Experience it. Enjoy it. Just don’t fall for it.|Sep. 15, 2000|United States|122 Min.|R
Genre: Drama;Music
Description: In 1969, young prodigy William Miller struggles to find his place. His life becomes more complicated when he discovers that his widowed college-professor mother, Elaine, has misled him about his age, claiming he is twelve when he is actually eleven. Elaine started him in the first grade at five and had him skip the fifth grade. Elaine’s strict rules against rock music and her disdain for pop culture negatively affect her children. Her rigidity pushes William’s 18-year-old sister, Anita, to move to San Francisco and become a flight attendant.
By 1973, 15-year-old William, inspired by Anita’s hidden collection of rock albums, dreams of becoming a rock journalist. He writes freelance articles for underground newspapers in San Diego. Impressed by William’s talent, renowned rock journalist Lester Bangs offers him a $35 assignment to review a Black Sabbath concert. William gains access backstage after flattering the opening band, Stillwater. He befriends the band’s lead guitarist, Russell Hammond, and a seasoned groupie named Penny Lane, who takes William under her wing. Penny insists she and her friends are “band aids,” a term she coined to describe female fans who are more passionate about the music than the rock stars themselves.
Later, Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres hires William to write a feature on Stillwater, sending him on tour with the band. William interviews the band members, but Russell repeatedly avoids him. Tensions between Russell and lead singer Jeff Bebe grow, especially after the band’s first promotional T-shirt features Russell prominently while placing the rest of the band in the shadows. Although the band jokingly refers to William as “the enemy” due to his role as a journalist, he gradually loses objectivity as he becomes deeply involved in their inner circle.
Cast director: Cameron Crowe
Cast actor: Patrick Fugit, Billy Crudup, Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand, Jason Lee, Zooey Deschanel, Michael Angarano, Anna Paquin, Fairuza Balk, Noah Taylor
Original name: Almost Famous