Rock Of Ages: A Review

I was fortunate enough to see the stage version of 'Rock of Ages' last year in its Australian tour, and immediately fell in love with it. I had nothin' but a good time (sorry, I had to) on my seat.

Few months after that, Hollywood announced that they will be making  a film version of 'Rock of Ages', my only thought was "so soon?" and soon Tom Cruise was announced to play the washed up rocker, Stace Jaxx.

So having seen the film and both the play, I could safely say that I enjoyed both versions, but the stage more.

Anyway, much like the play, the story centers on Drew Boley and Sherrie Christian 's dreams of fame and fortune in 1987 Hollywood, and the threat on the renowned and historic The Bourbon Room due to a campaign to clean up the city by the city's mayor and his wife.

The film cut out three delightful characters from the play, the German businessman, Hertz, his son Franz, and City planner (slash hippie) Regina. In the play, it was Hertz who wanted to destroy The Bourbon Room to build a business empire (he bribed the mayor to do so), a much stronger cause than what Zeta-Jones' Patricia Whitman tried to accomplish (in my opinion).

On that note, Zeta-Jones is slightly underused in this film (considering her character's significance to the entire plot, this is not that surprising), Lonny as played by Russell Brand has lost his entire significance in the play as the story's main narrator (and commentator).

Tom Cruise did Stace Jaxx justice, and surprisingly turn him into a much more sympathetic character and one to root for, instead of transferring the douchebag from the stage.

Drew and Sherrie are performed nearly verbatim from the stage, except their romance happens so much quicker on film (not until second act on stage) and part of their resolution were given to Jaxx and Constance Sack (hey I just noticed the rhyme in their names).

The film ends, in the usual happily ever after manner with Journey's Don't Stop Believing only, in this version, Jaxx is participating instead of being jailed in South America, beyond redemption. In a way, the film gives Jaxx a full arc the stage never did.

Also unfortunate is the omission of Steve Perry's Oh Sherrie (the opening is actually used, appropriately at one point in the film as part of the score) and Survivor's The Search Is Over, but the film surprisingly managed to work in the songs of Def Leppard who refused to allow their music in the play.

Much like the stage version, the film tries to give us nothing but a good time, but unfortunately, the nature of the play made the story simply works better onstage. But this film is close, very close to giving us that good time.

3/5