For a while, I actually recommend this movie at my video store without actually seeing it, because it starred the underknown Kevin Corrigan. I finally put it on to see if I was recommending anything worthwhile. The first thing that grabbed me was the soundtrack. Circus Monkey's "ultra-pop" is some of the best pop music I've ever heard.
But about the movie itself: What's really refreshing about this film is how low-key it is. Too many movies about rock bands fixate on the excess of rock and roll. This is a disarming, understated film about a bunch of normal guys who know how to play. The four leads are engaging, even Steve P. as the band's token jackass. The humor and direction are both very sly, often flying under the viewer's radar until it goes for the payoff. (The train scene is the best example, but I won't spoil it for you.)
There's a couple of inconsistencies that most musicians will catch: Lee Holmes and Matthew Hennessy don't look like they're really playing most of the time; use a quarter as a guitar pick, and you'll break your high E string; NEVER travel more than 100 miles for less than fifty bucks, etc. But this is a sweet movie that just might make you want to join a band.
But about the movie itself: What's really refreshing about this film is how low-key it is. Too many movies about rock bands fixate on the excess of rock and roll. This is a disarming, understated film about a bunch of normal guys who know how to play. The four leads are engaging, even Steve P. as the band's token jackass. The humor and direction are both very sly, often flying under the viewer's radar until it goes for the payoff. (The train scene is the best example, but I won't spoil it for you.)
There's a couple of inconsistencies that most musicians will catch: Lee Holmes and Matthew Hennessy don't look like they're really playing most of the time; use a quarter as a guitar pick, and you'll break your high E string; NEVER travel more than 100 miles for less than fifty bucks, etc. But this is a sweet movie that just might make you want to join a band.