Rock of Ages (2012) User Reviews

Enjoyable, But Not Great

[slightlymad22 · 7/10 · 2 November 2017]

Can you ring my plan to watch every Tom Cruise movie in order, I come to Rock Of Ages (2012)

Plot In A Paragraph: A small town girl and a city boy meet on the Sunset Strip, while pursuing their Hollywood dreams.q

Tom Cruise steals this movie, like with Tropic Thunder, he is not the lead, but he has the best part and he seems to be having a blast.

I love rock music, especially the rock music played here, and I love musicals, some of my favourite movies are musicals, but I don't love this one. My problem with the movie cosmos down to the two leads, Diego Boneta and Julianne Hough!! They're both gorgeous, OK singers and very, so very bland.

Catherine Zeta Jones, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand and Bryan Cranston are all fun, but the movie is also plagued by predictability. Of course the 2 leads fall in love. Of course they have heartfelt conversations while standing behind the "Hollywood" sign. Of course they break up because of a misunderstanding. Of course they're back together at the end. Some parts are fun, but overall it's a miss for me!!

Rock Of Ages grossed $38 million at the domestic box office, to end the year the 84th highest grossing movie of 2012.

Hit me with your best shot!!

[davispittman · 7/10 · 9 March 2015]

This movie is not flawless, but it is very energetic and fun. If you hate 80s music, then you might as well stop reading this now, cus from beginning to end it's 80s rock music. The sound of the songs in the musical numbers are incredible!! Very sharp and well sung by all the actors, some that I had no idea could sing! Catherine zeta jones was probably my favorite part of the whole movie! She was loads of laughs and fun. It did drag for just a bit in the middle, but it quickly picked itself back up, because the ending is one of my favorite endings in a move ever!! This flick is definitely not for the whole family, but I think the teens and adults will like it. Especially people who grew up in the 80s.

Lots of good intention but poor execution

[ethanbresnett · 6/10 · 14 May 2021]

There's a lot to love and enjoy about Rock of Ages. Like most musicals, it has a great buzz and electric feel to it. You can't help but finish this film with a big smile on your face and its a very feel good comfort experience.

The production value was also great, from the sets to the costumes, everything felt realistic and just looked cool.

Then there's the key part of any musical, the songs. You can't fault the selection, there were numerous classics which just kept on coming. Maybe a little too much.

I couldn't help but feel like there were just too many songs. There wasn't any time to take a breather and the story wasn't allowed to develop outside of the music. As a result I couldn't find myself connecting to any of the characters and I feel like there was a lot of missed opportunity to develop the plot and characters because of the amount of songs.

This wasn't the only problem with the plot... it was all over place. Was this film about Sherry, Drew, Stacee Jaxx, Patricia, Lonnie and Dennis? Who knows. There was too much sharing of the spotlight, and the constant changing of perspectives and protagonists started to give me whiplash. I think things would have benefitted from having a more obvious and clear protagonist to root for and follow, which would have given the film more drive and direction.

I also had mixed feeling about the characters. What Russell Brand was doing with his sporadic Brummie accent I'll never know. He's never been a great actor, and the accent just made everything so much worse. The two "main" characters of Sherrie and Drew were also pretty bland and I wasn't that fussed about them. Tom Cruise on the other hand, what a surprise. Easily the best thing about this film. He threw himself into this role and it massively paid off. It's worth watching for him alone.

Finally, as much as I liked the selection of songs, the singing wasn't always on point and was quite obviously auto tuned to a heavy extent for some of them. I think musical films need to start finding a better balance between casting big names to get bums on seats, but also casting actors who can sing.

Rock of Ages is definitely fun, and any musical lover will find lots to enjoy here. I did however find it to be quite messy and overcrowded with one dimensional characters and too many songs. Lots of fun, but not a great film.

Was not quite the Rock of Ages, but close

[Joshsports60 · 7/10 · 2 May 2012]

*There are no real spoilers in this review, just some minor plot details.

I had the privilege of being able to see this at an advance screening a couple of months ago. Just to let you know, I have never seen the Broadway show, so I can't compare the two.

On one hand, Tom Cruise stole the show as he always does. He plays the role of aging rocker Stacee Jaxx, tasked with saving the Bourbon Room from the villainous Patricia Whitmore's (Zeta-Jones) wrath. He has a killer voice, and he shared some great chemistry with journalist Constance Sack (Malin Akerman). I think everybody is going to love those two together.

