(rated R) …is almost really good. Cameron Crowe’s first film since his Academy Award nominated hit “Jerry Maguire” captures a pivotal time in the history of rock and roll in an autobiography based in the 70’s. Crowe was a young reporter for Rolling Stone magazine back in 1973 covering back stage artists like the Allman Brothers and Led Zeppelin. In this story, Crowe’s character is portrayed by newcomer Patrick Fugit as William Miller, who accepts a writing assignment to profile the latest fictional rock band Stillwater. While they have wives and girlfriends, their tour is their playpen so to speak, and the humor comes from Miller being cast into the sex den with his good boy Catholic school persona. The lead singer, Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee) has come a long way since “Chasing Amy”. Billy Crudup (“Without Limits”) portrays lead guitarist Russell Hammond. Frances “Fargo” McDormand plays the overbearing, overprotective mother who is always in their face. Phillip Seymour Hoffman of “Talented Mr. Ripley” fame plays an “Uncool” rock critic. Kate Hudson is the lovely “Band aid” who is sexy and elusive plain eating up her role. While the movie is close to falling apart it constantly makes a save by infusing humor. Crowe managed to inject warmth and intimacy into otherwise cardboard characters that studios are made of. The character of Miller is a coming of age tale where he realizes there is a whole big, wild, world out there while penning the ego trips, sex and drug use. It delivers a sensation memorable to my own 70’s music experiences long before there was a thing called MTV.
