The Rocker (2008)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:117
Fresh:46
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
Reviews for The Rocker
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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 |
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Click to read the article Full Review |
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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 |
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...an agreeable, sporadically hilarious comedy that benefits substantially from the almost uniformly strong performances. Full Review |
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All premise and no purpose. Full Review |
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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 |
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Just when you think the dog days of summer movies are upon us along comes a hilarious sleeper hit. Full Review |
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Uh, Mr. Projectionist? Could you stop the movie? I wanna get off now. Full Review |
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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 |
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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 |
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As a movie, it may not rock, but it rolls along nicely enough. Full Review |
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Amiable enough yet unadventurous and uneven, this may coax the odd big smile from viewers but it never rocks the house. Full Review |
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There are occasionally amusing moments, but the writing lacks the warmth that made School of Rock such a hit. Full Review |
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It all looks good and there's a decent cast but nothing really takes off. Full Review |
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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 |
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Worth your hard earned money if you’re looking for some entertaining light entertainment. Full Review |
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Just the feelgood movie that everyone needs at the moment. Full Review |
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The film is untidy, cheery, sometimes amiable. If only it were funny too. Full Review |
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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 |
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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 |
Latest News for The Rocker
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August 21, 2008:
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August 20, 2008:
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This week, The Rocker hits theaters, telling the tale of a drummer who joins a teenage band years after getting kicked out of a monster rock group. With that in mind, we thought... More...
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