by Yazmin Ghonaim

ALMOST FAMOUS Cameron Crowe (2000) Almost Famous, written and directed by Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire), is a coming-of-age story inspired by the director's own experiences during his early years as a music journalist. Almost Famous offers an uncomplicated narration that adheres to a teenager's drive to become independent, to develop his own identity, and to maintain objectivity as a beginning music critic. Set in San Diego in the early 1970s, Almost Famous subtly introduces the element of rock'n'roll music as a venue for freedom. Finding moral support in the lyrics of Simon & Garfunkel, 18-year-old Anita (Zooey Deschanel) rebels against her conservative mother Elaine (Frances McDormand). Deciding to leave home, she urges her younger brother William to let himself be influenced by the music of the era. Over the years, William (Patrick Fugit) develops an interest and befriends legendary music critic Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman: Flawless, Magnolia, The Talented Mr. Ripley), who asks him to cover a Black Sabbath concert for "Creem" magazine. His article earns the mature-sounding 15-year-old an assignment from Rolling Stone magazine to join the more accessible "Stillwater" band and interview lead guitarist Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup) and lead singer Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee) during their "Almost Famous" concert tour. Postponing his obligations at school and at home, William develops emotional ties with the band and with the coquettish groupie Penny Lane (Kate Hudson), and discovers the contradictions of being a subjective journalist. Almost Famous constructs its plot with effective time constraints which create suspense and establish the film's sense of humor. This is explored within the arena of William's responsibilities toward his editor (who thinks the writer he has hired over the phone is much older) and his mother (who wishes her boy is mature enough to resist peer pressure and drugs, but young enough to obey her). Both the editor and the mother, who require that William constantly check back with them and who impose deadlines (to submit the article outline or to return home), communicate with the protagonist via the phone throughout most of the film. Still, rather than interrupt the boy's tour/trip with the band, the editor/mother interludes emphasize the main character's inability to escape from duty. The comedy rises from William's efforts to be seen as a free adult --a status the band members claim to have reached-- while he struggles with his evident inexperience. Never quite reaching a dramatic point, Almost Famous maintains a comfortable level of seriousness as it explores the main character's doubts and decisions in relation to his role as "The Enemy", or the critic who "writes what he sees." Not letting his perceptions be influenced by the illusion of friendship, nor letting them deny the validity of his subjective reality, the protagonist finds freedom in those attempts that "almost" fail or "almost succeed". In this sense, Almost Famous finds a temperate --almost happy-- middle ground in its treatment of such commonly temperamental issues as sex, drugs and rock'n'roll.		DVD Music Books Search by keywords:
Outstanding Features: Acting, Production Design Almost Famous Movie Review © 2000 Cinephiles - All rights reserved Photo © 2000 Dreamworks Pictures