Over the last few years, stars of NBC's popular sitcom, 'The Office,' have had a difficult time making the transition to film. From Steve Carell's leading role in last summer's major flop, Evan Almighty, to John Krasinski's role in Leatherheads, the box-office has not been kind to the employees at Dunder-Mifflin. But now, after the success of this summer's Get Smart, Rainn Wilson is hoping to turn things around with his new comedy, The Rocker.
Though I entered the theater will extremely low expectations, I must admit that Rainn Wilson and Christina Applegate delivered, pulling off the most unlikely upset thus far in 2008.
Starting with the 80s hair band Vesuvius, Robert 'Fish' Fisherman lived the dream. But when his band members chose success over their friendship, Fish found himself out of a job, out of time and out of luck. Twenty years later, Fish continues to live an unproductive life; that is, until he gets a second change to rock the world, this time with his nephew's group, which hires him for a lone prom gig.
Sound predictable and painstakingly familiar? It should. However, what The Rocker offers that so many of films have failed to do in the past, is a great cast. Led by the works of funny-man Rainn Wilson, the film excels far beyond anyone's expectation. From his quick delivery to his over-the-top personality, Wilson hits the mark on every account, creating a non-stop laugh fest that will have you ready to pee your pants not even half way through.
But Wilson's performance was expected; instead, the true spark of the film came from the combined efforts of Christina Applegate, Teddy Geiger and Emma Stone.
Though Applegate is a common name amongst film-goers, both Geiger and Stone are not. In fact, Stone is the only one with previous feature film experience, and that is for last summer's surprise hit, Superbad. So, their fresh and realistic performances here were a bonus for viewers as they got to see the true talent of tomorrow hard at work.
But, even with all the great performances, what really amazed me most was the chemistry that each actor was able to form with Wilson. While each character shared a separate relationship with the film's lead, they were all able to sell their parts, working brilliantly on-screen and really showcasing the diverse talent of 'The Office' star.
However, the film wasn't all about the acting. In fact, I have to give a large amount of credit to the music that was created and preformed. From the film's anthem 'Bitter' to the up tempo 'Down,' there is a vast array of styles and melodies sure to please one and all.
But if you look past the stars and the music, one thing remains "“ the story. Though lacking in the creative aspect, I must give the writers props for their quick and timely dialogue. Sure it is nowhere near sensational; however, when it was needed, they somehow always seemed to deliver. And on top of that, the awkward situations that the film's characters are put through are simply brilliant. From the vomit in the pants to the Abercrombie and Fitch stand-in, there is so much pop-culture satire that you can't help but laugh and savor the moment.
All in all, The Rocker is nowhere near perfect, but for a comedy about a band, it is as close as you are going to get. Oh, and if for no other reason, you gotta see this film for the 'Naked Drummer' "“ trust me!
