Producer Cameron Crowe (“Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Singles,” Jerry McGuire”) sets the stage with a barrage of great performances by his cast in “Almost Famous” (2000) giving us another piece of rock ‘n roll memorabilia with this coming of age story. The film follows William Miller (Patrick Fugit) in his infancy as a music journalist who gets a chance of a lifetime getting a gig with Rolling Stone Magazine, following the band Stillwater as they travel the on the road to stardom and losing his dreams and innocence along the way.
The movie is based on similar experiences of Crowe’s early career as a music journalist, teaming up with the likes of Ben Fong-Torres, the editor of Rolling Stone and chumming it up with the seasoned pro Lester Bangs after a meeting that took place in his home town in San Diego. Bangs was the antithesis of what Rolling Stone offered in their rag. He was most famous for his scathing and abrasive style of music criticism through his rants in Creem Magazine and other rags of the day – always telling how he saw it with no holds barred.
Crowe showcases the relationship William has with Bangs and his hard facts about the music biz amidst his struggles with the assignment. Although the depiction is not as Gonzo-ish as one would expect, he plays Bangs as a mentor to the budding writer, protecting him from the ugly truth of how things actually work out there in the real world and reflecting what may have been Crowe’s had experienced back in the day. Strong performances by Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Philip Seymour-Hoffman and Billy Crudup seem to parallel the help that newbie Patrick Fugit may have needed in this role as a lead actor in this film. While some scenes that had to focus on such a character, a few overzealous ticks in his dialogue revealed his own experience as an actor. But then again, Kate Hudson’s navel always seemed to distract from little things of this nature.
Crowe’s skill in direction and incorporating the detail of sound and the novelty of the era really sets the mood for the film. His penchant for picking out a solid soundtrack is well-known. He fills the gaps between with sounds from Elton John, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rod Stewart, Simon and Garfunkel, Yes, and Led Zepplin to name the most notable. Additionally, he pulls off making the music of the fictitious band Stillwater seem real with the help of legendary rockers Peter Frampton and his ex-wife Ann Wilson of Heart fame. His attention to detail by adding props, the garb of the musicians of the era, and the slouch and slang of the days sets the viewer back in the saddle of the days of when sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll were a responsibility to a generation. Crowe takes it upon himself to make these situations feel like that reality for the characters in his film.
In the scene where William experiences his first concert, the viewer takes on William’s perspective as he follows the band from back stage to within the dimly-lit, smoke-filled arena. He is guided by the band’s lead guitarist Russell Hammond – as if he is being guided into another state of consciousness. The muffling sound from the awaiting crowd comes to the forefront as they hit the stage. The silhouettes that reveal the equipment of half-stacks and stage lighting flash across and into his eyes blinding him. He has made the big time. His bearings are found and his biggest dreams are fulfilled.
Soon he is jumping on the bandwagon and living the life of a rock star; eyes and ears open wide free from the realities of his overbearing mother, or the responsibility held as a journalist. He is suddenly thrown into the world of love, lies and managing his own life. The voice of reason can be found by many of his adversaries throughout the film, but it turns out that they all have their secrets to hide and the important lesson that he learns is to be true to himself and tell it how it is.
Turns out in the end, it was a good thing he listened to Lester.
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