On the other hand, the two lovebirds Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough) and Drew Boley (Diego Boneta) just did not bring a lot of chemistry. And their acting ability is so far inferior to the likes of the Cruises, Baldwins, and the Giamattis of the world. And when they are the leads, it kind of brings down the movie a little bit. The singing was great, but isn't that the standard for musicals? I would've preferred Brittany Snow be cast alongside the original Drew Constantine Maroulis. Even though I have not seen the original play live, I've seen numerous of his performances either live or on the computer.

Another critique I have is that the whole thing is a little too much. This film felt a little busy to me. I almost wish someone would have told Adam Shankman to tone it down a little because it fizzled a little towards the end.

The musical numbers in were just incredible. As someone in the younger generation, I don't believe I could appreciate the the 80s music as much as the people born in the later 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s. But, make no mistake, every single number was executed pretty well. I happened to like the performances more than Shankman's previous musical, Hairspray.

It was legitimately funny. Even if you don't like Tom Cruise personally, he kills it in every movie he's in. His scenes are the best. I was also impressed by the performances of Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, and Paul Giamatti. Even singer Mary J. Blige got involved.

This is a movie that is some big time fun. It's not for everybody, as the person sitting next to me reminded me of. But if you liked Shankman's Hairspray, then you'll probably have a place for this one in your heart too.

Kudos to Adam Shankman and Chris D'Arenzio (creater) for achieving what they wanted to accomplish.

Not Gonna Take it Anymore

[ferguson-6 · 4/10 · 17 June 2012]

Greetings again from the darkness. A few upfront disclosures are in order: I spent quite a few evenings on the Sunset Strip during the era of this story; I had no idea who Diego Boneta was and only vague name recognition of Julianne Hough when I walked in; and I never saw the hit Broadway production. These points may help explain my reaction to the movie.

The opening sequence immediately informs us that we are in for something different. Aspiring singer Sherrie Christian (Ms. Hough) is running from her backwoods Oklahoma life to the bright lights of fame offered by Hollywood. While on the bus, we get the first of an endless stream of staged karaoke routines ... "Sister Christian" (get it??). Once on Sunset Boulevard, she is quickly mugged and then comforted by Drew (Mr. Boneta), an aspiring singer and current barhop at The Bourbon, an obvious nod to such hallowed rock ground as Whisky A Go Go and Roxy.

No need to spend much time discussing plot. There is a muddled love story filled with teenager dreams and miscommunication, and a financial crisis at The Bourbon, thanks to back taxes owed by manager Dennis Dupree (Alec Baldwin), and a political backlash against the club thanks to the Mayor's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who has a not so secret need for revenge. The only way to save the club is for rock idol Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) to play a gig. The only way to save the love story is to write it out of the film all together. The political agenda is simply an excuse to add two more excruciating karaoke numbers.

What little fun there is in the movie is thanks to Cruise, Baldwin and Russell Brand, who plays Baldin's sidekick and confidant. Cruise jumps into the Jaxx role with both feet and seems to understand that a parody should be fun. Being a rock idol isn't far removed from being the biggest movie star on the planet, so Cruise blends Axl Rose and Bret Michaels to create Jaxx ... throw in a pet baboon, two He-men bodyguards, an endless train of groupies, and a dragon codpiece ... and you get Stacee Jaxx, legendary rock star.

If one is going to make a rock 'n roll movie, it either needs to be played straight (Almost Famous) or as a head-on parody (This is Spinal Tap). What it can't do is celebrate the dead zone of lameness: lame music covered by lame singers playing lame characters. No amount of star power actors can overcome material that doesn't capture the power and passion of the music. And we aren't even talking real rock n roll here ... this is glam rock, stadium rock, big hair bands. Yet, the movie still falls incredibly short of making a statement or providing insight or even entertainment.

Cruise's performance generates some laughs, as do Baldwin and Brand. However, Hough and Boneta aren't even cringe-worthy. They have no screen presence and neither belong in a rock movie. Maybe the real problem is that most of the songs in the movie have survived these 25 years because of their mediocrity ... they can easily be sung while intoxicated. Evidently that's not enough for a decent movie.

Nothing' But A Good Time!

