The Rocker Is a Success!
Rainn Wilson Pulls Off an Iffy Premise
This movie is full of surprises. Audiences cringed at the idea and it was a box office disaster because a) it looks like a School of Rock knockoff, and b) this idea had the potential to be very, very bad indeed. The title is boring, the cover art is a little alarming, and Rainn Wilson in this getup was not immediately recognizable for moderate Office fans. That said, this movie was genuinely funny, and much less ridiculous and/or gross than The Love Guru, Nacho Libre, or You Don’t Mess With the Zohan.
For Fans of The Office
As Office followers well know, Rainn Wilson routinely manages a well-rounded, believable, and hilarious portrayal of his famously dweeby character, Dwight Schrute. He plays the highs and lows of this character perfectly. Wilson is a comedian capable of nuance, which is getting more and more rare in Hollywood blockbusters.
This movie could not escape its share of low blows, of course. One of the ongoing jokes had to do with Fish’s (Wilson’s character) ability to sweat in buckets while onstage. After a show, he went to hug his bandmates, and there was a particularly nauseating “squelch” noise, leaving all three teenagers visibly (and audibly) wet.
For Fans of Superbad
Remember Jules (Emma Stone), the hottie who threw The Party, and held the interest of Seth (Jonah Hill) for the duration of the movie? She can be seen in The Rocker as the girl bassist in the band ADD. She plays a fairly predictable character, but she does well with the material and has some nice moments opposite Wilson.
Stone was also seen in The House Bunny, around the same time as The Rocker. Perhaps she will be a new frequenter of comedy.
For Fans of 30 Rock
There are at least a dozen sitcom regulars in this movie, to the point that by the end, the cameos are almost too much to bear. Half the cast of 30 Rock can be seen throughout – Jane Krakowski (Jenna on 30 Rock), Will Arnett (multiple appearances as Devon Banks), Jason Sudeikis (Floyd), and a hilarious thirty-second spot from Lonny Ross (Josh on 30 Rock).
Christina Applegate plays mother to the lead singer of the band, and is more of a main character, ending up as a love interest for Fish. Of course, Applegate has her own sitcom on ABC, Samantha Who. This was familiar territory for her, and she was able to keep up with Wilson.
And finally, there was a very funny performance from Jeff Garlin. He played Stan, the overeager brother-in-law who does little to hide his enthusiasm for Fish’s antics, even after getting him a job as a suit. Garlin has been seen on both Curb Your Enthusiasm and Arrested Development, and was of course a standout performance in the movie.
Wilson’s best line was given after Stan pitches him to his boss as a hard worker, trying to get him a job. The boss asks about Fish’s time spent unemployed and he says, deadpan, “That part of my life is over and now I am ready to work here until I die.” Classic.
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