Rock Star (2001)

52% of critics liked it
(128 reviews)
57% of users liked it
(58,505 ratings)

Loosely inspired by the true story of the heavy metal band Judas Priest, this music industry fable from director Stephen Herek is based on a script by actor-turned-writer/director John Stockwell. Mark Wahlberg stars as Chris Cole, a wannabe rock star who works by day as a copy machine repairman and… More Loosely inspired by the true story of the heavy metal band Judas Priest, this music industry fable from director Stephen Herek is based on a script by actor-turned-writer/director John Stockwell. Mark Wahlberg stars as Chris Cole, a wannabe rock star who works by day as a copy machine repairman and by night as the lead singer of Blood Pollution, a Pennsylvania tribute band that imitates the best-selling heavy metal rockers of Steel Dragon. Although he's supported by his girlfriend Emily (Jennifer Aniston), Chris is devastated when his friends kick him out of the band he founded. His humiliation doesn't last long, however, as Chris soon learns that he's been tapped to replace the lead singer of Steel Dragon, literally becoming a rock star overnight. Chris soon has everything he's ever wanted but is disappointed to discover that being a superstar isn't everything it's cracked up to be. Rock Star was produced under two other titles, "Metal God" and "So You Want to Be a Rock Star." ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 47 min.
Directed By: Stephen Herek
Written By: John Stockwell, Callie Khouri
Genres: Drama, Musical & Performing Arts, Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 7, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Jan 22, 2002
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Critic Reviews

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
It is a nonstop cliche.
Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
The weight of what might have been hangs heavily over the proceedings.
Rex Reed, New York Observer
A grueling and pointless endurance test
J. Hoberman, Village Voice
It has a comical sense of history and seems perfectly aware that it is recounting a myth.
Robert Koehler, Variety
A movie about the gullible and pitched to the naive, Rock Star struggles to resist being as generic as its title, but is never more than just another replay of the hoary postulate that showbiz is all about rising, falling and being redeemed.
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
Generally plays itself out with the plodding, high-decibel predictability of a Steel Dragon ballad.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Not great, but moments of guilty pleasure.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
Inevitably there's a really sappy ending and musical sequence that not only left me nauseous but also felt very contrived and far-fetched to even feel happy.
Prairie Miller, WBAI Web Radio
The music is more than fine, but without the visual and narrative grittiness and edge to match, the movie ends up being more about the sound than the source.
Angie Errigo, Empire Magazine
The first half is hilarious but the second gives itself more to cautionary moralising and life lessons.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Every character becomes a cipher for a strangely reactionary morality tale.
Steven Snyder, Zertinet Movies
Just as it should be falling apart, its melodrama becomes more touching than ever, ultimately shaping a film about much more than any band and more poetic than any song on the radio.
Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
The milieu is more convincing than the story.
Andrea Chase, Killer Movie Reviews
Mark Wahlberg looks yummy in tight leather pants and that's a good thing because there's not much else to recommend . . . ROCK STAR.
Kimberley Jones, Austin Chronicle
Okay, so the plot's as fantastical and absurd as that whole, awful era, but damned if it isn't a good time.
Tom Grealis, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
Forget the storyline, just laugh (and cringe) at the period.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
A veteran of arena stage concerts, Wahlberg's obviously got the moves and the attitude, but in offstage moments where more complex characterization is needed, he flounders.
Heather Wadowski, Film Threat
Despite its flaws, screenwriters Callie Khouri and John Stockwell still manage to save Rock Star by writing a semi-entertaining script.
Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
Very watchable, owing to a pair of strong performances from its two leads, but it isn't the great film it could have been.
Margaret A. McGurk, Cincinnati Enquirer
It offers witty entertainment and an easy, tourist-level jaunt through the more absurd precincts of big-time rock 'n' roll.