[DJKwa · 7/10 · 24 June 2012]

While perhaps overlong, the film is packed with rocking music and a game cast that keeps the energy going and you'll be hard pressed not to be swept up in it. It's loud and over the top but it embraces its absurdity that would normally have characters breaking into song at almost any moment feel unnatural to say the least. With almost non-stop music and most characters having a moment in the spotlight through a song, Rock of Ages is a perfectly entertaining movie with a performance from Tom Cruise like no other that carries most of the film's laughs.

Noting the disappointing box office performance of the film, it can be credited to an unfocused marketing campaign that had trouble selling the film's admittedly flimsy and predictable story and not highlighting the main characters in the film, particularly as the film is driven by its two youngest stars. This would of given audiences something tangible to be attracted to. Instead it advertised through the cheesy line 'nothin' but a good time' packing it's advertisements with the stars and the music but never seeming like a 'must see' specifically considering the talent involved

Can you make the 80s boring??? The answer is yes. WARNING SPOILERS

[wendybrown2128 · 4/10 · 17 June 2012]

In 1987 I was 22. So I actually lived through this musical era. And it was a lot more fun being there in person in the 80s than sitting through this movie. First of all, there were filming glitches. In a couple of places including the bus station early in the movie there were things on screen that would not have existed in the 80s. That threw me off right away because the attention to detail of the era was lacking. But on to the acting and the music. The only real shining star of the movie was Tom Cruise. And I don't even like him. But he was fun to watch. Everyone else seemed air brushed and auto tuned. Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin were also decent. But the entire movie just didn't seem 80s enough to me. I'll put it this way. During the first hour I was debating walking out. The second hour I was checking my watch. I made it through but wish I had been more into it.

On another note, what was 80s about the strip club? The outfits, the interior....nothing said 80s to me. I feel like whoever was styling this movie either wasn't alive during the 80s or doesn't remember how everything, including outfits, looked.

Anyway, I give it a 4 for Tom Cruise. Other than that, it's 2 hours of my life gone forever.

Why do people who hate musicals watch musicals?

[sherigeoff1-139-667308 · 9/10 · 25 November 2019]

Is this a great film? No. Is this a significant piece of art? No. Is this a good time? Yes!

It's cheesy and raunchy and fun and messy and tacky...just like the era and the music. Tom Cruise does another "I can't believe he's playing this role" turn as Stacee Jax and his voice is just right for an aging rock star who is lost and looking for a sound. I wanted to smack the crap out of Paul Giamatti and that's how I was supppsed to feel.

There is some good stuff in this movie and the cameos from actual rockers make for a great drinking game. It is a musical so if people randomly bursting into song pisses you off, don't watch this. Stay in your sad little bubble.

surprisingly good

[jmcorey-503-380200 · 7/10 · 15 October 2012]

There was a lot of talk about this movie when it was being released about how sensational the singing was and it would be like High School Musical for adults. Well let me just say that I am not a fan for musical movies, but I give credit where credit is due and I was glad I watched this movie. The song list they had chosen to sing in this movie went along with the storyline and flowed throughout the movie. As for the singing, well it was spot on and delightful to listen to. Had me singing a lot of the songs with them. Each character was playing such a big role with the almost ensemble cast it seemed. Tom Cruise crushed it as the Rock Legend Stacee Jaxx it was very intriguing to see what his character would do throughout the movie. Julianne Hough was stunningly beautiful in every scene and her singing was nice as well, but it seemed she could use some better acting. Mary J. Blige was good in her role and really brought good quality to her character in the film that it made her star for her sort of little camera time. Overall I would recommend musical lovers and non-musical lovers to watch this for good entertainment and great music.

This is NOT...

[campbell-lisam · 1/10 · 16 June 2012]

This is NOT ROCK N' ROLL not even close. Cruise has very little range in his voice and his looks are ridiculous. They made GOOD 80'S rock into a sissy prissy mess of songs. If you know anything about the real songs and bands- this will disappoint you. Hough is okay in her role- nothing more nothing less. Zeta-Jones was again just okay in the role- the Twisted Sister song deserved better and louder as it's against the norm not in the norm. Blige again was okay- I've seen better from her and expected ore from her. Baldwin was good as the night club owner- again they could have done so much more. I realize they can only do so much but come on guys- this was a complete waste of time and money.

Makes me miss the 80's big time!

