Almost Famous

UK Release: 26th January 2001

Watched on LoveFilm Instant: Monday 28th May 2012

Rating: 15

Genre: Biography, Drama, Music

Runtime: 2hrs 2mins

Tagline: Experience it. Enjoy it. Just don't fall for it.

IMDb Plot Synopsis: William Miller is a 15 year old kid, hired by Rolling Stone magazine to tour with, and write about Stillwater, an up and coming rock band. This wonderfully witty coming of age film follows William as he falls face first to confront life, love, and lingo.

My Review: This was an intriguing film right from the start as it had an independent vibe but with a hollywood-style plot that really gets going when William goes out on the road with the rock band. I wasn’t sure at first as it takes a little while to settle in but having Zooey Deschanel feature as William’s older sister who runs away leaving him all her records was great to see as I’m a big fan of her work. From the trailers and posters you’d be forgiven for thinking that Kate Hudson was the lead but while she definitely gives a fantastic memorable performance as Penny Lane, the band’s coolest groupie, it was in fact Patrick Fugit who plays William that carried the film. I hadn’t heard of him before, but for a relative unknown he pulls it off as he gives a lot of heart to the film as you go along on this incredible advernture with him. He is the ears and eyes of the audience and he is instantly likeable and endearing - making the film into an incredible coming of age story. 

And so despite an unknown in the lead (or perhaps because of this!) there are a lot of famous faces bringing some credible acting talent such as Jason Lee, Billy Crudup and Philip Seymour Hoffman. 

And for a film about a rock and roll band it would be a travesty if there wasn’t a great soundtrack and thankfully it wasn’t; it perfectly encapsulates the heady world of rock and roll.

I thought it was rather extraordinary and a beautiful film after I’d seen it and a few weeks later my opinion hasn’t changed. It’s an excellent under-the-radar film that everyone should see - a cult classic in the making!

Score: 8.5/10