The Rocker has the requisite vomit, the view of some very unfortunate hind quarters and the suds. It's also got a vein of sweetness and charm.
Comment
08/22/08
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The Rocker (2008)
38
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:29
Fresh:11
Rotten:18
Average Rating:5.3/10
Consensus: With a predictable and lightweight story, the earnest efforts of the cast are squandered by The Rocker's bland script.
Theatrical Release:Aug 20, 2008 Wide
Box Office: $6,339,401
Synopsis: Slovenly drummer Robert "Fish" Fishman (THE OFFICE's Rainn Wilson) is booted out of his 1980s hair metal band, Vesuvius, right as they're signed to a big label, crushing his dreams and leading to a... [More]
Starring: Rainn Wilson, Christina Applegate, Jeff Garlin, Teddy Geiger
Director: Peter Cattaneo, Anthony B. Richmond
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Reviews for The Rocker
Top CriticThe melody of The Rocker feels predictable but the beat is refreshingly off-kilter.
08/22/08
Top CriticThe film equivalent of an inoffensive throwaway track, what we used to call a B-side, back in the days of Vesuvius.
08/20/08
Top CriticThe conflicts that arise are highly predictable. But there are plenty of funny moments, as well as a sweet subplot involving the unkempt drummer and the guitarist's no-nonsense mom.
08/20/08
Top CriticA grubby little redemption comedy that in every way feels like a consignment-shop Jack Black vehicle.
08/20/08
Top CriticIf only the movie had some bite, some edge, some anger, some insight. Instead it's generic, staying far away from the darker temptations of the rock scene.
08/20/08
Top CriticThe Rocker is an amiable comedy, so efficiently constructed that you can practically see the computer software on how to write comedy screenplays at work. Nonetheless it is an enjoyable construction.
08/20/08
Top CriticIf this isn't the laugh riot of the year, it's still a pleasant surprise, particularly for teen audiences. And in comedy seasons like this one, that's sometimes more than enough.
08/20/08
Top CriticThe Rocker qualifies as a B-side, but it still makes for a passable summer single.
08/20/08
Top CriticWatching Rainn Wilson gyrate in The Rocker, you can’t help wondering if Mr. Wilson is inhabiting a role that was originally turned down by Jack Black.
08/20/08
Top CriticManages to be a notably funnier than average summer comedy despite being a fairly shameless rip-off of School of Rock.
08/20/08
Top CriticWhile nobody's expecting This Is Spinal Tap, both the audience and the cast -- which is strong all around -- deserve better than the generic script and bland direction here.
08/20/08
Top CriticIt sort of gurgles, with some pleasant-sounding pops here and there. But this is essentially a film that squanders a good idea by playing things too safely.
08/20/08
Top CriticHow much you ultimately like The Rocker will inevitably depend on how much you like Wilson. And a little goes a long way.
08/20/08
Top CriticYou want to like almost everyone in this film, but they're all undone by a weak script that really wasn't worth more than a Gilmore Girls subplot after all.
08/20/08
Top CriticIt's not exactly heartwarming to realize that The Rocker's Gen X fantasy of an escape from middle age is really a developmental nightmare.
08/20/08
Top CriticI don't want to oversell The Rocker, but in a summer of erratic, assaultive comedies all up and down the budget scale, this Rainn Wilson vehicle -- a kind of Home School of Rock -- stakes out its own corner of the market.
08/20/08
Top CriticJack Black's fearless, foolish ferocity is missing.
08/19/08
Top CriticLike its protagonist, the movie is sweet but slow and a little out of date.
08/19/08
Top CriticTwo great cuts don't make an album and two fine supporting performances don't make The Rocker worthwhile.
08/19/08
Top CriticLatest News for The Rocker
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