Rating: 
Summary: The Best Film of 2000
Review: There were some great films last year, but this one for me took the cake. It just encompassed everything - romance, fun, adventure, drama, comedy, passion, love, heart and soul. It was FABULOUS! And the music - it'll blow you away! Rent it, see it, buy it, enjoy it! It is definately a classic treasure.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Movie!
Review: I wanted desperately to see this movie in the theaters, but with two small children at home, it was impossible. Thank goodness it came out on videotape! I am a huge Cameron Crowe fan ("Say Anything" is my favorite), and I was not disappointed in this film. The acting by Fugit, Hudson, Crudup, and McDormand were excellent. I keep seeing the scene between Crudup and McDormand on the phone, and I have to smile. Billy Crudup was the epitome of a rock singer in the 70's; I couldn't have cast his role any better. Kate Hudson was wonderful as the band's groupie. The music in the film was fantastic; I haven't heard some of those songs in a long time. Knowing that the film was semi-autobiographical made it all the better. Camerone Crowe did a great job with this movie. I was so happy to see that he won the Oscar for best original screenplay.If you want a great movie for a Friday night with friends, rent this one!
Rating: 
Summary: ...almost unbearable
Review: Possibly the most overrated movie of all time. I almost gave up on this one at least half a dozen times. Absolutely no character development. Kate Hudson was horrible. I laughed maybe twice. There was nothing--absolutely nothing--interesting going on in this movie at any point, on any level, with the possible exception of PSH. It's mindboggling that so many people liked this....
Rating:
Summary: disappointed
Review: I purchased the almost famous dvd because I am a fan of Fairuza Balk and she is listed in the cast, she is completely cut from this dvd and to me this is false advertising
Rating:
Summary: Cliched story? It's a freaking TRUE STORY (well, somewhat)
Review: I felt this was a great adaptation of Cameron Crowe's adventures as a journalist for Rolling Stone, powered by strong performances, especially with Jason Lee and Kate Hudson. The soundtrack, though not exactly my type, does a great job setting the mood for this classic story. This is one of the most original, touching, at times flat-out hilarious rock and roll stories ever created!
Rating:
Summary: if zero stars were a choice.......
Review: Without a doubt,by far the most overated,waste of time film I have ever seen....endless cliche, endless characters you couldn't possibly care less about, and the added insult to injury of it being 2 hours long.... See Spinal Tap instead.....superior in every conceivable way.... I wish I could have gotten comfortable enough to go to sleep through this, since dreaming would have been far more entertaining.....
Rating:
Summary: Your mom's really freaking me out!
Review: Cameron Crowe's rock 'n' roll loveletter to 70's excess hits all the right notes. The hipper-than-thou "one-star" contrarians and spiteful naysayers are just insanely jealous of the director's incredibly charmed life (I mean, c'mon...writer for Rolling Stone at 15, several acclaimed films by his early 40's, by all accounts an amiable, down-to-earth guy, married to Rock Babe Extraordinaire Nancy Wilson...he's living every American male's Peter Pan fantasy-I say more power to 'im!). "Almost Famous" joins "Dazed And Confused" as another "American Graffitti" for those of us who reached young adulthood in the mid-70's (but hated Disco!). Crowe coaxes great performances from his ensemble, with standout turns from Billy "Golden God" Cruddup, Frances McDormand and the amazing Phillip Seymour Hoffman (who edges closer to becoming a national treasure with each successive role he tackles). In short, if you know what "Dark Side Of The Moon" sounds like with clicks, pops and turntable rumble...then you'll understand exactly what this film is about!
Rating:
Summary: This Movie Is REAL good
Review: I would like to say that this movie is real good. I'm really glad I purchased this movie. The story is real good. Cameron Crowe knows how to make a movie that just makes you laugh and makes you sad. This is one of those movies that you just like to watch over and over. The acting is brilliant, Kate Hudson is perfect for this movie, Jason Lee (of mallrats fame) does a great performance. They all are good. Get this dvd!!
Rating: 
Summary: Almost Entertaining...
Review: The only character even remotely interesting was "Lester Bangs". This movie was an overfluffed self-indulgent ego trip, no one could be such a perfect child/adolescent as Cameron Crowe was supposed to be. The movie was 100% predictable and contrived. The story line was an assault on my intelligence, and the characters were totally uninspiring. Maybe this stuff seemed more interesting to everyone in 70's when they were stoned, I remember these types of people as directionless buffoons (I was ~10 at the time the movie took place). And now I am certain that with this kind of sentimental crap, the birth of Punk Rock was an inevitability. The movie did have excellent: acting, cinematography and costumes/sets, however I get really irritated when a movie is used as someones self-glorifying ego-trip. Unless you are were a teenager or a 20-something in the 70's you will probably hate this.
Rating: 
Summary: A well done film!
