Almost Famous

Plot:
Based on the life of the writer/director, Cameron Crowe (my favorite director), Almost Famous follows the story of a young boy who, when he reaches his teens, is offered the job of a life time. He gets to tour with an up and coming rock band and write his observations for Rolling Stone magazine.
Along the way, the fifteen year old William Miller (Patrick Fugit) stumbles upon a lot of things that absolutely culture shocks the young guy. He’s thrown into the cliché of “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll.” Instead of being all that close to the band, Stillwater, he seems to end up stuck with the band’s groupies, who call themselves “Band-Aids”, headed by Penny Lane (Kate Hudson)
William becomes a guy that Russell feels he can trust, and he eventually gets close to the band’s lead guitarist, Russell Hammond (Billy Cudrup) who is at odds with lead singer, Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee). What follows is the ups and downs of a band “coming to grips with their success.”
William himself must finally decide to be honest about his experiences with the band in his Rolling Stone article, or write what the band would like him to.

Personal Significance:
“Almost Famous” is my favorite movie of all time. It combines everything I love about movies…music, great characters, and a wonderful story. The fact that it is true is also very intriguing. This movie started my fascination with Cameron Crowe films. I have found them to be the most honest, most thought provoking films I have ever had the pleasure of viewing.
The movie just pulls you in. Into the lives of the characters, feeling what they’re feeling. The movie is like “Abby Road” to me. It’s an experience.

Favorite Scenes:

• “America” playing while Anita’s leaving home.
• Young William finding the records.
• The “You wanna get high?” extra. Something funny about that guy.
• “The River”, and the whole scene where Penny and Russell say “hello.”
• The way the cover of “Dark Side of the Moon” reflects on Penny’s windshield.
• The radio interview! So funny!!
• The t-shirt scene.
• Russell wandering around the house, talking about things that are “real”.
• “Tiny Dancer” on the buss.
• Russell on the phone with William’s mom.
• Jimmy Fallon as the new manager! Funny!
• “Moonshadow”, Penny dancing in the empty house. The last true fan.
• William trying to tell Penny the truth outside. I love the look and emotions of that scene. Penny brushing off the tears.
• At the steakhouse when Penny makes “eye contact” with Russell. The song “Mona Lisas and Madhatters” playing in the background.
• The “Hey Lady!” scene.
• Great almost plane crash scene!
• Penny going to Moraco.

Favorite Quotes:

“Honey, they’re on pot.”-Mrs. Miller (pointing to the cover of a Simon and Garfunkel album)

“Feck you!”-Anita
“There it is. Your sister said the ‘f’ word.”-Mrs. Miller
“I think she said ‘feck’.”-Young William
“What’s the difference?”-Mrs. Miller
“The letter ‘u’.”-Young William

“What are you like, the star of your school.”-Lester Bangs
“They hate me.”-William
“You’ll meet them all again on the long journey to the middle.”-Lester Bangs

“I always tell the girls, ‘Never take it seriously.’ If you never take it seriously, you never get hurt. If you never get hurt, you always have fun. And if you ever get lonely, you just go to the record store and visit your friends.” -Penny

“Larry Fellows, how would you describe your role in Stillwater? What is the chemical that you add to the chemistry?”-William
“I’m the bass player.”-Larry
“Right. And when you take that away, what would be missing, stylistically? What chemical?”-William
“The bass?”-Larry

“How can you tell? I’m just one of the out of focus guys!” -Jeff

“Your looks have become a problem!” -Jeff

“Wanna see me feed a mouse to my snake”- Aaron
“Yes!”-Russell

“I hurt the flower.”-Russell

“Don’t you have any regular friends?”-William
“Famous people are just more interesting.” -Penny

“Your time has come!” -Saphire
“Did Russell call?”-William

“I didn’t invent the rainy day, man, I just own the best umbrella.”-Dennis

“If you think Mick Jagger is gonna be out there trying to be a rock star at age 50, you’re sadly, sadly mistaken.” - Dennis

“Honey, you’re too sweet for rock and roll.”-Penny
“Sweet? Where do you get off? Where do you get sweet?! I am dark, and mysterous, and pissed off!!”-William

“I’m no good at goodbyes. You. You are the last of my old time friends.”-Penny

“It was in the middle of ‘Midnight Rambler’ and Keith Richards saw me, came to the front of the stage and he pulled me out and they took me backstage and gave me a Coke with ice and a lemon, and I never went home. I’ve done twice the things I said I did.”-Penny

“The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool.”-Lester

“You have a good day!”-Stewardess

“They don’t even know what it is to be a fan. I mean, to truly love some silly little piece of music, or some band, so much that it hurts.”-Saphire

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