Almost Famous

6 May 2019

Almost Famous 2000

• Director: Cameron Crowe
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson, Zooey Deschanel, Anna Paquin, Philip Seymour Hoffman
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Billy Crudup – Public Enemies, Big Fish, Waking the Dead
• Frances McDormand - Moonrise Kingdom, North Country, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Burn After Reading, Fargo, Palookaville, Barton Fink, Mississippi Is Burning, Raising Arizona, Hill Street Blues
• Patrick Fugit – Gone Girl, White Oleander
• Kate Hudson - Nine
• Zooey Deschanel – 500 Days of Summer, The Happening, The Good Girl
• Anna Paquin – X-Men Days of Future Past, The Squid and the Whale, X-Men, She’s All That, Amistad, Jane Eyre, The Piano
• Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Hunger Games, The Invention of Lying, The Boat that Rocked, Cold Mountain, Punch-drunk Love, Flawless, The Big Lebowski, Twister
• Why? Liked it the first time
• Seen: Once before. Now 5 May 2019      

       It’s the early 70’s and young William (Fugit) aspires to be a rock journalist. His mother (McDormand), an upright university professor with decided views on rock music and commercialism, can’t stop him. Weary and cynical journalist (Hoffman) gives him advice and off he goes.

       Welcome to the world of arena rock, struggling ego-tripping rock musicians, groupies, tours.

       McDormand is brilliant as always, Fugit is appealing, Crudup as a rock start is pretty to look at, Hudson as a groupie is a bit annoying. What do/would kids born in the 21^st century think of this ancient history film? For us there’s a bit of bittersweet nostalgia but the film doesn’t really hold up.

2½* of 5