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.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the Greatest Films of the Year
Review: This film is amazing when you begin to think that it is basically true. This really happened to the writer/director Cameron Crowe. The characters in this film are probably the best developed ones, considering they don't say much. The majority of their development occur through silent looks. This is an amazing accomplishment in my eyes. Check out the Tiny Dancer scene on the bus, this is one of the greatest uses of music in a film since the Wise Up scene in Magnolia. This scene summaries the entire feel of the film, it's amazing. Stillwater's music is awesome and has the classic feel that it needs. Jason Lee and Billy Crudup are great in this film although they obviously try to hold back and not take for the main story.
Rating: 
Summary: Almost the worst movie I've ever seen
Review: Even though I love rock music, and I thought the soundtrack to this movie was excellent, and I thought the acting was admirable, the storyline in Almost Famous is ludicrous and boring. This was an opportunity to make a great, or at least fun, movie about the music and larger than life characters from 1970s rock and roll. Instead, it's a flop. The movie gives us an excellent soundtrack, but we learn nothing about the artists who made that music. It presents us with some interesting characters, but they are not portrayed in any depth. There is some potential in the storyline -- a 15 year old away from home for the first time touring with a rock band -- but the story we are given is boring mishmash about flunkie groupies and shallow, moronic rock stars. How anyone could have watched this movie and liked it is a complete mystery to me.
Rating:
Summary: Almost Famous is not a movie. It's a living experience.
Review: - "What do you love about music? " - " To begin with... Everything " . That's one of my favorites quotes of the film. First of all know that I consider this movie along with "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Billy Elliot" the very best of 2000. Cameron Crowe really nailed this one. Smart and realistic dialogue, mood, story, feeling, and above all real emotion... they are all here. Every single actor and actress hit the right notes. If you forgot the reason of the existence of motion pictures then watch, live and experience this amazing and magical creation.
Rating:
Summary: Gladiator = Big budget; Almost Famous = Big heart
Review: Almost Famous is a charming movie with heart and soul rarely found in today's mire of blockbusters. I found Almost Famous appealing on many different levels, and while it wasn't a tremendously funny film, I wore a snug smile continually while watching it. On one level, it's a great movie about a talented and earnest teenager commissioned by Rolling Stone Magazine to write a feature on a rock band called Stillwater (they don't know he's only fifteen, of course). His name is William Miller, and he has become liberated from the vehement values of his mother through rock music. He develops a passion for it, and his role as a young rock critic garners the attention of Rolling Stone. On the road with the band, he meets (and becomes infatuated with) Penny Lane, a groupie whose character (played by the lovely Kate Hudson) is heartbreakingly delicate. She tries to rationalize her existence and rejects the notion of being emotionally damaged by this fantasy world lacking morality. William is saddened by how Russell (Stillwater's guitarist) treats her, and helps her out in the end. William also befriends the aforementioned guitarist Russell, and their developing relationship allows them both to learn from each other. On an ancillary level, it's a movie about rock music. During William's travels with the band, the band scores with a successful record, endures battles of ego, and goes through management changes. Although Stillwater is a fictional band, the script and director's canny sense of time and the business could trick you into thinking they were real. It's about the pragmatics versus of ideals of the industry. It's about a critic's integrity, the cruelties of the biz, and more. Why this movie is so wonderful is that it's a great movie about growing up. William's exploits with the band parallel coming-of-age for most teenagers. He is a starry-eyed idealist who witnesses the broken hearts and inclemency of the real world, yet still steadfastly clutches at confidence and optimism. William is a smart kid, and his character is very well-acted with the right amounts of naiveté and youthful exuberance to add credence to his role. Great, great movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Almost Half-Decent
Review: I can't say that this movie is terrible, but I really don't get how everyone is so enamored by it. It was extremely boring, it didn't go anywhere, and it seemed to drag on and on. It really suffers from the same problem that "Jerry Maguire" had: it doesn't know if it's supposed to be comedy or a love story, and it falls completely flat. The bus scene was embarrassing to watch.
Rating:
Summary: Almost Oscar
Review: This movie was incredible, there wasn't a thing about it that I didn't like. What I enjoyed most was the use of music to emphasize what was happening in the film. In almost every scene there was a different piece of music in the background, or foreground to set the mood. Music is a large part of our lives, and its ability to take us back to specific times and places is amazing, and this movie will do that for the viewer.
