"This place is about to become a sea of sweat, ear-shattering music and puke"
In 1987 Sherrie (Julianne Hough) sets off from her home in Oklahoma towards L.A
with dreams of rock stardom. Almost as soon as she arrives she is mugged and
helped by Drew (Diego Boneta) who works at the Bourbon Room, a Sunset Strip
rock club. Sherrie gets a job at the club and she and Drew begin a relationship
while both dreaming of becoming singers. Meanwhile the club’s owner Dennis
(Alec Baldwin) and his right hand man Lonny (Russell Brand) are struggling to
keep the club open amid protests from the Mayor’s wife Patricia Whitmore
(Catherine Zeta-Jones). Rock legend Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) of the band
Arsenal is due to perform at the club with the hopes of beginning a solo carer,
if he can get his head back in the game long enough to do so.
I’d read mixed reviews before seeing this film but I’m a fan
of a lot of 80s rock music, from Iron Maiden to Metallica to Blue Cheer via
Motley Crue, Motorhead and Pantera. Unfortunately this is not the sort of rock
music you get with Rock of Ages.
Instead you end up with the likes of Bon Jovi and Journey. This is not the type
of music I enjoy, especially when the lyrics are used in place of dialogue in
an annoying coming of age story. This film is about as much rock n’ roll as a
jam sandwich with the crusts removed.
