Almost Famous (2000)

Directed by: Cameron Crowe | 122 minutes | drama, comedy, adventure, music | Actors: Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Patrick Fugit, Zooey Deschanel, Michael Angarano, Anna Paquin, Fairuza Balk, Noah Taylor, John Fedevich, Mark Kozelek, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Liz Stauber, Jimmy Fallon

Director Cameron Crowe caused a furore in 1996 with the film ‘Jerry Maguire’, with which he immediately established his name in Hollywood. ‘Jerry Maguire’ was not only a crowd favorite at the box office, the press also loved it. The film was good for many nominations, including three Golden Globes and no fewer than five Oscars (in the end it was the actors, Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding Jr., who took home the prizes). For four years, he kept movie buffs waiting for his new film. When ‘Almost Famous’ finally came out, it turned out that Crowe hadn’t forgotten the trick yet. He even won an Oscar in 2001 for the best original script for this film.

‘Almost Famous’ looks back on the world of rock ‘n roll in the early 1970s. 15-year-old William Miller, an extraordinarily early high school student from San Diego, gets the chance to spend a few weeks with his favorite band Stillwater. He is also allowed to write an article about them for the leading music magazine Rolling Stone. His ‘mentor’ and journalism idol Lester Bangs gives him some wise advice: ‘You can never really be friends with rock stars’. But that’s exactly what happens when William gets swept up in the typical lifestyle that befits rock stars. He especially looks up to guitarist Russell Hammond. In addition, he falls in love with one of the groupies of the band, Penny Lane, who has a crush on Russell herself. Meanwhile, Williams’ mother is busy tracing her son at home because she doesn’t quite trust those rockers with her child after all. She calls all the hotels with the clear message: please don’t use drugs.

The film is loosely based on director Crowe’s own childhood. He also started out as a music journalist and toured in the early 1970s with Yes, The Allman Brothers Band and The Eagles. These autobiographical elements make this road movie, which can also be described as a coming of age or music film, extra lively. You can perfectly imagine how a young Cameron Crowe changed in the same way as main character William from slightly shy little man to a seasoned pop journalist.

What also makes the film very nice is the fact that it offers the viewer a nostalgic look at the music world of the seventies. The soundtrack, with typical seventies artists such as Led Zeppelin, The Who and Lynyrd Skynyrd, contributes to the powerful atmosphere of the film. The film also has the necessary one-liners and interesting dialogues. Very comical is the comment of one of the band members: “If you think that Mick Jagger will still be doing the whole rock star thing at age fifty, well, then, you are sorely, sorely mistaken.”

‘Almost Famous’ also has some memorable characters. Debutant Patrick Fugit plays William in such a natural way that you immediately like him, which he also does in the rest of the film. Kate Hudson glows and sparkles like groupie Penny Lane. Oscar winner Frances McDormand (“Fargo”) was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her contribution. As Williams’ mother, she portrays a mother who must find a balance between protecting her children and giving them as much freedom as possible. Billy Crudup puts in a solid performance as rock star Russell Hammond. Finally, the always flamboyant and reliable Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs. Brilliant is his speech about the benefits of ‘not being cool’.

Everyone knows that the 1970s are more than the standard afro hairstyles, wide legs and thick-soled shoes. But try to translate that atmosphere into a fascinating and balanced film without falling into those clichés. And that’s exactly what Cameron Crowe managed to do. Highly recommended.