Do you want to see ‘The Rocker’?

The Rocker (2008)

tomatometer

All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.2/10
Reviews Counted: 121
Fresh: 50 | Rotten: 71

With a predictable and lightweight story, the earnest efforts of the cast are squandered by The Rocker's bland script.

Average Rating: 5.3/10
Critic Reviews: 31
Fresh: 12 | Rotten: 19

With a predictable and lightweight story, the earnest efforts of the cast are squandered by The Rocker's bland script.

audience

liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 42,322

My Rating

Added to your Facebook Timeline. — undo

Movie Info

The Office star Rainn Wilson portrays a drummer named "Fish," who gets a second shot at fame 20 years after getting kicked out of his band on the very night they signed the record contract that made them stars. Fish has spent the past two decades languishing at soul-crushing day jobs while his old bandmates became legends, continuing to grace magazine covers and dominate the radio. He might just get another chance at musical success, however, when his teenage cousin invites him to drum for his

PG-13, 1 hr. 42 min.

Drama, Comedy

Directed By: Peter Cattaneo

Written By: Maya Forbes, M. Wallace Wolodarsky

In Theaters: Jun 12, 2008 Wide

On DVD: Jan 27, 2009

Box Office:$6.3M

Fox Atomic

The Rocker Trailer & Photos

More Photos (18)

Cast

Critic Reviews for The Rocker

All Critics (124) | Top Critics (31) | Fresh (51) | Rotten (72) | DVD (11)

A whacked-out, superannuated, would-be rock star might seem to be too easy a comic target, but Wilson gives this sad sack so many fresh twists that he never wears out his welcome.

November 21, 2008 Full Review Source: Christian Science Monitor

| Comment (1)

Peter Rainer

Christian Science Monitor

Top Critic

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.

August 22, 2008 Full Review Source: Wall Street Journal

| Comment

Joanne Kaufman

Wall Street Journal

Top Critic

The melody of The Rocker feels predictable but the beat is refreshingly off-kilter.

August 22, 2008 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail

| Comment

Liam Lacey

Globe and Mail

Top Critic

The film equivalent of an inoffensive throwaway track, what we used to call a B-side, back in the days of Vesuvius.

August 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

| Comment

Darel Jevens

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

The 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.

August 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

A grubby little redemption comedy that in every way feels like a consignment-shop Jack Black vehicle.

August 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Boston Globe

| Comments (2)

Wesley Morris

Boston Globe

Top Critic

More fun than a fifth of Rebel Yell and a bag of Quaaludes.

August 15, 2011 Full Review Source: East Bay Express

| Comment

Kelly Vance

East Bay Express

As much as the movie rocked, the DVD rocks more.

March 5, 2009 Full Review Source: 7M Pictures

| Comment

Kevin Carr

7M Pictures

Just because one is a scene stealer on TV does not mean he or she is big screen material, period, much less a movie star.

February 12, 2009 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com

| Comment

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

...an agreeable, sporadically hilarious comedy that benefits substantially from the almost uniformly strong performances.

February 6, 2009 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews

| Comment

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

All premise and no purpose.

January 29, 2009 Full Review Source: DVDTalk.com

| Comment

David Cornelius

DVDTalk.com

Just when you think the dog days of summer movies are upon us along comes a hilarious sleeper hit.

November 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Hollywood.com

| Comment

Pete Hammond

Hollywood.com

Uh, Mr. Projectionist? Could you stop the movie? I wanna get off now.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Jam! Movies

| Comment

Jim Slotek

Jam! Movies

The moments don't add up to much, though, and the dramatic arc ends up feeling even narrower than it usually is in this kind of story.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Screen International

| Comment

John Hazelton

Screen International

This rock music comedy does has a few chuckles and belly laughs. And unlike a few other smug, self-satisfied comedies that have come along recently, this one at least seems to have a heart at its center.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City

| Comment

Jeff Vice

Deseret News, Salt Lake City

As a movie, it may not rock, but it rolls along nicely enough.

October 17, 2008 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Wally Hammond

Time Out

Amiable enough yet unadventurous and uneven, this may coax the odd big smile from viewers but it never rocks the house.

October 17, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Anton Bitel

Film4

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Rocker

View All

I saw this mainly for the brilliant Rainn Wilson and although I did enjoy it it wasn't quite as funny as I was hoping, or as it could of been methinks.A slightly more mature 'School of Rock' type of plot which does work better with teens rather than kids but it just doesn't have quite enough cheek to it. Not outright

March 16, 2009

Phil Hubbard

Super Reviewer

Despite the energy and charisma of Rainn Wilson, The Rocker, have just a few funny scenes, bad script and that show a waste of talent by Wilson, others good comedians and the director of Dear Rosie and The Full Monty, Peter Cattaneo. Rotten.

September 16, 2011

Lucas Martins

Super Reviewer

The Rocker Quotes

View All

1. Robert "Fish" Fishman: 1991 called, they want their teen angst back.
2. Amelia: They just called again, they want their joke back.
– Submitted by Jiashu X (2 months ago)
1. Robert "Fish" Fishman: I will drag you down to Hell, I will eat your souls!
– Submitted by Sean C (3 months ago)
1. Robert "Fish" Fishman: I'm a golden fish!
– Submitted by Lucas M (4 months ago)

Character	Quote
	Enter quote here...	Delete

DVD

Top Rentals

93%	Mission: Impossible Ghost Protoc...
29%	The Vow
87%	The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
29%	Underworld Awakening
85%	Chronicle

More…

New On DVD This Week

85%	Chronicle
78%	The Grey
7%	The Devil Inside
2%	One for the Money
76%	Rampart

More…

Movies Like The Rocker

Music and Lyrics

School of Rock

Superbad

View All

Latest News for The Rocker

September 1, 2008:

Box Office Guru Wrapup: Tropic Thunder Triumphantly closes Summer
Labor day weekend saw a host of new films; few of them showing any signs of box office msucle.

August 21, 2008:

Box Office Guru Preview: Death Race Shoots for Pole Position
The ancient studio ritual of dumping weak product into the late August box office has begun. Four...

View All