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Rocker, The

7/10

Stars: Rainn Wilson, Christina Applegate, Teddy Geiger, Josh Gad, Emma Stone, Jason Sudeikis, Jane Lynch, Jeff Garlin, Jane Krakowski, Will Arnett

Director: Peter Cattaneo

A feelgood music movie about a drummer discarded as his band rockets to stardom. To underline the irony, the '5th Beatle', Pete Best, appears as himself.

Twenty years after being ditched by Vesuvius, a music group now among the biggest in the land, Fish (Tim Robbins lookalike Wilson) gets fired from his humdrum job and bums a lodging with his sister (Lynch), whose chubby son (Gad) happens to be the keyboard wizard for his college band, A.D.D. And they need a drummer...

Fish, of course, proves more undisciplined than the kids, and nearly wrecks their budding career. The vocalist (Geiger), told his mom (Applegate) is bedding Fish, nearly makes history repeat itself by kicking Fish off the band.

A fun film, this, with little to justify its 12A certificate, a singer who can really sing, and an interesting role for Stone, who, as the group's guitarist, has a leading feminine role without being 'the girl'. Sudeikis also scores as the band's unctuous, self-appointed manager.

David Quinlan

USA 2008. UK Distributor: 20th Century Fox. Colour by deluxe.
102 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 12A.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 12 Oct 2008