Based upon the complex and compelling novel of the same name, this film is more or less faithful to the original book's narrative.
Some of more interesting themes include the impact of childhood emotional abuse, which the two main characters, Daisy and Billy Dunne, share. From that resulting anger and desperation Billy and Daisy both develop drug-fueled personas that give them the rock-n-roll "it" factor as well as an intransigent addiction to always being the center of attention, the one in control. "I am the fire" Daisy replies when her manager suggests adding pyrotechnics to their tour.
As they duke out who actually is the center of control and attention in the band, Daisy and Billy Dunne inconveniently fall in love. Inconvenient because Billy is in love with his wife, who is the basis of his hard-won, painfully maintained daily sobriety.
The denouement is touching and is resonant of true love.
What is missing for me, who actually lived through the 70's, is the total lack of social consciousness in these songs. True by the 1980's, the 1970's was close enough to the change-the-world 1960's that a rock band totally focused on love songs feels really unlikely. A small nit really. While I didnt find a top of the chart energy in any one individual song, I enjoyed the music as a whole, and also the subtle way the same song's performance shifted with the characters development and the films narrative. It takes an outstanding director to achieve that reflection of the story revealed in song. Also loved, loved, loved how the Daisy character was intent on being her own muse, shining her own star, and willing to fight for her well-deserved time in the spotlight. One imagines The King would be incredibly proud of his grand daughter. Robust and sensitive acting throughout. Authentic and searing.
Some of more interesting themes include the impact of childhood emotional abuse, which the two main characters, Daisy and Billy Dunne, share. From that resulting anger and desperation Billy and Daisy both develop drug-fueled personas that give them the rock-n-roll "it" factor as well as an intransigent addiction to always being the center of attention, the one in control. "I am the fire" Daisy replies when her manager suggests adding pyrotechnics to their tour.
As they duke out who actually is the center of control and attention in the band, Daisy and Billy Dunne inconveniently fall in love. Inconvenient because Billy is in love with his wife, who is the basis of his hard-won, painfully maintained daily sobriety.
The denouement is touching and is resonant of true love.
What is missing for me, who actually lived through the 70's, is the total lack of social consciousness in these songs. True by the 1980's, the 1970's was close enough to the change-the-world 1960's that a rock band totally focused on love songs feels really unlikely. A small nit really. While I didnt find a top of the chart energy in any one individual song, I enjoyed the music as a whole, and also the subtle way the same song's performance shifted with the characters development and the films narrative. It takes an outstanding director to achieve that reflection of the story revealed in song. Also loved, loved, loved how the Daisy character was intent on being her own muse, shining her own star, and willing to fight for her well-deserved time in the spotlight. One imagines The King would be incredibly proud of his grand daughter. Robust and sensitive acting throughout. Authentic and searing.