Read all 21 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Manu G

Dream big. Live the life. Great Movie! Simplistic and Enjoyable. This was a very real movie of a real rock band. I think Mark and Aniston did great acting roles. The story was immensely interesting and it had a terrific ending that was just right. Very nice cast! Chris Cole was born… More
Dream big. Live the life. Great Movie! Simplistic and Enjoyable. This was a very real movie of a real rock band. I think Mark and Aniston did great acting roles. The story was immensely interesting and it had a terrific ending that was just right. Very nice cast! Chris Cole was born to rock. His longtime girlfriend Emily believes his talent could take him all the way - but Chris worships at the altar of Bobby Beers, the fiery frontman for heavy metal legends Steel Dragon. By day, Chris still lives at home with his parents and spends his days repairing copy machines. But when Chris takes the stage, fronting Pennsylvania's premiere Steel Dragon tribute band, all of that disappears. Chris Cole is Bobby Beers - mesmerizing audiences with his perfect imitation of Beers' electrifying vocals. The night his bandmates boot him out of the group, Chris is devastated until an unexpected phone call changes his life forever: He, Chris Cole, has been tapped to replace Bobby Beers as the lead singer of Steel Dragon. In an instant, Chris rockets to the dizzying heights of sudden stardom, rising from devotee to icon, from rock fan to rock god the wanna-be who got to be. So what happens when an average guy gets everything he wants and discovers it's not enough?
Conner R

It's actually a lot better than it gets credit for. It's one of Mark Wahlberg's best performances and a very captivating story from start to finish. It criticizes the hairbands of the 80s, but also show how many people they inspired and how much they meant. I love the… More
It's actually a lot better than it gets credit for. It's one of Mark Wahlberg's best performances and a very captivating story from start to finish. It criticizes the hairbands of the 80s, but also show how many people they inspired and how much they meant. I love the message of being your own person, even if trying to be someone else can make you millions of dollars and fame up the wazoo. The supporting cast in this is amazingly underrated, much like the movie itself.
Jeff "

As a diehard fan of heavy metal music, I for one saw this film, and definitely loved it. loosely based on Rob Halford leaving Judas Priest and being replaced by Tim"ripper" Owens, a fan of the band and singer for a Priest tribute band. Rockstar should appeal to metalheads… More
As a diehard fan of heavy metal music, I for one saw this film, and definitely loved it. loosely based on Rob Halford leaving Judas Priest and being replaced by Tim"ripper" Owens, a fan of the band and singer for a Priest tribute band. Rockstar should appeal to metalheads everywhere because this film simply rocks. The film has it's downs of course, it's not perfect, but it manages to entertain you with blazing metal music, and other metal hellraising shenanigans of the band in the film. The cast do a good enough job, and Mark Wahlberg is quite good as Chris Cole the lead singer of Blood Pollution a Steel Dragon Tribute band. One Day after a fight, Chris gets kicked out of the band, and receives a call from Kik Cuddy, guitar player for Steel Dragon. Steel Dragon want Chris to come to an audition because their lead singer has just been fired. Chris Cole goes to the audition and gets asked to join the band , which he accepts Neither he nor his girlfriend no what awaits them in the crazy world of heavy metal. Chris Cole rapidly becomes one of metals premier singers, and he discovers the debauchery of the life of a rockstar. Many real life musicians of the genre plays roles in this film , most notably Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society, Jeff Pilson Of Dokken and Ratt and Jason Bonham the son of the late John Bonham, phenomenal drummer of Led Zeppelin. I thought it was very cool that they had actual musicians in the film, and it added a touch of authenticity to the metal band in the film. This film may not appeal to a mainstream audience, but it will definitely appeal to musicians and metalheads. The performances are good enough, the soundtrack rocks and the film is a chaotic descent into the metalhead world. A very underrated drama. As a fan of the genre, and as a guitar player, I really do appreciate this film for what is is. Not flawless, but very good nonetheless.
Lenny M

Mark Wahlberg, a Rock Star, Marky Mark? Good Vibrations meets Heavy Metal? He is a good enough actor to pull this off, kind of using a Dirk Diggler-esque persona as the lead singer. I enjoy this movie every time I watch it but it's not exceptionally amazing, just fun .
Cassie H

Not as good as I expected but it was fairly decent.
Film C

Well its a nice little movie! Especially if your a heavey rock fan as the music in this movie is awesome! Its a nice rock hard, funny in places heart warming movie that proves dreams can come true if you try. Mark wahlburg plays a lead singer of a tribute act of the band he really… More
Well its a nice little movie! Especially if your a heavey rock fan as the music in this movie is awesome! Its a nice rock hard, funny in places heart warming movie that proves dreams can come true if you try. Mark wahlburg plays a lead singer of a tribute act of the band he really idolizes, but when he gets the chance to do his dream everything ist as he imagine and with his girlfriend (Aniston) gettting tired of his antics and the rock life their relationship is threatened!! A nice little movie and worth a watch!
Clintus M

