Starring: Diego Boneta, Julianne Hough, Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Paul Giamatti, Malin Akerman
First off, let me say that I'm a bit choosy when it comes to musicals. I absolutely loved "Chicago", but did not really care for "West Side Story". I went into this based solely on the soundtrack. I thought this movie was going to be an A+ in my book. However, there were a few drawbacks to this. Breaking it down by scene/musical sequence, here are a few that stood out:
Sister Christian/Just Like Paradise- These songs were sung by Julianne Hough, as her character is on a bus leaving Oklahoma. These songs are the one credit I give Julianne. She, unfortunately, butchers all of the other songs she sings in the film with one exception (Every Rose Has Its Thorn)
I Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore- I'm not going to spoil this scene, but considering who sings it, this is by far the most hilarious scene in the movie. Quite enjoyable.
Wanted Dead or Alive- Tom Cruise proves that he still has what it takes. He portrayed a rock god to a tee. And the emotional battle he exuded over Malin Akerman, to me, was really the main lovde story that I cared the most about.
We Built This City / We're Not Going to Take It- This was by far the greatest scene in the movie, a battle in the streets. Russell Brand really fit the part he was playing. He was hilarious in every scene he was in, but this scene was where he showed his value as a character. (Also, look for 80s singer Debbie Gibson standing next to Russell Brand in this scene)
Hit Me With Your Best Shot- Ok, this is a great song. It makes sense that Catherine Zeta-Jones would sing this considering what is happening in the movie. However, there is this really awkward dance happening with Catherine and a few others that just doesn't really fit. It seemed to drag on longer than it should have.
The movie itself seemed to go on longer than it should have. Julianne Hough seems to try having this "innocent" look to her, but it just doesn't work. I think she was the weak link in this film. However, strong performance from Tom Cruise, Malin Akerman, Catherine Zeta-Jones (except for the aforementioned scene), Diego Boneta, even Russell Brand.
My overall rating: B+
Next Review: "Seeking a Friend For the End of the World"
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I would like to point out (we discussed this after the movie) that the awkward dance happening during "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" mostly turned out to be a totally weirded up, church lady rendition of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" zombie dance scene. I really enjoyed the movie overall. I read that Tom Cruise actually got rock star advice from Jon Bon Jovi, which surprised me because I felt he came across more like Bret Michaels.
ReplyDeleteI understand that we discussed that scene, however, if one had not seen "Thriller" (or doesn't remember it), then the scene would not really fit.
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