Movie review: Cruise, Baldwin and Brand make 'Rock of Ages' worth it

Based on the hit Broadway musical of the same name, “Rock of Ages” is a glossy, self-referential tribute to the ‘80s Los Angeles rock scene, made in the vein of “Mamma Mia” (or one of “Glee”’s now-dreaded “tribute” episodes).

 

“Rock of Ages” opens in 1987 with a small town girl, Sherrie (Julianne Hough, from the “Footloose” remake), making her way from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Los Angeles in hopes of finding fame and fortune. Within minutes of her arrival, she meets Drew (Diego Boneta, in his first major film), a kind-hearted city boy from South Detroit.

 

As luck would have it, Sherrie has dreams of rock n’ roll stardom, and Drew is a bartender at the Bourbon Room, L.A.’s most notorious house of rock. Naturally, he helps Sherrie get a job there as a waitress, and it isn’t long before the two fall in love.  

 

Sherrie learns that that the Bourbon Room has seen better days, and its owner, old-school rocker Dennis Dupree (Alec Baldwin), is counting on one final gig by rock superstars Arsenal to reverse his fortunes. The only problem? Arsenal’s front man is Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise), an oversexed, drugged out, alcoholic egomaniac more likely to set fire to the club than save it (assuming he even shows up).  

Jaxx’s long-suffering manager is Paul Gill (Paul Giamatti, in a role he could play in his sleep), who has set up an interview with Rolling Stone magazine for his client, to be conducted by Constance Sack (“Watchmen”’s Malin Ackerman).

 

Adding further color to the proceedings is Russel Brand as Lonny Barnett, Dupree’s right-hand man at the Bourbon Room and the source of much of the film’s comic relief; his scenes with Baldwin lead to a payoff that brought the house down at the premiere.

 

On the other side of the musical fence and leading the crusade to rid L.A. of the “evils” of rock is Patricia Whitman (played by Catherine Zeta-Jones). As the ultra-conservative wife of the mayor (“Breaking Bad”’s Bryan Cranston, in a glorified cameo), Patricia has made it her mission in life to put the Bourbon Room out of business.

 

From the outset, it’s immediately clear that the 80’s-fueled soundtrack isn’t the only thing following familiar beats, but the plot isn’t really important in a film of this type, nor does anyone expect it to be. The main appeal of “Rock of Ages” is the soundtrack, and Director Adam Shankman (“Hairspray”) knows it.

 

Indeed, the selections comprise some of the decade’s most recognizable rock anthems and ballads. The star-studded cast performs renditions of hits from Def Leppard, Foreigner, Journey, Poison, REO Speedwagon, Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi, and Guns N’ Roses.

 

Unfortunately, the effort that went into the soundtrack notwithstanding, the film stumbles with its central love story. While Hough’s Sherrie is likeable and credible enough as the wide-eyed fangirl from Oklahoma, the same cannot be said about her Drew. As portrayed in the film, Drew has about as much charisma as a wet bar rag, coming across like the unwanted member of one of Disney’s lesser boybands.

 

Fortunately, what Boneta lacks in presence, he compensates for with his impressive vocals, put to effective use in songs like Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock”. Country singer Hough’s voice, despite being technically proficient, seems more suited to bubblegum pop than to the rock standards she’s asked to perform here. Her intro to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin”’ is particularly misguided.

 

Amazingly, regardless of what anyone may think of the man, it is Tom Cruise who acquits himself best on the musical front, opening the film with a fantastic performance of Guns N’ Roses’ “Paradise City”, complete with wails that would make Axl proud. Cruise’s Stacee Jaxx is easily the highlight of the film, portraying him as an amalgamation of every prima donna front man ever. Simply put, the man steals every scene he’s in.

 

Cruise throws himself into the role, going all out in a seeming continuation of the trend he started in 2008’s “Tropic Thunder” where, the more unlikeable his character, the more fun he was to watch. His duet with Malin Ackerman (proving herself to likewise be no slouch in the vocal department) and the circumstances leading up to it are worth the price of admission.

 

All told, despite current pop culture’s obsession with nostalgia, this isn’t the over-indulgent mess that “Across the Universe” (2007) became. “Rock of Ages” succeeds -- thanks to a fun selection of songs and the antics of a strong supporting cast who more than make up for the shortcomings of the lead characters. Among Cruise, Brand, Baldwin and Zeta-Jones, they succeed in bringing the “Nothin’ But A Good Time” promised on the poster.

 

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself singing along. — KG, GMA News