Rockstar is not a cliché at all; it is successful on many levels. Having been a fan of the style of music being parodied here, I may have been predisposed to enjoy this movie, but it emerges as a tale of temptation and redemption beyond my expectations. Chris Cole (Wahlberg) finds… More
Rockstar is not a cliché at all; it is successful on many levels. Having been a fan of the style of music being parodied here, I may have been predisposed to enjoy this movie, but it emerges as a tale of temptation and redemption beyond my expectations. Chris Cole (Wahlberg) finds himself enjoying ?the life? he?s always dreamt of, yet it is ultimately unfulfilling, and he reaches the realization that his rockstar success doesn?t yield happiness. It?s all an illusion. This movie is a parody of 80s metal at its most narcissistic, but it has a heart that enables it to rise above the fist-pumping crowd.
Jens S

This film takes you back to the 80s, the days of hair metal and tells the story of a hard rock singer becoming the new lead of his favorite band. While the movie takes its time to introduce the tribute band he is starting with and his actual time on top of the game feels a bit rushed… More
This film takes you back to the 80s, the days of hair metal and tells the story of a hard rock singer becoming the new lead of his favorite band. While the movie takes its time to introduce the tribute band he is starting with and his actual time on top of the game feels a bit rushed in the second half, it is still always entertaining and the good scenes (like the "Once in a lifetime" montage) outweigh the stupid ones (car race, WTF?). While the plot mostly sticks to the expected stereotypes of rise to fame, sex, drugs and rock'n roll and the burden of it all on a relationship, there is surprisingly little drama and it's all wrapped up rather nicely after all. The end credits also show that the creators probably didn't take this as seriously as the movie sometimes feels. The soundtrack with the likes of Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and AC/DC makes for a nostalgic trip back to those days as well. For fans of the (music) genre: not bad at all.
Daniel P

Another one to put in the "either a really bad movie with a few good parts, or a good movie with some absolutely terrible parts" file. I have to admit, I expected to hate it, which I didn't. I set the bar low, and enjoyed it for the most part: it's fraught with… More
Another one to put in the "either a really bad movie with a few good parts, or a good movie with some absolutely terrible parts" file. I have to admit, I expected to hate it, which I didn't. I set the bar low, and enjoyed it for the most part: it's fraught with irritating melodrama and a few continuity errors (how do the fans still call him Izzy and buy his English accent on TV when he does his "I'm a regular guy..." speech - and all other concert dialogue - in his normal American-accented voice, for instance?), but it's a fun story with original "Steel Dragons" songs by 80s heavyweights including Ronnie Dio, Zakk Wylde and Sammy Hagar... not to mention Twiggy Ramirez and Desmond Child. Though the best part might be the archive footage shown over the credits, this movie delivered exactly what I expected: a pleasurable distraction with a rocking soundtrack. Two surprises: (1) Timothy Spall, who got most of the film's more sincere moments, and (2) it's based on the true story of the second lead singer of Judas Priest... in passing, the "audition a tribute band lead singer" phenomenon is truly out there: Journey replaced Steve Perry with a 5-foot-nothing Filipino kid (with wicked pipes) and Black Flag replaced their lead singer with Henry Rollins WHILE ON STAGE. It's not so far-fetched...
Craig S