Rating: 
Summary: It's pretty good, well worth seeing, BUT THAT'S IT!
Review: What the hell are all these people going on and on about? I won't recap the specs for AF except to add that's it's the most OVERRATED movie I have seen in recent memory. I'm not a teenager either, I'm a 70's kid, so I totally get the references in the movie. It's not a bad movie by any means, but it's not an "all time classic" either. It's worth your time because Crowe is a good storyteller, just ignore the silly hype from the VH-1 crowd or you're be disappointed. Overblown hype kills anything eventually.
Rating:
Summary: The first accurate portrayal of the 1970s and its generation
Review: The media has done an effective job of convincing the world that nothing existed between the Baby-Boomer generation and Generation-X, between the 1960s and the 1980s. However, there was indeed another generation in-between, that is quite different from those who came before and those who came after. While the Baby-Boomers were (and still are) primarily concerned with ideology and rebelling against their parents, the generation that came of age in the 1970s was primarily concerned with art - especially rock music - and spirituality. Cameron Crowe is the first person from this generation to create an accurate portrayal of the 1970s and our generation. How far off most previous depictions have been, is easily demonstrated by the media equating the 70s and .... disco ! Disco didn't start until the 1970s were OVER. All the characters in the film, from William Miller and Penny Lane, down through the Zeppelin fan to the partygoers in Topeka, are all amazing accurate and correspond closely to people who I knew at the time. All the locations in the film, particularly backstage at the San Diego Sports Arena and at the Continental Hyatt on the Sunset Strip, were also amazingly accurate - not only in terms of the look and feel , but also in terms of what went on there - as I was there, in both locations, during the 70s. (The scenes were really shot on location, with current furnishings replaced by what used to be there in 1973.) And, furthermore, all the dialogue was precisely the way we talked in the 70s, as well as what we would talk about. And, lastly, the music was really what we listened to. You couldn't avoid hearing Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Neil Young and The Who, among many others. All this amazing accuracy is made possible by the film being an autobiography. The claims that it is "only semi-autobiographical", seem on close examination to be mainly for legal purposes, like the disclaimer at the end that all the characters are fictional, when in fact I've met personally more than one of the well-known named personalities in the film. What is remarkable is that Cameron was able to remember so clearly many of the tiny details, details which make the film like a time machine for those of us who "came of age" in the 1970s. It's very satisfying that now the record has been set straight, and that there is finally a true depiction of those times, that are of great significance in the lives of a generation who previously were not even acknowledged as existing! Many thanks to Cameron Crowe for putting us on the map! And please see all the other fine reviews on this page for descriptions of the excellent acting and filmmaking in this production.
Rating:
Summary: The time, the place and the music of the 70s recaptured
Review: This original screenplay won an academy award this year and I can understand why. There's a lot of heart in it as it's based on the writer/director Cameron Crowe's own experience as a teenage writer for Rolling Stone Magazine. The young Patrick Fugit is cast as William Miller, the 15-year-old reporter who, with a combination of pluck and luck manages to get an assignment to write about the fictional rock band, Stillwater. He's a true innocent and plays the role with wide-eyed wonder as he winds up traveling with the band, much to the upset of his mother, played by Frances McDormand. Billy Crudup, with his chiseled good looks plays the lead guitarist of the band and his role goes beyond the stereotype of a rock musician. And then there is the lovely Kate Hudson, who adds sparkle and sensitivity to her role as a groupie. William Seymour Hoffman also adds his talents as the writer/rock critic who the young William looks up to as his mentor. It's a great cast. The best part of this film, though, was the way the screenplay captured the time and place of the rock music scene of the 70s. Some of the music was original and some were old favorites such as "America" by Simon and Garfunkel, "Every Picture tells a Story" by Rod Stewart and :The Wind" by Cat Stevens. The details were all there -- the attitude, clothing, and youthful energy that was so much a part of the times. I couldn't help but notice though that even though drugs were talked about, there wasn't much on-screen drug use. This is to the film's credit which was, basically, about the relationships between the people as well as the music. The world that this film captures so well is long gone. The characters have grown up and the young reporter is now a successful Hollywood screenwriter. The intensity of the times have faded and we now live in a world of computers and cell phones. What a delight it was though to again feel the pulse of the 70s and hear the music once again.
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