I found a film that encapsulates two things I really love: rock music and the 1970s. Arriving in theaters in the summer of 2000, this Throwback Thursday film has become something of a classic in just 15 years, and for good reason.
Imagine you’re 14 years old. The year is 1973. One day you’re in class, the next day you’re on a tour, riding a bus across the country with an up-and-coming rock band. Almost Famous is the story of William Miller, who has this dream come true with Stillwater, a fictitious rock band. After being commissioned by writers at Rolling Stone magazine who believe he is an adult, William goes on the adventure of a lifetime with Stillwater, Penny Lane and her troupe of “Band-aids.”
This film is full of good music, great actors, sweet locations and a sad love triangle. With a rating of 7.9 on IMDb, this film is generally well-liked by its viewers. Let me see if I can’t make you fall in love with it…
“Look under your bed, it’ll set you free,” a young Zooey Deschanel tells her 11-year-old brother, William, as she’s moving out of the house. Moving out from under your mother’s strict rule, like “no rock and roll,” is easy when you’re 18. It’s not so easy when you’re 11 and your sister has hidden all of her rock and roll vinyls under your bed with a note telling you to listen to them with a candle burning to see your “entire future.”
As a montage transforms William from an 11-year-old to a 14-year-old, we get a glimpse of how those records changed this boy into a young man. The film is set into motion when this young man is asked to write an article for Creem magazine about Black Sabbath, and is shut out of the concert by a bouncer.
This is when the film starts. This is when William meets Penny Lane and her troupe who call themselves “Band-aids.” They’re not groupies because they go to concerts for the music, not the band—or so they say.
The friendship and love that becomes William and Penny is so visceral and real. They both care about each other so much, but of course she’s older and in love with Russel, the lead singer of Stillwater, and loves William like you love a puppy. William looks at her like a golden goddess (that’s actually a pun that you’ll understand when you see the film) but she just sees him as a friend. I usually don’t like this because I feel it is often overdone, but in this film it works. Because in the end, Penny Lane unconventionally brings Russell and William together as friends. She leads them to each other, and then goes off to find herself.
Speaking of finding ourselves, in a scene of complete togetherness, everyone begins to sing “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John. While singing, William looks at Penny and says “I have to go home.” After being on the road with the band, he’s an exhausted 14-year-old who just misses his mom. Penny responds by putting her hand gently in his face and pretending to make a small explosion with it. She looks at him and says, “You are home.”
For me, this is the moment in the film with the most emotion. One phrase and it just changes you as a person; it truly changes the way you look at travelling and your friends and the people you love more than anything. Because when you’re with them you remember that “you are home.”
Naturally, I haven’t even come close to telling you everything about this film. I do, however, always think it is important to give trigger warnings to people. Whether it’s something that makes you uncomfortable or something that makes you panic, you should always know what you’re in for. That being said, this film contains: sexual context, drug/alcohol use and flashing lights. Also, be aware of language.
Now that you have a general overview of this film, I hope that you will get on Netflix and watch. It changed me when I saw it; music has that power over me. If music makes you feel alive when you hear it, this may very well be the film for you. Happy watching!
Remember, you are home.
RATING: 5/5