Movie: Almost Famous
Production Company: Dreamworks Pictures and Vinyl Films
Director: Cameron Crowe
Producers: Ian Bruce, Cameron Crowe
Main Cast: Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup
Release Date: 26 January 2001
Running Time: 122 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Introduction of Almost Famous
Cameron Crowe’s ‘Almost Famous’ is a hilarious coming-of-age film, starring Kate Hudson and Billy Crudup. The film provides a killer soundtrack, a stellar cast, and is utterly hilarious. If you’re an aspiring music journalist or listen to 70’s rock, this film is for you.
Synopsis of Almost Famous
Set in the 70s, the film follows a young boy, William Miller (Patrick Fugit), as he tours with Still Water on their ‘Almost Famous’ tour. As he attempts to complete his assignment, reporting on music and the antics of the band, he experiences the reality of 70’s rock music and the politics of band life.
Analysis of Almost Famous
This film is an essential watch for anybody who is an aspiring arts journalist. This ensemble cast flawlessly created a film that embodied the rock era of the 70s. The story effortlessly provided a glimpse of life on the road and the experience of an aspiring journalist who got a lucky break. I found the plot to be utterly entertaining. I formed a personal love and loathing(out of pure jealousy) of this young boy who was granted an amazing opportunity through his perseverance that his writing and opinions were important.
Sound
Music was quite obviously one of the biggest components of Almost Famous. With a range of 60s and 70s classic tunes, the soundtrack makes for quite a playlist. As a fan of rock from this era, this film’s soundtrack made the experience of watching so much more enjoyable. Bowie, Elton John, and Led Zeppelin were just a few artists who managed to perfectly transport you into the era the film is set. Despite being born in 2004 I find music of that generation to be the most inspiring and thought-provoking. The use of these songs in the film worked effortlessly to provide atmosphere and mood, and drive emotion.
Not only did the film depict this fake band in such a vivid way, Crowe and his then-wife, Nancy Wilson cowrote remarkable songs supposedly by Still Water, which upon watching the film went straight into my Spotify playlists. The recognisable work of Pearl Jams Pete McCreedy and the Robert Plant esque of Marti Fredericksen’s voice made for a soundtrack of original yet classic-sounding rock music. I assure you, you will be listening to Fever Dog as soon as the movie is over.
Characters of Almost Famous
As a journalist and a 70s rock enthusiast, it’s easy to love and envy the character of William and his journey. Despite being only 15 years old, he is exceptionally cultured which surprises the older generations in the film. He fails to be discouraged by the lack of cooperation of musicians and elders. I imagine Crowe put a lot of himself into the writing of this character, his character served as a reminder to have confidence in my own ambition. Considering this was one of Patrick Fugit’s first roles he does a brilliant job of connecting to the audience and had brilliant comedic timing.
Kate Hudson, as expected, stole the show. Her character, Penny Lane, was the perfect companion. I adored Hudson in this role. She made a lasting impression with iconic one-liners, which are still finding themselves in today’s pop culture. Throughout the film, she has a grace and beauty that is admirable. Much like the two main characters in the film, I absolutely fall in love with her. Hudson’s charisma and charm made for a lovable character who I felt a lot of compassion for. She was one of my favourite elements in the film.
Morals
The only element of this film that I felt was lacking was the ambiguous morality of most of the characters. There were behaviours and events that shouldn’t be normalised and were dealt with in a blasé manner. This will be most obvious to someone watching it as a young person today. However, considering this is a film that came out in 2000, there are progressive ideas.
Summary of Almost Famous
Whether you’re an aspiring music journalist or feel as though you missed out on the prime time of 70s rock I urge you to watch this film.
Notes
Target Audience: Young Adults
Warnings: Strong Language, Sexual Language, Drugs and Suicide Themes.
Overall Rating: 8/10 – Very Good
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