[littlewingsam · 9/10 · 5 January 2015]

I have no clue why I just saw this recently. Saw it on a trailer for a Star Trek DVD or something, not sure and was like, this could be bad, or it could swing the cool way. Since I LOVE all the actors in it. My husband and I bought it on VUDU. It was a fun, energetic flashback to my high school years. Man, we dressed so much cooler. There is no real ROCK and ROLL anymore. If you hate musicals, don't see it. If you are a movie, actor, geek like me or just want a a flick to put you in a great mood and make you sing Def Leopard, Journey and Extreme for days, get it! The whole cast did a great job with everything. I really like seeing Tom Cruise do these "character" parts. He is awesome. Watch it.

The Movie's a Bore but the Music (and Stacee Jaxx) Rocks

[brando647 · 7/10 · 15 January 2013]

I'm not really a fan of musicals. There are a few I've enjoyed enough to see fit as additions to my collection (e.g. ACROSS THE UNIVERSE) and I've enjoyed some of the old Rogers and Hammerstein films. As a general rule, I don't seem to find much enjoyment in movie musicals for a few reasons, most of which I'll spare you here. But there is one glaringly painful problem I have with movie musicals and ROCK THE AGES happens to suffer from it more than any other musical I've seen: the lip syncing. I hate poorly done lip-syncing and this movie is chock full of it. Right from the start, it's enough to rip me out of the movie. ROCK OF AGES is a musical that I expected to love. The cast was impressive, the music selection was amazing, and I maintain the '80s as one of my guilty pleasures. I was born in the early '80s and so the decade has a pretty special place in my mind. I was really hoping this movie would be a super fun look back at a decade of excess, bizarre fashion, and great music. When the reviews began to roll in and the word was primarily negative, I knew this wouldn't be one to catch in theaters. Instead, I waited until the eventual home video release and I'm glad I did. Based on the stage show of the same name, the movie is about a small- town girl who moves to Los Angeles in search of her big break. She finds a job waitressing at the Bourbon, an L.A. music hot spot, and finds love with an aspiring musician as the '80s and it's music come to an end.

The casting in this movie is hit and miss, with a whole lot of misses. Let's start with our leads: Diego Boneta (as Drew Boley) and Julianne Hough (as Sherrie Christian) as our small- town girl and city boy. I have no problem with movies casting unknowns, but these two did absolutely nothing for me. Hough is apparently best known for her time on TV's "Dancing with the Stars" and Boneta is a musician/actor popular in Mexico. Hough does well enough but brings absolutely nothing extra to her role (aside from a fine singing voice and some pole-dancing talent), which is a shame seeing as how she's the female lead. Boneta is just horribly miscast. Drew is supposed to be an aspiring rock star. He's supposed to embody '80s rock-and-roll and the passion of the music. Instead, he's a pretty boy that looks completely out of place. Watching him try and put on a rocker's attitude and strut around on stage, slinging a guitar, is laughable. He seems more at home in the '90s boy band parody Z Guyeezz in the later half of the movie than at any point when he's trying to be Wolfgang von Colt. The best hope is the supporting cast and, for the most part, they do a great job of saving what of the movie they can. With one exception: Alec Baldwin. Baldwin can be funny, and he has some good material here. But he just doesn't fit. He comes off as an old man trying to run with the cool young crowd, and the little singing he does is cringe-worthy.

The rest fare pretty well: Catherina Zeta-Jones, Paul Giamatti, Malin Åkerman, Russell Brand (who looks completely at home in the movie), and Mary J. Blige (one of the most talented vocal talents in the movie, for obvious reasons). The best part of the movie by far is Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx. I never would've guessed Cruise had it in him to play a rock legend, but the man is awesome. Jaxx is the best part of the movie and, if the whole movie had been focused on his character, it would've been a million times more entertaining. Cruise may be a weird dude in his personal life but the guy's got talent. Cruise is given the chance to perform songs by Bon Jovi, Guns N Roses, the Scorpions, and Def Leppard and he pulls them all off perfectly with rock star flair. Which leads me to the best part of the movie: the music. With bonus points for some creative choreography, the music is the only reason to check this movie out. Any fans of the '80s rock era will love the soundtrack to the film. I would've given the movie a lower rating but I can't help but enjoy the movie, especially when I'm not really paying attention to it. The best way to watch this movie is to let it play in the background and just enjoy the tunes.

Dire miscasting

[snodlander · 2/10 · 18 June 2012]

There's not a lot to say that's good about this movie. I understand it's a spoof, but spoofs should be funny, and I didn't laugh at all in this waste of two hours of my life.

