The Rocker

Reviewed by:
Eric Alt

Directed by: Peter Cattaneo

The Skinny: Booted from his '80s hair metal band just before it hit big, drummer Robert "Fish" Fishman (Rainn Wilson) has harbored a 20-year grudge. But when his nephew's suddenly drummer-less garage band needs his stick magic, he sees a shot at redemption and a chance to teach these youngsters how rock stars really behave.

The Good: This is faint praise, but The Rocker isn't as bad as the trailer makes it seem. It's mild and generally mediocre enough to pass over you without inspiring hatred or irritation. Wilson fits the mold of the creepy obsessive extremely well, and he sells Fish's not-so-quiet desperation. And SNL's Jason Sudeikis is hilarious as a sleazy manager.

The Bad: Never before has casting been so transparent. Unable to get Jonah Hill, the producers cast…um, let's call him Not Jonah Hill…as Fish's nephew. His scenes with Superbad's Emma Stone feel like you're watching a tribute band. And, while the movie has a lot of targets in sight ('80s excess, the music industry, YouTube fame, emo), it weakly love-taps them instead of skewering them.

"Go Back to Cleveland, Cleveland": Fish's old bandmates are played by Will Arnett, Bradley Cooper, and Fred Armisen, which could have made for nearly Spinal Tap–level hilarity. Sadly, they're wasted. More of Vesuvius could have served the movie well.

Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? It's a solid cable watch when your TV options are limited.