Directed by: Stephen Herek Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer Aniston, Dominic West, Timothy Spall I never had an intention to really see this originally, I was never a lover of 80's metal but more of the… More
Directed by: Stephen Herek Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer Aniston, Dominic West, Timothy Spall I never had an intention to really see this originally, I was never a lover of 80's metal but more of the 00's and after hearing average reviews and watching so many amazing music based films, I threw it from my mind....until I saw it on TV one night and was not disappointed....nor was I amazed as I wish I had been. The story follows Chris aka 'Izzy' who idolizes his favorite band, Steel Dragon. It can be said that he is one of there biggest fans and he has such major respect for them that he forms a 'tribute' band, even while they are still on the scene. When a video is made of the tribute bands concert and connections get it into the hands of Steel Dragon's guitarist, Chris becomes the new front man and all his fantasies come true and he soon realizes the life of a rock star. One word to sum the film up from first glance is 'generic' and you would be spot on, there is nothing new or original about this film and every chance given, the screenwriter plays every rock cliché known to man, but what makes it a lot more enjoyable is the energy infused into the film by all and the right attitude and respect towards the music, that we forget about how formulaic it really is. What could be seen as a joke hiring Mark Wahlberg as lead (a crappy rapper boy as a rocker) actually turns out to be the best choice. He has a great charisma and energy to pull it all off and it is forgivable that he is lip syncing. I can't really rate the film any higher than a 3, I keep in mind the different elements of film making and those extra stars wouldn't be right. The film is as formulaic as they come and it certainly has all been seen before, but Rock Star has the right energy, respect and attitude to work its clichéd formula right and create an enjoyable 2 hours. Simply put, its a simplistic 'Almost Famous' that works....if only all generic films were like this.
Rachel F

Great...Mark Wahlberg is beautiful with long hair.
Emily A

This movie was kind of cute, and I liked the way it really delved into the way rock star has become like a title or role rather than a skilled profession. And the way the public or the image of the band owns the band members itself. Fame can suffocate, but I think that message comes… More
This movie was kind of cute, and I liked the way it really delved into the way rock star has become like a title or role rather than a skilled profession. And the way the public or the image of the band owns the band members itself. Fame can suffocate, but I think that message comes through better in a movie like this than from the lips of some whining celebrity. Good movie all around.
Christopher O

Based on a true story, this movie works because of the premise that many of us wish we could be in the rock and roll spotlight if for only a fleeting moment and it works because of Wahlberg. Loosely based on how Judas Priest found a replacement singer, this film is funnny and touching… More
Based on a true story, this movie works because of the premise that many of us wish we could be in the rock and roll spotlight if for only a fleeting moment and it works because of Wahlberg. Loosely based on how Judas Priest found a replacement singer, this film is funnny and touching and even Aniston is good as the supportive girlfriend. Mark Wahlberg is a better actor than given credit for and this movie is a shining example.
Nay Nay B

A bad example of the "average person's dream come true" plot.
Sarah B

Images of Spinal Tap kept coming to me and ruining it. Mark Wahlberg really can't act, not in this anyway.
Marion R

This is the kind of film you watch on accident. It's on tv and you happen to catch it, but since your so hung over from the night before you don't bother to change it.
Adam M

A decent look at someones dreams becoming reality, as a singer in a tribute band of his heroes is picked to become their new singer.Chris Cole is a talented vocalist and takes his role in his Steel Dragons tribute band very seriously.Up to the point where he is thrown out of the… More
A decent look at someones dreams becoming reality, as a singer in a tribute band of his heroes is picked to become their new singer.Chris Cole is a talented vocalist and takes his role in his Steel Dragons tribute band very seriously.Up to the point where he is thrown out of the band.He's devestated,until a member of Steel Dragons phones his house and asks him to try out as their new singer.He accepts and gets the job and is soon touring the world and living the life of a rock star.But with his long time manager/girlfiend stuck on the road and wanting to lead her own life,Chris has to decide what he really wants and how important his new lifestyle really is.This has some good moments where we see Chris performing with the band and really enjoying it,along with his obvious love for his girlfriend,played by Jennifer Aniston.A good performance by Mark Wahlberg as Chris Cole,an appearance from guitar daddy Zakk Wylde and a good film.
Lee K

mark wahlberg is one of my top 5 actors of all time. I loved this movie and i watch it all the time and never get sick of it. Make sure you watch some of the featurettes one containing one of the steel dragon rehearsals has them air jamming to marky mark and the funky bunch totally… More
mark wahlberg is one of my top 5 actors of all time. I loved this movie and i watch it all the time and never get sick of it. Make sure you watch some of the featurettes one containing one of the steel dragon rehearsals has them air jamming to marky mark and the funky bunch totally hilarious
Sarah P

A movie that's not great, but you still enjoy watching. It's very unbelievale, but that's probably why its compelling.
Patrick D

Not terrible, I really actually liked it.