I had problems with the casting. Alec Baldwin is totally miscast as the aging rock and roller owner of a nightclub. Every time he came into shot I was mesmerised by his shoulder-length wig. He seemed to be the sort that would kick back to some gentle jazz or Sinatra rather than heavy metal.

Tom Cruise as a younger Iggy Pop style drunk, drugged, spaced-out sex god just didn't work. He obviously had fun in the role, but sadly I didn't.

Brand's phony Scouse accent added nothing to his part, and the gay revelation between Baldwin and Brand was simply excruciating.

The love interest, two young idealistic rock and rollers made Sandy & Danny from Grease look carbolic. They were too clean. When she became a stripper, it was simply unbelievable.

But the biggest gripe I had was with the music. The fans devil-horned, dressed in leather, and partied like Satan worshippers. The band posters looked like an explosion between def leppard and kiss. So what sort of Rock and Roll songs did they belt out? I want to know what love is. Really? A fine ballad, but the sort of Rock and Roll that would cause churches to protest outside? Please. It made me embarrassed to be part of the generation that first bought those albums.

Tom Cruise in this movie is like a habanero pepper in a cheese quesadilla

[Diabolical07 · 7/10 · 13 October 2012]

I just watched this movie on cable. And, since I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing, I watched it again just to be sure. Here is my impression:

Plot: If you expect this movie to be at all gritty, dangerous, risqué, tawdry, or in any other way accurately reflect the L.A. music scene...well, you're watching the wrong movie. If you cherish your memory of the purity of 80s rock and would hate for that memory to be destroyed or tainted in any way, it would probably be best if you didn't ever see this movie.

That said, if you remember the 80s, but have since had kids or have otherwise toned down your lifestyle, and if you also secretly watch Glee and sing along to all the songs, you will probably enjoy this movie very much.

Bad: Julianne Hough and Inigo Montoya or whomever that was are the infinitely unmemorable leads in this totally predictable love story of two kids just trying to make it in L.A. Their looks, acting, chemistry, and singing are simultaneously perfectly tolerable and completely forgettable. They're supposed to be the stars, but their lack of impact makes them more like backup singers. Julianne's voice sounds about 2 RPM shy of Alvin and the Chipmunks, but is otherwise acceptable. His voice is fine, but also bland.

Catherine Zeta Jones seemed to be doing an SNL spoof of her own performance in Chicago. We know she can blow our hair back, so it was disappointing to see her mug it up so much in this part. Just in case she was required to do so by the director, I will blame him.

Inexplicable: Is Bryan Cranston contractually obligated to be in every movie that comes out this year? Because it certainly seems like it. He didn't even sing, he just appeared for a few minutes of screen time. See you in the next movie, Bryan Cranston! Alec Baldwin was meh. He didn't subtract from the movie, but he didn't add much, either.

Good: I admit I like Russell Brand. I think he has a good comedic touch, he can carry a tune, and he does both in this movie. Paul Giamatti reprises his role as Pig Vomit almost exactly. He provides the ideal dose of villain yet saves it from the abyss of being completely clichéd.

Great: Mary J. Blige had a relatively small part, but sang all of her songs with enough POW to remind the audience how real singers do it. As a result, every time she opened her mouth she inadvertently blew away the rest of the cast who'd obviously been killing themselves at voice lessons. I would now like to hear an album of "Mary J. Blige Sings 80s Power Ballads."

**spoiler**

Greatest: Let me preface this by saying that when I started reading all the sycophantic reviews about Tom Cruise's performance, I thought it was a PR conspiracy concocted by Scientology and the Hollywood machine to trick people into seeing the movie. I figured the actual performance would be cringe-inducing, laughable, pitiful. Nope. Tom Cruise went for it 125% and I daresay he just about nailed it, about 90% with the singing and the rest with his balls-out performance. It seems apparent that Tom Cruise no longer cares what we think about him, and it really works for him.

I don't know what remote self-storage unit he'd been storing his sex appeal in these last several years, but he definitely dug it out and had it professionally cleaned and tailored for this role. He's in fantastic shape and spends most of the movie half-naked. The result is very unsettlingly compelling, like you just realized your boyfriend's dad is really hot and now you just feel inappropriate every time you visit.

