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Movies / Upcoming / The Rocker
The Rocker

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The Rocker (2008)

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39 %
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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

[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)
Bubble View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
tomato

Andrew L. Urban

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: | comment Comment | Oct., 04 2008 01:33 AM

Urban Cinefile

N/R

Chris Bumbray

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 27 2009 03:16 AM

JoBlo's Movie Emporium

splat
0/4

Michael Dequina

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: | comment Comment | Feb., 12 2009 04:19 AM

TheMovieReport.com

tomato
2.5/4

David Nusair

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 06 2009 06:17 PM

Reel Film Reviews

splat
2/5

David Cornelius

All premise and no purpose.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 29 2009 12:02 AM

DVDTalk.com

tomato
B+

Peter Rainer

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: | comment 1 Comment | Nov., 21 2008 03:16 AM

Christian Science Monitor

tomato
3/5

Pete Hammond

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Nov., 20 2008 03:16 AM

Hollywood.com

splat
2.5/5

Jim Slotek

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 18 2008 06:00 AM

Jam! Movies

splat

John Hazelton

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: | comment Comment | Oct., 18 2008 06:00 AM

Screen International

splat
2.5/4

Jeff Vice

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: | comment Comment | Oct., 18 2008 06:00 AM

Deseret News, Salt Lake City

tomato
3/6

Wally Hammond

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 17 2008 04:23 AM

Time Out

splat
2.5/5

Anton Bitel

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 17 2008 04:11 AM

Channel 4 Film

splat
2/5

Wendy Ide

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 17 2008 03:51 AM

Times [UK]

splat
2/5

Peter Bradshaw

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 17 2008 03:43 AM

Guardian [UK]

tomato
3/5

Elliott Noble

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: | comment Comment | Oct., 17 2008 03:21 AM

Sky Movies

tomato
6/10

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

Full Review Source: | comment 1 Comment | Oct., 17 2008 02:58 AM

Heart 106.2

tomato
4/5

Just the feelgood movie that everyone needs at the moment.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 17 2008 02:47 AM

Sun Online

splat

Nigel Andrews

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 17 2008 02:33 AM

Financial Times

tomato
3/5

Anthony Quinn

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: | comment Comment | Oct., 17 2008 02:26 AM

Independent

tomato
3/5

Derek Malcolm

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: | comment Comment | Oct., 17 2008 01:59 AM

This is London

 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
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