Movie Review: Almost Famous

“Almost Famous” (Directed by Cameron Crowe, 2000)

Be honest and unmerciful. This mantra is repeated throughout Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical film for good reason. Besides providing the audience with an entertaining story, the movie serves as a crash course in criticism. “Almost Famous” avoids the often cliché story of musicians teetering on the brink of success and opts to examine those who were there to witness the period of decadence. Underneath the culture of sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll, the film illustrates what it means to be a critic – both the passion that drives a rock journalist and the ethics he or she must follow.

Set in 1973, the film follows 15-year-old aspiring rock critic, William Miller, when Rolling Stone gives him his first assignment. Played by Patrick Fugit, the protagonist is molded after a young Cameron Crowe. Like the director who also wrote for the prestigious magazine, William is tasked with following the up and coming band, Stillwater, on their cross-country tour. While on the road, William forms a relationship with Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) and guitar prodigy, Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup). However, the movie’s central conflict sets in when William’s newly formed friendships threatens to jeopardize his morals as a critic before his professional career even begins.

One of the greatest strengths of “Almost Famous” is its ability to depict a critic’s passion without becoming too cheesy or sentimental. To quote Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s fictionalized version of Lester Bangs, “True music, not just rock 'n' roll, chooses you. It lives in your car, or alone, listening to your headphones... It is a place apart from the vast, benign lap of America.” With lines similar to this one, the movie paints an authentic picture of the individual’s connection to rock. Yet, going hand in hand with an enthusiasm for the music is an internal drive to simply write. “Almost Famous” demonstrates the forces that define a genuine rock journalist. Instead of wanting to be a part of the culture, rock journalism is about loving the subject and loving the craft even more.

However, abiding by a sense of ethics is equally as important as the passion. Early in the film, Lester warns William that a critic must never make friends with the rock stars. He claims that maintaining the authenticity of your opinion is vital to the survival of rock criticism. If a critic concedes to the people who “buy you drinks, offer you drugs and give you free plane rides,” Lester forebodes that “they’ll ruin rock ‘n roll and strangle everything we love about it.”

Like all good films, “Almost Famous” is an entertaining story told from a unique perspective. However, what sets this move a part from the rest is that it offers the audience something to learn. Far too often, people assume that the rock critic is a snob or a person resentful of the success of others. “Almost Famous” pulls back the curtain on that myth and reveals the art behind legitimate rock journalism. After watching the movie, the audience sees that a critic has a sincere enthusiasm and strives to have that enthusiasm heard. More importantly, if critics allow people to have influence over their opinions, it threatens the credibility of rock journalism as an art form. After all, rock is not meant to simply be, as Bangs coins it, “an industry of cool.”