Also, his singing is quite decent. His rendition of "Dead or Alive" and "I want to know what love is" in the movie were legitimately listen-able.

Summary: All in all, I gave this movie 7 out of 10, but with the caveat that all 7 stars belong to Tom Cruise with an assist from Mary J. Blige. Without him, this movie has more cheese than Wisconsin and less balls than a Ken Doll. It's almost too bad that the movie's not better, because he probably won't get recognized for his performance.

Not even Tom Cruise could save this movie.

[KelseyPritchard · 20 July 2012]

I went to see "Rock Of Ages" tonight and I couldn't be more disappointed, I had been waiting for this movie for a long time and had such high hopes for it that it all just came crushing down.

I was expecting to see much more of Tom Cruise but he isn't in the movie as much as you'd think,

I was also tricked by the soundtrack songs, with the name of the movie being "Rock Of Ages" and the songs used in the soundtrack coming from bands like Guns'n'Roses, Bon Jovi, Joan Jet, Journey etc I was expecting actual ROCK music but they managed to ruin 90% of the songs in this movie. Tom Cruise did a good job in the ones he sang but that was about it.

The only two good things about this movie were Tom Cruise and Russell Brand and only them made the film bearable.

I'm not even going to go into the annoying love story which just made it seem more like a Disney movie with bad acting.

Long story short, if you're a die-hard rock'n'roll fan don't waste your money with this movie. I'd say this is more of a family movie but it it has too much mature content for kids as well so, I don't know who this would be suited for really.

"Rock Of Ages" is a cross between Disney's "Camp Rock" and a 80's rock video parody and it's awful.

Waste of my money

[tristan-803-574772 · 1/10 · 13 July 2012]

I took my wife to see this film for her birthday. The only reason I stayed was for my wife. Had an absolute awful time and film was dreadful!! Straight at the beginning when an entire bus started singing was just wrong. Continuing with a predictable story line and cheesiness... And also the boy band is just misplaced. Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin started singing together in a hairbrush.. The gay scene at the end was the last straw. I probably wouldn't even rent or download the movie. Can only advise not to see this movie I'm afraid. Sorry for the few who do seem to like the film. Thumbs down for me for this film!

Cheeeeeeesy but good music

[luongnd · 6/10 · 3 August 2021]

Aside from the music, the plot is silly as glam music can be; the characters are too shallow, as the film just brings in new characters without providing why they should be in and what the heck they are doing there. There are some cheesy love songs but also some good rocking songs too, and Tom Cruise did a good job both singing and performing them.

Worst movie ever!!

[craftychick69 · 1/10 · 17 June 2012]

Took all of 15 minutes for my husband and I to walk out on this movie. It was awful!! The cheesiness and bad singing just wasn't worth it!! I went in and gave it an honest chance and had to get out of there when Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin started singing together in a hairbrush. It almost seemed like a really bad version of a Glee episode. The music selection we heard was great, but it was very "karaoke" and I didn't care much for that. I couldn't even stay in my seat long enough to see Tom Cruise's character. Frankly, I'm not even sure I could rent this movie to see if the rest was as bad as it began. The trailer for the movie gave it a much different "feel" and it was kind of deceiving. Big thumbs down from me!!

( American C+Movie ) My Ratings 8/10

[THE-BEACON-OF-MOVIES-RAFA · 8/10 · 17 March 2020]

Yes it's true. People panned this movie. But I like a movie to entertain me. I'm totally entertained! The music is good and creative and as a child of the 80's, it's just fun!!! It's not going to be critically acclaimed but it's good fun!!

Great Kitsch. Great parody. Over the top.

[imseeg · 7/10 · 1 November 2021]

The good: Seeing Tom Cruise in his role as an arrogant rock star is to die for.

More good: this movie has got it nailed. It's the perfect parody on the terrible poprock music from the eighties.

Any bad? Well there are quite a few lesser supporting actors. This movie is over the top and although this can be fun, it sometimes does become a bit too silly to my likings.

A nightmare

[brad-399-697593 · 1/10 · 17 June 2012]

This is one of those movies that's so bad, I was compelled to warn people the next day. I created this IMDb account specifically for the purpose of preventing the pain and suffering that myself and my girlfriend experienced last night. See the other 1 star review who compared watching this movie to being in a concentration camp. At least a prisoner of war camp is character building! Painful. Torturous. NOT ironic or campy. Just horrible. My girlfriend and I feel permanently scarred from watching this horrible thing. I feel bad that there is no integer rating on this review system. Giving it one star feels like I'm misleading people into thinking there is some positive element to this travesty. I will never get back those hours, and I feel like I've taken a horrible mind-numbing drug. I'm going to read some Dostoevsky now to recover what I lost.

