"Global Heresy" a/k/a "Rock My World" is an odd little ($12 Million) production that was incorrectly marketed as another "Spinal Tap". I've seen "Spinal Tap" and this is no ......... But what it lacks in comedy it makes up in unpretentious charm.
You wonder what idiot determines the target audience for these productions. With Alicia Silverstone posed in tight silver pants on the poster, they tried unsuccessfully to market it to Gen X viewers; but Alicia has at best a small supporting role and never appears in the pictured outfit so it is no surprise that it did not catch on with that demographic. Peter O'Toole and Joan Plowright play the two main characters and they are unlikely to attract young viewers. Baby boomers are the audience most likely to connect with the film, despite a cast that is a mix of actors older and younger than that group. But boomers are the real rock fans and are old enough to appreciate the subtle script and the underplayed performances of O'Toole and Plowright. Too bad it was not originally marketed to that group.
The original ill-conceived title refers to the name of an American rock band whose founder has disappeared and is feared dead. Needing time to integrate his replacement (bass player Silverstone) into the group, their management company rents an English estate from the impoverished Lord and Lady Foxley where they can secretly rework their material. The couple finds out that they can make even more money by impersonating the servants. Much the same premise as "High Spirits", where O'Toole rented his haunted Irish castle to tourists.
The band members like to party but are basically likable young people and their music is actually pretty good. O'Toole's character starts out as a Lionel Barrymore type curmudgeon but eventually loosens up (big surprise). The two disparate groups learn a lot from each other and the film almost crosses the line into sappy city. Fortunately Plowright manages to hold things together with a performance that nicely grounds things and makes the whole concept seem plausible.
On the plus side the film was nicely shot and has an overall great look to it. And there is a nice bit of misdirection concerning the record company executive that you might or might not see coming-the clues are there but you might miss them.
On the minus side there is an extremely weak homage to George Roy Hill's "Funny Farm"; instead of a speeding mailman "Rock My World" has a Mini driver paperboy who terrorizes O'Toole's character. This bit is not funny the first time and is repeated on countless occasions throughout the film.
Bottom line, "Rock My World" is a good watch for boomers.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
You wonder what idiot determines the target audience for these productions. With Alicia Silverstone posed in tight silver pants on the poster, they tried unsuccessfully to market it to Gen X viewers; but Alicia has at best a small supporting role and never appears in the pictured outfit so it is no surprise that it did not catch on with that demographic. Peter O'Toole and Joan Plowright play the two main characters and they are unlikely to attract young viewers. Baby boomers are the audience most likely to connect with the film, despite a cast that is a mix of actors older and younger than that group. But boomers are the real rock fans and are old enough to appreciate the subtle script and the underplayed performances of O'Toole and Plowright. Too bad it was not originally marketed to that group.
The original ill-conceived title refers to the name of an American rock band whose founder has disappeared and is feared dead. Needing time to integrate his replacement (bass player Silverstone) into the group, their management company rents an English estate from the impoverished Lord and Lady Foxley where they can secretly rework their material. The couple finds out that they can make even more money by impersonating the servants. Much the same premise as "High Spirits", where O'Toole rented his haunted Irish castle to tourists.
The band members like to party but are basically likable young people and their music is actually pretty good. O'Toole's character starts out as a Lionel Barrymore type curmudgeon but eventually loosens up (big surprise). The two disparate groups learn a lot from each other and the film almost crosses the line into sappy city. Fortunately Plowright manages to hold things together with a performance that nicely grounds things and makes the whole concept seem plausible.
On the plus side the film was nicely shot and has an overall great look to it. And there is a nice bit of misdirection concerning the record company executive that you might or might not see coming-the clues are there but you might miss them.
On the minus side there is an extremely weak homage to George Roy Hill's "Funny Farm"; instead of a speeding mailman "Rock My World" has a Mini driver paperboy who terrorizes O'Toole's character. This bit is not funny the first time and is repeated on countless occasions throughout the film.
Bottom line, "Rock My World" is a good watch for boomers.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.