Review: I am quite partial to films that have a historical background, whether the main story be fiction against a historical backdrop, or totally reality-based. "Almost Famous" falls into that second category with its engaging story about a boy who is smarter than his age who is given the chance to follow his favorite band on their tour through the country, finding out that there is more to rock-and-roll than just the money and the fame. The movie has a lot to say about this particular period in our country's history, taking us back in time to a place where happiness was achieved not solely through drugs and sexual practice, but also through bringing entertainment and joy into peoples' lives through music. The movie has a lot of sparkle and comedy to it, which makes it shine like no other film of this genre since "Forrest Gump." The story is based on actual events of director Cameron Crowe's life, his interactions with a band just getting to know itself, and his own self-discovery as he becomes involved in more than he bargained for. The protagonist surrounded by all of this is William Miller, who lives with his mother and sister in San Diego. He was put in the first grade at the age of five, which makes him a senior at the age of fifteen. Without a father, his mother has become a control freak, dominating every aspect of her childrens' lives until his sister cannot take it anymore and leaves. This sets up the coming stages of William's life: he finds his sister's collection of record albums, which his mother describes as "the poetry of drugs and promiscuous sex," at which point the movie shoots ahead to his fifteenth year. His introduction to the head of "Creem" magazine leads him to new heights: he is given an assigment to write a column about Black Sabbath, leading him to meet the band Stillwater as well as Penny Lane, part of a group of girls known as the Band Aids, who are basically groupies without that particular title. At this point in the film, William's character is seen in many different lights: he's vulnerable to the many degrading aspects that come along with the rock-n-role lifestyle, yet he is completely entranced by finally getting out and into the mix of it all, especially so close to the real action. Crowe is magnificent in bringing out his childish wonderment and awe, which will serve as the higher power for the rest of the film. After receiving a call from Rolling Stone magazine, William is given the opportunity to travel across the country with the band in order to write a full-length article on them. His experiences with the band and their followers provide us with an in-depth look at the music as well as the complications and arguments that arise from its creation. The band brinks on falling apart at various points throughout the film, and it's interesting to see all of this play out onscreen. William is thrown into a mix of things he has never experienced: drugs, sex, music, parties, screaming fans, to mention a few. He never does any drugs, but his resistance to them sets him apart from the rest of the crowd, and his struggle to fit in with everyone becomes hindered. From his first interactions with Penny Lane (which, by the way, is not her real name), he develops a deep interest in her, even though the feeling is not completely mutual. Penny is involved with Russell Hammond, the member of the band most focused on by William as well as the movie, and her relationship with him goes against everything she claims that the Band Aids stand for ("Groupies sleep with rock stars because they want to be near someone famous. We're here because of the music"). And that's what the movie is really all about: showing us that people are not what they say they are, or what they appear to be. Everyone in this movie has, beneath their thin veneer, has a deeper human feeling, or something that they haven't shared right away. The band's discord is one such example of this: they have problems with Russell, who they think is taking away from their fame, and their proclamation that they care more for satisfying their fans is countered by these very arguments. Penny and Russell's relationship will reveal something much fuller about both of their characters, as they come to terms with what they have experienced and what they really want in life. William's character is the most complex out of the group. His journey from a protective mother to the wilds and thrills of the rock scene becomes an engaging trip for the audience. His devotion to writing his article soon becomes less important, trading this plot point for William's coming-of-age in the midst of a revolution in musical history. He still retains his values and moral beliefs, and he even picks up new ones along the way. Everything about this movie is fun and entertaining. It's got lots of elements at work in it: there's lots of loud music that has meaning, there's a human story behind that music, there's a little bit of romance, themes about friendship, loyalty and trust... do I need to go on? Everything here comes to life in this movie, whether it be the bright and airy attitudes embodied in the characters, or the delightful costumes and set pieces that bring the beginning of the 70's to life in vivid detail. There are bursts of comedy and deep thought that combine in bringing this era to life as well, keeping the movie entertaining and meaningful all at the same time. Crowe also employs one of the best ensemble casts of 2000. Billy Crudup plays Russell Hammond deeply and with emotion, while Kate Hudson supplies cheeriness and bright wonderment to the movie. Frances McDormand is a nicely rendered controlling mother, while Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the voice of advice for William, who is portrayed exquisitely by newcomer Patrick Fugit. This is a dynamic collection of acting talent from all arenas, bringing a diversity and nostalgia to the movie that keeps it alive and frivolous. "Almost Famous" bubbles over with the sheer joy and happiness that the era was filled with, and it succeeds in bringing that joy to life. It tells an involving story about a boy who sees more than most were ever able to, giving us a unique view of a unique group of people. Its ideas are in the right place, as are its messages and elements. I felt a great sense of exhilaration in watching this movie; it has a little magic in it for everyone to share.
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