Brilliant, finally a musical worth watching

[springstone · 10/10 · 9 November 2012]

I feel compelled to submit a review for this movie, purely because some of the atrocious reviews I've seen contributed by others.

To give context, I grew up in the 80s and 90s, and pretty much know all the songs backwards - surprisingly... decades later. I did not grow up in LA, or the States for that matter, but I most certainly grew up with just about every song played in this movie.

I absolutely hate musicals. With a passion. So, even though my friends encouraged me to watch this movie, I resisted. Eventually I caved, and all I can say is that I absolutely loved the movie! My wife loved the movie, but in all honesty, our 10 year old thought it was OK - purely because she didn't know any of the songs.

If you love rock, and grew up with 80s rock, this movie is for you. This movie isn't called Rap of Ages or Pop of Ages or R&B of Ages or Classical Music for the Ages... it's called Rock of Ages. Reviewers posting they walked out after 15 minutes, really shouldn't contribute here. And quite frankly, you need to have a serious problem if you are analyzing the actors voices with respect to the original artists. This movie is good fun, and true to the times...

This movie is THE musical for all rockers out there! Absolutely wonderful fun for the family, with a stellar performance from the entire cast. A good couple of chuckles in there, and if you're over 35 years old... I dare you to not sing along with some of those classics. With so much rubbish coming out of Hollywood to keep the nay-sayers busy with their critical reviews, this is a refreshing change.

If rock is not your choice of music, skip this movie... but if you grew up in the 80s, you should appreciate the music, fun and experience portrayed in this movie.

This movie rocked!

Too much Glee

[Naughtia_Nah · 6/10 · 12 November 2012]

I was really excited to see this movie when I first saw the trailer. I'm a huge fan of the 80's glam rock and heavy metal, so I thought that this movie would be awesome. But when I started watching the movie I immediately got the impression that this is some kind of Glee smelling teen flick. They took all these fantastic glam rock/heavy metal songs and transformed them to something completely different. Also I was completely turned off by Julianne Hough's 'whiny' vocals, maybe she can sing but this is absolutely NOT the genre of music she should be representing.

One thing I really loved by this movie was Tom Cruise and the songs he performed. I was really impressed by his performance and his vocals.

Adam Shankman, what sort of NONSENSE Piece OF GARBAGE is this???????

[danieltay47 · 1/10 · 29 June 2012]

I don't usually hate musical shows as most of the time, they just tend to be stagnate in ratings or reviews, and I would prefer to sit on the fence on this. But for this show, no doubt it was the worst musical show I have ever seen, but it is not as horrible or disgusting as "High School Musical 3: Senior Year". That by far is the only plus side I can give to this show. I think the biggest flaw of this show is the MAGOR CRAP plot. I don't know how the director thought of this show or even come out with this idea but watching it just make me want to puke. Even the musics are horrible and lack material. i rather watch some of the old Disney movies like "Lion King or "Princess and the Frog", even those old cartoon movies have better songs than this crap. All in short, one of the worst movies of 2012 and I won't even recommend any of my friends or family members to watch this piece of garbage.

Tom Cruise is a rock-star for sure!

[aaravpanti · 7/10 · 29 November 2012]

Rock of Ages would have been just another run of the mill rock musical, if it wasn't for Tom Cruise.

Cruise plays the erratic rocker with immaculate precision. He also gets the body language, attitude and singing (he does sing a bit) right. His cockiness, conversation with Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti and pet monkey 'hey man' is simply hilarious. Known for his chocolate boy good looks, Cruise does shock you with his bad boy portrayal. Even his Kohl-ed eyes manage to arrest your attention. Cruise is awesome singing on stage my favorite Def Leppard song, 'Pour some sugar on me'. Also he was at his best while singing Bon Jovi's 'Dead or ALive'.

Go and watch this movie ONLY if you like rock music of 80's (I do!) of The Poison, Twisted Sister, Journey, Styx. And for the metamorphosis of Tom Cruise into Stacee Jaxx. At age 49, he still has the charm to seduce women. Time for me to get the soundtrack of this movie. \m/