Chris then wakes up in the living room, sprawled on the floor like many others who are passed out and only partially clothed (we see various women's bare breasts and one's bare butt). He then stands and pulls up his underwear (we briefly see his bare butt). Tania then tells him, "Relax lover, you were terrific last night," but Chris sees "her" standing up and urinating, thus suggesting that she's really a guy. Emily and Chris then return to their own room and agree not to discuss what happened (which apparently was an orgy of some sort). Various women get on the band's bus, presumably for sexual activity (especially after the wives and girlfriends tell Emily that the band members are guys and the ladies know what goes on). Emily and some other women show varying amounts of cleavage. Tania mentions something to Chris about some thing he does with his tongue. Mats tells Chris to make it easy for himself and let Emily go, especially since there will be so much "p*ssy" coming at him everyday that it will wear him down. Chris and Mats drop something down onto two women who are sunbathing topless. They turn over and we see their bare breasts. As Mats allows young female groupies to enter the hotel suite, he tells them to have their "p*ssy passes" on display. As Emily then joins other groupies heading up there in an elevator, one says that she'll "sh*t bricks" if she gets to be with Izzy (Chris). Emily then checks in with Mats who isn't happy to see her since he knows Chris is probably with a groupie. The two then meet, with a groupie telling Emily that she has to "do him" first since she has to be at work early the next morning. We see Tania reading what seems to be a porno magazine (but don't see any porno photos inside it). SMOKING Mats smokes more than 5 times, while Emily smokes a few times, Rob, Tania and A.C. smoke at least once, and various miscellaneous characters also smoke. TENSE FAMILY SCENES None. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The life of a person in a rock and roll band (the touring, groupies, drugs and drink, etc.). The young women who throw themselves at (and sleep with) rock stars. Pursuing one's dreams (that's what Chris does and it pays off for him, at least as first). VIOLENCE Members of rival tribute bands get into a scuffle in a parking lot (pushing, shoving, etc.), mostly seen from a distance. After being provoked by him, Chris jumps on his brother's back and then gets him into a headlock until their mother separates them. Upset at a band member for not following the "game plan" during a concert, Chris eventually smashes his amplifier with a mike stand so that he can't play anymore. The two then push each other and Chris then picks him up and smashes him down onto the stage where the two tussle some more before being separated. Chris has a great deal of blood on one side of his face after falling down some steps and crashing rather hard to the stage during a concert. A band member fires a shotgun out the bus window at a street sign - hitting it - as they drive by. We see that the band has nailed/glued hotel furniture to the ceiling and Chris rides a motorcycle down a hotel hallway, jumping off just as the bike crashes through some doors. One member then trashes a hotel room and tosses a TV out the window where it falls several stories before shattering on impact with the street. Reviewed September 4, 2001 / Posted September 7, 2001