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The Rocker

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The Rocker (2008)

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39 %
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Reviews Counted: 116

Fresh: 45

Rotten:71

Average Rating: 5.1/10

Consensus: With a predictable and lightweight story, the earnest efforts of the cast are squandered by The Rocker's bland script.

Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins

Genre: Comedies

US Box Office: $6,339,401

Synopsis: Slovenly drummer Robert "Fish" Fishman (THE OFFICE's Rainn Wilson) is booted out of his 1980s hair metal band, Vesuvius, right as they're signed to a big label, crushing his dreams and leading to a... Slovenly drummer Robert "Fish" Fishman (THE OFFICE's Rainn Wilson) is booted out of his 1980s hair metal band, Vesuvius, right as they're signed to a big label, crushing his dreams and leading to a 20-year stretch of office park employment. A second chance comes in the form of his overweight teenage keyboardist nephew (Josh Gad) who needs an emergency drummer for his band's gig at the prom. It's an odd match--an '80s metal guy in a teen emo-lite band (their name is A.D.D.)--but he's soon offering fatherly counsel to fatherless boy singer Curtis (Teddy Geiger), giving hair gel tips to the foxy bassist (Emma Stone), and working to get the band a club gig. Soon A.D.D. is signed to the same label as Vesuvius, poised for major MTV-stardom, all leading to a big arena spot as the opening band for the dreaded Vesuvius. Fish needs to overcome his tantrum-throwing ways and step up to the kit, if he wants to impress Curtis's hot mom (Christina Applegate) and outrock his former colleagues. A cross between rock star fantasia à la SCHOOL OF ROCK and the Will Ferrell School of man-child comedy, THE ROCKER benefits from tight editing and pretty decent songs. Real-life musician Geiger saves some rough stretches with his easygoing charisma, while Peter Best (the drummer dropped from the Beatles and hence the quintessential "dumped drummer") makes a cameo. It's directed by Peter Cattaneo of THE FULL MONTY [More]

Starring: Rainn Wilson, Christina Applegate, Jeff Garlin, Teddy Geiger

Starring: Rainn Wilson, Christina Applegate, Jeff Garlin, Teddy Geiger, Emma Stone, Josh Gad, Jane Lynch, Jason Sudeikis, Howard Hesseman, Bradley Cooper, Lonny Ross, Will Arnett, Fred Armisen

Director: Peter Cattaneo, Anthony B. Richmond

Director: Peter Cattaneo
Screenwriter: Maya Forbes, Wally Wolodarsky
Story: Ryan Jaffe
Producer: Shawn Levy, Tom McNulty
Director: Anthony B. Richmond
Composer: Chad Fischer
Studio: Fox Atomic

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for The Rocker

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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Delivers what it promises and satisfies the filmmakers' objectives (even if it isn't my kinda movie), and despite its many predictable elements, has enough entertainment value to have elicited applause from the preview audience

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
10/04/08
Andrew L. Urban
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | comment Comment
02/27/09
Chris Bumbray
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

Just because one is a scene stealer on TV does not mean he or she is big screen material, period, much less a movie star.

Full Review Source: Mr. Brown's Movies | comment Comment
02/12/09
Michael Dequina
Mr. Brown's Movies

...an agreeable, sporadically hilarious comedy that benefits substantially from the almost uniformly strong performances.

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
02/06/09
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

All premise and no purpose.

Full Review Source: DVDTalk.com | comment Comment
01/29/09
David Cornelius
DVDTalk.com

A whacked-out, superannuated, would-be rock star might seem to be too easy a comic target, but Wilson gives this sad sack so many fresh twists that he never wears out his welcome.

Full Review Source: Christian Science Monitor | comment 1 Comment
11/21/08
Peter Rainer
Christian Science Monitor

Just when you think the dog days of summer movies are upon us along comes a hilarious sleeper hit.

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
11/20/08
Pete Hammond
Hollywood.com

Uh, Mr. Projectionist? Could you stop the movie? I wanna get off now.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
10/18/08
Jim Slotek
Jam! Movies

The moments don't add up to much, though, and the dramatic arc ends up feeling even narrower than it usually is in this kind of story.

Full Review Source: Screen International | comment Comment
10/18/08
John Hazelton
Screen International

This rock music comedy does has a few chuckles and belly laughs. And unlike a few other smug, self-satisfied comedies that have come along recently, this one at least seems to have a heart at its center.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
10/18/08
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

As a movie, it may not rock, but it rolls along nicely enough.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
10/17/08
Wally Hammond
Time Out

Amiable enough yet unadventurous and uneven, this may coax the odd big smile from viewers but it never rocks the house.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
10/17/08
Anton Bitel
Channel 4 Film

There are occasionally amusing moments, but the writing lacks the warmth that made School of Rock such a hit.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
10/17/08
Wendy Ide
Times [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It all looks good and there's a decent cast but nothing really takes off.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
10/17/08
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Essentially covering the same playlist as Jack Black’s School of Rock, The Rocker is a good-natured, live-the-dream lark in which the one-liners score hits but the slapstick continually misses.

Full Review Source: Sky Movies | comment Comment
10/17/08
Elliott Noble
Sky Movies

Worth your hard earned money if you’re looking for some entertaining light entertainment.

Full Review Source: Heart 106.2 | comment 1 Comment
10/17/08
Heart 106.2

Just the feelgood movie that everyone needs at the moment.

Full Review Source: Sun Online | comment Comment
10/17/08
Sun Online

The film is untidy, cheery, sometimes amiable. If only it were funny too.

Full Review Source: Financial Times | comment Comment
10/17/08
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times

Director Peter Cattaneo will probably never repeat his Full Monty success, but even in its mediocre patches one senses a renewed eagerness to entertain.

Full Review Source: Independent | comment Comment
10/17/08
Anthony Quinn
Independent

The Rocker is certainly not This Is Spinal Tap, but it is fair to moderate entertainment and Rainn Wilson holds it all together energetically.

Full Review Source: This is London | comment Comment
10/17/08
Derek Malcolm
This is London
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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Latest News for The Rocker

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August 20, 2008: Total Recall: Tomatopalooza -- Cinema's Greatest Fake Bands
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