Almost Famous (2000)

Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Still water does not need to be a real band for a person to get wrapped up in the times and vibes of the film. The setting, band rivalries, complexities and great music make this a great journey. One could even imagine the Beatles or the Stones having this type of film journey made about them. William Miller goes along for the ride of his life and experiences all the band's life has to offer. The performances are great and Penny Lane was a great piece in the puzzle. There are some great scenes and some okay scenes but overall a decent film. 7.5/10

It's really a piece of art. I'd place it in same category as contemporary period dramas like Forrest Gump - a rich and detailed story line accentuated by its characteristic soundtrack. The plot is based on golden age of rock 'n roll - early 70s. The story line works on parallels: much like the music of that time, the young protagonist also faces some moral dilemmas early on during his adolescence - should he continue to remain a mama's boy and do as told or should he give in to the temptation of experimenting and temptation of drugs. And the movie very carefully shows us two-three parallel journeys of realization: first one, the young and fascinated teen who realizes that best place to be is at home; second one, a rock star who reconciles to reality that true companionship is most important and third, the fan girl who decides to move on in life (well, there were more but these are the top three). It's a movie well deserving of an academy award for screenplay because the director/writer actually didn't get seduced only by the music.

I go against the stream here. This movie was eye candy. It was a piece of disposal fluff. The Disney version of Sex, Drugs and Rock'n'Roll.The dialogue is superficial. Kate Hudson is always smiling and very annoying. Billy Crudup has a constant vacuous look about him - as if he had just been beamed into the scene. There is no emotion in this. There is no intensity. It just drones on and on. The journalism theme, I suppose, was meant to convey an intellectual message. I didn't buy it. The groupie girls were boring too – like they were on some kind of high school weekend excursion. Give me a break.Some good songs alleviated the monotony. And I liked Philip Seymour Hoffman's role.

I don't think any movie has ever impacted me or been as close to my heart as this one. Everything about it is magical, and it's an experience in itself. It seems cheesy to say such cliché things as "you feel like you're a part of the story" but to not say such things would be an injustice to a movie that draws in its audience as participatory cast members. The music adds a special quality to the film that only the special genre it inhabits could posses. True rock fans will appreciate each song choice, and yearn to have experienced the back roads of 70s rock and roll. There are many things to be said about this film but mainly I think this is just an incredibly special movie with numerous touching scenes that I can watch over and over and always enjoy