Talk About Rock Music

We start off with a coming-of-age tale that despite winning an Oscar for the Screenplay it still did not seem to make too much of a stir when it came out in 2000 and even now I feel that it is somewhat underrated.

The film saw top class performances from Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand who were both nominated for supporting role Oscars.

Cameron Crowe’s labour of love (he wrote and directed the movie) is a semi-autobiographical account of fictitious rock band Stillwater (including Billy Crudup and Jason Lee) from the point of view of teen journalist, William Miller writing for Rolling Stone magazine.

Along the journey, William encounters band groupie, Penny Lane (Hudson), rock critic (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and defies his mother as he follows the band and encounters love for the first time. The movie is an honest and moving tale of rock and roll and what it means to those who live for its existence.

I only saw this film a few years after its release and I really enjoyed it and the soundtrack too - including the great moment on the tour bus with the sing along to Elton John’s Tiny Dancer. I also enjoyed the turbulent plane journey scene (which almost ends tragically) for everyone onboard.