Almost Famous

2001, Dreamworks Studios  Starring Jason Lee, Billy Crudup, the kids (William), Kate Hudson as Penny Lane, and some other actresses as the mom and sister This is a film about growing up, about rock and roll, about selling out, about changing times, about relationships….almost about everything!  A young teenager, William Miller, enters the ever-changing world of rock and roll to be a journalist.  As only a 15 year old can be, he is a devoted and knowledgeable fan, sincere in his belief of journalistic integrity and undying passion.  Cruddup and Lee do a great job portraying the agony and the ecstasy of rock stardom---sex, drugs, bus rides, ego, parties, and angst.  The movie presents an accurate period piece of the seventies.  The swingin’ seventies, which are in vogue now and look so cool in retrospect.  At the time, however, things felt different and awkward.  Disco and glam rock were in, making the radicalism of the sixties feel too serious and bothersome.  William’s mother does a good job of portraying this feeling, generating the historical response:  “Break free and party hardy!”  I know.  I was there.  We didn’t realize we were so fresh, though, especially in the eighties when the seventies were mocked with the advent of Punk and New Wave.  But I digress……….This movie does get you in a music history frame of mind, and the fashion and furnishings reflect the passage of time in an accurate and low-key manner.  I had to look at the credits to figure out how many kids they used to portray William.  They were all great.  So was the movie’s rendition of the rock journalism world, with the great Cream guy and the already weaseled out staff at Rolling Stone.  I give this movie four stars for a good plot, great acting, and a blast from the past to boot.  No fooling! Big Head Review 4/1/01