“Almost Famous” Review
Penny Lane (Left) and William Miller join the world of rock in “Almost Famous,” the essential film about finding yourself in a world of endless possibility.
Few films hit me as hard as “Almost Famous.” It seems like every element of this film was tailor-made just for my enjoyment and writer/director Cameron Crowe does just that by drawing from his past experiences to make one of my all-time favorite films and a film I’m proud came out in 2000, the year of my birth.
In 1973, the Vietnam War ended, The Beatles broke up and Nixon’s Watergate cover-up was exposed with rock and roll as we know it being changed forever. In this world, 15-year-old William Miller (Patrick Fugit) seeks a career in journalism covering the thing he loves most, rock music, which his overprotective mother (Frances McDormand) views as the language of “drugs and promiscuous sex.” But when he’s given the opportunity to write for Rolling Stone Magazine, William travels with his favorite band, Stillwater, to report on what he sees. He gets to know the band, meets the enigmatic “band aid” Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) and discovers his place in the changing music scene.
Fugit’s wide-eyed William represents the audience being turned from onlookers into members of this lifestyle while several members of the cast try to bring out different parts of himself. To understand his character, just look around his bedroom and see his posters of Jimi Hendrix, Abraham Lincoln and Atticus Finch. His mother, a college professor who inspire’s William’s pursuit of knowledge, is brilliantly portrayed by Frances McDormand in an underrated performance that deserves a level of recognition alongside her roles in “Fargo” and “Nomadland.” While William’s mother is a kind person, her lack of understanding William’s love for music provides an overprotective atmosphere that he’s anxious to break free of.
Stillwater tries to seduce William to a life of rocking and partying, but the band’s inner turmoil threatens to destroy the tour before it even ends. Lead singer Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee) and guitarist Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup), in particular, fight over the spotlight when Russell begins to break the mold of Jeff being the frontman and Russell being “the guitarist with mystique.” And while everyone in the band seems excited to be interviewed by William, with Jeff going on about how “rock and roll can save the world” and that “the chicks are great,” Russell seems hesitant to tell William his secrets on tape. Maybe because he’s scared of becoming vulnerable in front of the world when he is such a god on the stage.
“Almost Famous” boasts a strong cast including the band, the band aids who love them and William trying to report it all.
Both Russell and rock critic/mentor Lester Bangs (Phillip Seymour Hoffmann) seem to be sought by William as a father figure (his father having died of a heart attack years ago) but Bangs really lays down wisdom to his disciple as William tries to find his way as a journalist. And when William hits a dead end while typing up the story, Hoffman delivers some of his finest dialogue when he tells William that “the only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone when you’re uncool.”
But the character of Penny Lane is what is most remembered about the film, deservedly so, to the point where Kate Hudson’s face makes up the film’s poster. While many deem her a “groupie,” she considers herself a “band aid” because of how her motivation isn’t sex, but instead a chance to be a part of the music. But when she engages in a relationship with Russell, she reveals that she’s subject to the same human desires that she thinks she’s beyond while looking for sincerity in what Lester calls “an industry of cool.” She represents the optimism of the 60s trying to stay alive in a far less hopeful time of America.
Her love of music shines throughout, especially when she tells William to “go to the record store and visit your friends” when he’s lonely. Me being more interpretive when it comes to film, I believe that she actually isn’t referring to people but instead is talking about the albums that she loves so much. Besides winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy), Hudson’s performance garnered her a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and Penny Lane is, in many ways, the most honest character in the film.
Like most of the great arts, Cameron Crowe’s Academy Award winning story is personal, having drawn much of the film’s story from when he dropped out of high school to become a Rolling Stone journalist, touring with bands like The Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers Band, the lattermost of which was the inspiration for Stillwater. But while the time spent with Stillwater is entertaining and heartfelt, the film is ultimately about William finding family in the most unexpected places as well as rekindling with his mother and his sister (Zooey Deschanel) who set William on the path of rock by giving him all of her albums including “Pet Sounds,” “Led Zeppelin II” and “Tommy.”
Everything about “Almost Famous” feels like a nostalgic dive into Crowe’s past, “Almost Famous” depicts the 1970s in a warm but accurate manner when most modern media about the decade is stereotypical. While the fashion and the cars do suck me into this world, it’s the soundtrack that makes the 1970s come alive. With songs by The Who, Simon and Garfunkel, Elton John and Led Zeppelin, who were notorious for their stinginess with the use of their songs in films at the time. Crowe’s compilation of tunes is more than something to buy on a CD after seeing the film, but instead manages to serve as another tool to tell the story.
The most famous scene in the film uses Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” to great effect. After a night of partying and acid trips, Russell rejoins the group after quitting following a blow-up with Jeff. On the bus ride to their next show, everyone is silent while the song plays. But then the band’s bassist Larry (Mark Kozelek) starts to sing, followed by Penny, Jeff and the rest of the band, except for Russell. But when that chorus comes on, Russell can no longer take it and sings along as the band heals.
Most films focusing on journalism, like “All The President’s Men,” “The Post” and “Spotlight,” focus on investigative journalism, but “Almost Famous” touches on how important William’s journalism is. Writing about music, film, books and other important pieces of culture lasts because of how much of a time capsule it is. William is doing more than writing about his favorite band, he’s providing a more three-dimensional look at musicians who are often placed on pedestals.
While a funny film, there’s a sincerity and realism that prevents me from labeling it a comedy. “Almost Famous” has some heavy moments including where the band nearly dies when their plane almost crashes and, after hearing Penny being called a groupie, William finally goes from a fly-on-the-wall to a fly-in-the-soup, calling out the band for their treatment of their biggest fan. With that said, the film’s humor is fantastic as Crowe’s poignant writing and the cast’s chemistry create a naturally lively and comedic atmosphere.
The title itself is interesting as it tributes those who helped make great music but aren’t given their due. Everyone in the film comes close to being famous but no one makes it that far. William doesn’t, Penny and the rest of the band aids don’t and even Stillwater doesn’t make it that far in the film, playing either as an opener for bands or at festivals with a few solo gigs until they are given the chance to become a story in Rolling Stone. But maybe that’s a good thing because, from the mindset of Lester Bangs, being cool and popular means that you’re just less interesting and have no sincerity.
To put it simply, “Almost Famous” is a rock and roll film. There’s fast paced moments mixed with slower, more reflective scenes to create a beautiful sum of parts, much like a great album. While music seems like an industry, it’s made up of artists and people which is what “Almost Famous” is all about.
