The Rocker (2008)

Directed by Peter Cattaneo. Starring Rainn Wilson, Teddy Geiger, Josh Gad, Christina Applegate, Emma Stone, Jason Sudeikis, Jane Lynch, Will Arnett, Jeff Garlin, Bradley Cooper, Fred Armisen, Howard Hesseman, Jon Glaser. [PG-13]

Twenty years after getting kicked out of a band that went on to worldwide fame, drummer Wilson is reluctantly recruited to play the skins for his nephew’s high school garage band (called A.D.D.); he’s got the chops, but he’s also an eccentric “wild card” who’s one lame drum solo or one bad gig away from total embarrassment. Wilson does little more than Jack Black-lite here, but he gets a few laughs from his shameless exuberance. This formula film doesn’t take place in any recognizable reality, though (a hair metal band getting bus ads and a Rolling Stone cover in the late 00s??), and A.D.D.’s music is relentlessly mediocre, robbing the viewer of the simple pleasures of seeing people rock out; then again, the fact that such mediocrity could get so many lucky breaks and inspire such a devoted following may be a sad reflection of reality after all. Despite having very little stage presence or charisma on camera, Geiger is a successful musician in real life. Look for cameos from, among others, Aziz Ansari, Jane Krakowski, and drummer Pete Best.

46/100