"ALMOST FAMOUS" 4½ stars out of 5 Review by R.L. Strong
DREAMWORKS PICTURES AND COLUMBIA PICTURES PRESENTS A VINYL PICTURES PRODUCTION OF A CAMERON CROWE FILM "ALMOST FAMOUS" BILLY CRUDUP FRANCES McDORMAND KATE HUDSON JASON LEE PATRICK FUGIT ANNA PAQUIN FARUZA BALK NOAH TAYLOR and PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN MUSIC SUPERVISOR DANNY BRAMSON SCORE BY NANCY WILSON EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS MARTY P. EWING SCOTT M. MARTIN STEVEN P. SAETA EDITED BY MARTIN APPLEBAUM DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN TOLL PRODUCED BY CAMERON CROWE IAN BRYCE WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY CAMERON CROWE
The 1970's were a time of passage for a lot of us. Cruising with our friends, going out on our first date, and learning the ins and outs of too many vices were all part of that passage. Not all of us experienced the same things. But one thing that we all did have in common and that was Rock and Roll. Cameron Crowe, the writer of the seminal teen comedy "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and Writer, Director of the charming "Say Anything" and "Jerry McGuire", give us a touching and humorous peon to youth, love, and most importantly music.
William Miller (Patrick Fugit) is an intelligent young man of 15. Already in his senior year of High School (thanks to his mother's skipping two grades, claiming the school system is too limiting). Elaine Miller (Frances McDermont) is a college professor who is raising her children on her own (William's father died when William was only 6). Elaine's fear of modern society creates at atmosphere of repression around the home, with drugs being the ultimate danger. This leads William's sister, Anita (Zooey Deschanel) to leave home with her boyfriend for California. In an effort to expand her little brother's horizons, she leaves him her album collection, giving him strict instructions to listen to The Who's "Tommy" with a candle burning, "and you'll see your future".
William becomes fascinated with the music. Being a gifted child, he starts to write. Soon he is submitting articles to national magazines which leads to his meeting famed Cream Magazine critic, Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Bangs burned on the industry's homogenization of music. But he is taken by Williams's innocents and creativity, so offers the young man an assignment. Interview Black Sabbath and write a 700-word article about the band. William is excited and nervous as his Mother drives him to the concert. Unable to get past security, Williams befriends Penny Lane (Kate Hudson); leader of the famed Band Aid troop of fans (groupies that claimed not to have sex with the bands) and the band Sweetwater.
Russel Hammond (Billy Crudup) is taken by the young man and gives the boy a chance at a new gig, interviewing Sweetwater and travelling with them on their latest tour. This leads to William being approached by Rolling Stone Magazine to cover the tour and write an inside piece on the band.
Cameron Crowe is one of the best writers of characters and character interplay working today. While not having a poetic style like David Mamet, Crowe's characters speak with a personality and believability that seems unscripted. This naturalness is most appealing here. All of the characters are finely drawn and believable in their behavior and attitudes. And that same quality leads to some very funny and heartbreaking moments.
Patrick Fugit, in his first film steals the picture with his wide eyed innocent portrayal of William. His passion for the music and the shear joy in which he follows the band are just infectous. This is one of the best debuts by an actor in years. This is a young actor to watch. Frances McDermont is vivaciously droll as Elaine Miller. So concerned with her son's upbringing, she constantly reminds him of the dangers of drugs, while urging him to read the works of Poe, Isben, and Goethe. She is a strong willed woman who loves her children but refuses to stand in the way of their future. This is McDermont's best performance since "Fargo" and is as touching and funny.
Of course, the real showcase performances of the film belong to Billy Crudup and Kate Hudson. Billy Crudup as Russell Hammond, guitarist for the band Sweetwater is a young adult dealing with his own fame and his growing dissatisfaction with his band. His performance is charmingly naïve. Here is a man who would just as well be sitting with a beer at a house party, as he would work on his career. His is a funny, touching and completely believable realization. And Kate Hudson is absolutely charming as the love interest Penny Lane. Her love affair with Russell and her growing affection for William is just a joy to watch. Again, the naivete of the character is the most notable quality here. Hudson manages to make Penny Lane both a silly little girl, dreaming of love and trips to Monaco and a woman who knows that this life style is only transitory and that her real life lies elsewhere.
The other cast members are all equally fine. In fact, I can't think of another recent film as perfectly cast and performed as this one this year. Most notably are, Jason Lee as Jeff Bebe (Sweetwater's lead singer), to the other members of Band Aid, Anna Panquin as Polexia Aphrodisia and Faruza Balk as Sapphire are all wonderfully crafted performances. These are just damn good character performances, and while never really center stage always remain in the periphery of the film, adding just the right subtle touches of character and depth to bring this film its believability.
And foremost throughout the film is the music. The section of songs ranging from Lou Reed's "Waiting for the Man" to Led Zeppelin's "Tangerine" is just marvelously chosen, rivaling the soundtrack to Stephen Feares' "High Fidelity". And the score by Nancy Wilson (of the 70's group Heart) is equally enjoyable in both its simplicity and its detail. Wilson also penned two songs for the fictional band, Sweetwater that will make audiences everywhere searching for more material from this group.
At the close of the movie, both William and his Family have reconciled and have grown into adults. And the film will have an equally marvelous effect on those who see it. A film steeped in charm, nostalgia and joy for a time when innocents was both painful and blissful, and nothing to be looked down upon. "Almost Famous" is one of this years best films.
© 2000 R.L. Strong Nothing in this article may be copied or re-written without the expressed permission of the author. THE CORNUCOPIA OF FILM http://www.geocities.com/rs080455
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