Almost Famous

View Date: September 16th, 2000

Cast :

Writer and Director: Cameron Crowe 

Almost Famous is an almost perfect movie.  Cameron Crowe’s cinematic love song has all of the elements of what makes movies worth seeing.  It is smartly written, wonderfully acted, patiently developed, beautifully shot, and develops a bond and relationship between the characters and the audience that allows the emotional events to have a stronger impact.  The only stumble comes at the conclusion, when Crowe’s song hits a couple of chords out of tune, but the overall experience is well worth listening to and seeing.  Yes, this is a movie that requires both your eyes, and ears to be open, since both are going to be stimulated and treated to something special.  Almost Famous is the first sign that the overpriced, under whelming, summer movie season is over, and the really good movies can now come out of their hibernation and show us that movies can be fun, touch our hearts and be really really good. 

No one nails the angst, pain, emotion, and ultimately, joy of growing up, rediscovering, and soul searching, like Cameron Crowe.  Like his inspiration, Billy Wilder, Crowe takes regular people, in normal, but different situations, then shows how they either grow, change, or adapt to their surroundings.  Loyd Dobler (in regards to love and his future), Jerry Maguire (see Mr. Dobler, 10 years later) are near perfect epitome’s of this, but now with this film, Crowe literally gets to the heart of the matter.

The story is more than loosely based around Crowe’s life story.  He was a teen reporter for Rolling Stone in the early to mid 70’s: an era when rock was good, and the music mattered.  An era when all we needed was a guitar riff, a 15-minute drum solo, and our sleeveless t-shirts, to be in a blissful state.  The songs of the era spoke to our hearts, wild and free, yet passionate and intense.  Crowe epitomizes these emotions and feelings in his story of 15-year-old William Miller.  William is an aspiring writer, turned onto the joy of music by his rebellious sister who has him listen to Tommy, with a candle lit, to see his future (that is one of the movies numerous, memorable scenes) From there, William begins writing for a small San Diego independent newspaper, and is subsequently noticed by Rolling Stone.  He ends up touring, and attempting to get the background story on the fictional band Stillwater (loosely based around a conglomerate of bands from the era, Crowe stated in an HBO interview, that the situations Miller encounters covered everyone from Jimmy Page and Keith Richards, to David Bowie).  While on the road, William meets Penny Lane (Hudson) who is not as much a groupie, as a band-aid.  They are a small group of young women who are modern day muses with their purpose being to help bring the creative thoughts and ideas out of a bands music. 

From this point, the movie becomes a sum of its characters experiences, interactions, and growth.  The scenes on the road, in the bus, Miller’s persistence at getting an interview with the bands talented, but conflicted lead singer (Crudup), Miller’s mother (McDormand, who is hesitant about her son’s career choice, but confidant in his abilities) and the rest of the people that are encountered along the way.  The mastery in the film is how Crowe blends these situations, and characters together like a beautiful melody.  It is always said that real life is more interesting than the things that we create in our mind.  Crowe peppers his own musical youth with heart, and relatibility that will, as his films usually do, hit home with a generation.  In Say Anything, it was teen love, and the 80s, in Singles, it was Gen-X love, and the 90s, in Jerry Maguire, it was a early-30s disenchantment and rediscovery, now, Crowe reaches back and gives us a sentimental journey through an era when he discovered himself, through this era of music.  Before we had our MTV, it was about what was being said, rather than how they looked saying it.

Crowe definitely knows how to use an ensemble cast and get the best out of each one.  This is a movie filled with some true acting gems.  McDormand as the over protective mother whose, mantra of “Don’t Use Drugs, recalls Mr. Hand, from the Crowe scripted Fast Times at Ridgemont High.  She is over emotional, but with a deep underlying and genuine love and concern for her children. She is both the stability, and creepy madness in William’s life. (and everyone whom she encounters during the tour)  McDormand shines in this role, as if it comes straight from her paranoid, maternal heart.

Hoffman, existing to spout the wise philosophical advice in Williams life.  As an actor, he is a true chameleon, who can shape and mold himself into any character and make it his.  He has the passion to want it, and the ability to do it.  Crudup, as the lead musician, is a talent ahead of his time, who is also searching for answers while leading his double life.  He shows his energy, anger and passion, for his music, and his life.  As in any great film, even the smallest roles help make the sum, equal to whole of its parts, without getting lost, or overshadowing the story, or other performers.  Fairuza Balk, and Oscar-winner Anna Paquin, are dead on as members of the band-aids, effective, precise, but never showy.  Amidst all of this, the brightest star is clearly Kate Hudson, who can now officially drop the “Goldie’s daughter” from her title.  The way Goldie’s career is going, soon, she’ll be known as Kate’s mom.  This is the movie that should break out Hudson, and get the rest of the movie world to notice what a few of us (who have seen Desert Blue and 200 Cigarettes) already know.   She is going to be a big star.  She has that innocent glow, with a sad, but desperate fire burning underneath.  Her emotions are hidden on her face, but never in those eyes.  Her scenes are powerful; the chemistry between she and Fuqit is undeniable, as is her range in emotions.  Watch out Hollywood, here she comes.

Ultimately, Almost Famous is the perfect melody to bring you out the summer’s cinematic doldrums.  It is a film that draws you in, tickles your ears, and touches your heart.  It gives us the magical moments (McDormand and Crudup’s phone conversation, Tiny Dancer on the bus) but most of all, it gives us a movie that we can relate to, whether we are fans of the era, or just someone looking to find our place in the world.  Almost Famous should be seen, heard, experienced, and remembered for years to come. ($$$$ out of $$$$)

Agree? Disagree, Questions? Comments?

Tell Me Here

Also see my reviews at:

Cast information and links courtesy of

Go To Reel Rambling Page