Tom Cruise, bare-chested in leather trousers and guy-liner.
I'll just let you think about that for a few seconds shall I?
…
need a bit longer?
…..
I know, I didn't think it would work either. Especially not when I heard he was going to be singing '80s classic soft-rock anthems.
But the thing is, it really does!
And I think it's because it's such an unexpected sight to see the usual clean-cut Cruise acting in such a racy, rock-star manner that it completely works.
The concept of the film is of a young girl who follows her dreams of heading to Hollywood in 1987 and making it big as a singer alongside all the other soft-rockers. Through a fateful mugging, she ends up working as a waitress in The Bourbon Room which had launched many a career. A relationship between Sherrie (for she has a name) and Drew (another wannabe singer) starts up, as it was always going to, and provides many a beautifully sang duet.
That bit is all lovely and sweet, but I'm 35 and a bit beyond a 'young love' story now (unless it involves Chuck Bass on the Upper East side).
After about 25 minutes the secondary storyline (and possibly the most important) starts up. Enter Stacee Jaxx, otherwise known as Mr. Mission Impossible himself. He returns to play at the bar which helped launch his career and whose owner (Alec Baldwin – I know!) is being threatened with a campaign to close it, led by Catherine Zeta Jones.
And this is where the film gets good.
Really good!
I cannot, and will not, tell anymore about the adults' escapades because it would spoil it. However, this film is way more than a sweet love story between Sherrie and Drew. It's about Tom Cruise showing he's actually a very comedic actor using an incredibly funny script, while showcasing the best songs of the era. And unlike Pierce Brosnan in Mamma Mia (because this film has come from a stage-show as MM did), this action figure doesn't let the whole film (and the fans) down by not being able to sing. He can, they all can. Especially Mary J. Blige who also makes a surprise appearance.
Rock of Ages has become my new favourite film, I've watched it three times since being sent it, and I only haven't watched it more because I lent it to a work colleague and she's not given it back yet! Hire it, buy it, download it, but watch it! It's really air-guitar rockingly good!
I was sent this DVD for the purpose of this review, my opinion is honest and unbiased.