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Almost Famous by Stephen Farber Anticipation has been high for Cameron Crowe's autobiographical feature inspired by his experiences as a teenage rock journalist during the 1970s. The movie doesn't quite deliver on its promise, but it's a likable piece of low-keyed entertainment. In tracing the adventures of 15-year-old William Miller (played by newcomer Patrick Fugit), who hits the road with a second-rate band called Stillwater, the film has plenty of tender and tasty moments. But it simply doesn't have a sharp enough edge. Crowe has identified Billy Wilder as one of his gods; he even published a book of interviews with Wilder, modeled on François Truffaut's series of interviews with his idol, Hitchcock. Crowe, unfortunately, doesn't bring the same satiric bite to his American panorama that you find in Wilder's best movies. Savagery isn't all that's missing from Almost Famous, though. The film never captures the frenzied excitement of the '70s rock scene, which would have made young William's obsession more understandable. And to be honest, Crowe doesn't have enough distance on the character of William. The director doesn't find the complexity in this baby-faced journalist, which means that there's a gap at the center of the movie. PAGE 1 | 2 |
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Crowe has always had a tendency to be a little too affable, a little too indulgent of his characters, a little too nice. In this he's closer to Truffaut than to Wilder, but as a director, he doesn't rise to the lyrical heights that redeemed and transformed Truffaut's sentimental tendencies. Crowe does have a gift, however, for casting and working with actors, and the terrific performances make the movie worth seeing. Young Fugit has a perfect naturalness on camera, and he matches up nicely with Kate Hudson (Goldie Hawn's daughter) as the groupie who likes to refer to herself as a "band-aid" instead. Frances McDormand is delectably funny as William's protective, somewhat humorless mom. As Stillwater's lead guitarist and lead singer, respectively, Billy Crudup and Jason Lee are both charismatic, and their rivalry is perceptively rendered. Best of all is Philip Seymour Hoffman as William's mentor, real-life rock critic Lester Bangs. Hoffman brings the movie its wisest and most uproarious moments. Thanks to the first-rate cast, we're left with a sweet, often amusing movie that doesn't add up to a major opus. If you ignore the hype and go in with sensibly lowered expectations, you'll have a good time. What did you think of Almost Famous? Sound off in the Movie Forum. Photos courtesy of DreamWorks. PAGE 1 | 2 |