Customer Reviews

Prey for Rock & Roll [VHS]

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

What happens when you have a dream, you go for it...and you come up short? This film is a realistic portrayal of the nitty-gritty, dark underbelly of the rock scene. Jacki (Gina Gershon) is an aging rock star with real-life problems...should she keep pursuing the dream and be a 60-year old wanna-be rock star? Or is it time to stop? The movie also shows the consequences your decisions can have on your friends. Gina Gershon give a powerhouse performance hear, even signing all the vocals, and is just flat-out spectacular.

As for the quality of the DVD...the movie appears to have been filmed digitally and the picture quality is excellent for a small-budget film such as this one. The sound is great as well. I just wish there were more extras on the making of the movie & perhaps some raw footage of Gina singing.

Beyond the fact that Gina is always ever so hot, this movie is perfect aging bio for Riot grrl and punk rockers slowly creeping into middle age. The music reminds me of L7, X, and Bikini Kill and the parts all fit on wanting to live a dream til it almost gets lost in the BS of industry. I recommend this to all you aging punkers or anyone that has always liked lori petty and gina.

Firstly, I'd just like to say that I find it pretty damn hilarious how the men who reviewed this movie call it an "exploitation of women," when this movie couldn't have been farther from the truth. If you're looking for a cheap softcore porn film or lots of nude scenes, this isn't for you.

Like sports movies, I'm tired of the less-than-realistic and cheesy rock movies. You don't always make it to the big time. In fact, you don't always catch a break and get a gig playing simply in a club. This movie is the story of one band, Clam Dandy, that did not make it. A true story, by the way, for those of you who complained about the rape and other dramatic elements.

I'm not going to bother reviewing every sequence, you'll just have to watch the movie. I liked it. Period. If Gina Gershon isn't reason enough to see this movie, here's another: she sings both the songs and plays the guitar. Now that's sexy.

Well, I really wanted to like this film. The premise is good and we need a film like this but unfortunately this one didn't do it for me. Gina is good in it - she's sassy and tough, with smartass comeback lines and cool hair but her singing was forced. In fact, the IFC documentary "Rocked! With Gina Gershon" (in which she really tours with a real band to promote PFR&R) had her singing much better and believable. The energy of the band was exciting too. As one of the reviews above noted, there is much "forced melodrama" here and cliches abound. Even her fake tattoos look fake. (If she's suppose to be a tattoo artist she wouldn't have ones that look like they were just stamped on with no style or connection to each other) What she does to Tracy's boyfriend is pretty cool though...
All in all, the actors were good but they didn't have much to work with. Too bad...

To Quote the rock band KISS, "Rock and Roll All Night, Party Every day"...if you believe that, dont watch this movie.

Put together a cast of modern B-rated female actresses (Gina Gershon, Lori Petty, Drea De Matteo and Shelly Cole) in a film about a female LA club band trying to make it big and watch this film cook.

Prey for Rock & Roll is a small indy film and draws you into the story. Based on Cheryl Lovedog's plaY, This is not a female Hard Day's Night or Spice World. This FILM is a taste of real life with its darker side. Its raw filmmaking with a driven story of success and failure mixed with death and life. This is NOT American Idol, this is real life Rock & Roll 101. This is not hype, but it does get heavy handed in spots. This R rating this film has is earned, but it is needed to move this story. You can smell the darkeness of one's soul from this movie

Now to the acting.... Gina Gershon is amazing, best since her role in Showgirls. The part of an over 40 year old rocker is taylor made for here. She sings the Cheryl Lovedog songs with so much passion and heart, you wonder when her album is coming out. And in their what happened to them department, Welcome back to filmmaking Ms Lori Petty--this is not a League of Our Own, but you blend well in this film. Drea de Matteo , i see why you won your Emmy, too bad not many in the Oscar area saw this film...you would have had one of those too!

If you are seeking a nice cute, clean rock & roll film, rent A Hard Day's Night. Help, Spice Girls or Sgt Pepper...If you want a real slice of what it means to live, breath and love what Rock & Roll is and its not so pretty underside, THIS IS YOUR MOVIE.

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

I really liked this movie. I thought the acting by the four lead women was tops, the music very good, and the atmosphere was gritty and authentic. There were so many honest moments, written with insight and humor. I almost loved it.

The problem came when just one too many tragedies occurred. It was like, rape, drug addiction, rape, car accident... geez, what next? If they hadn't messed with the character of Faith, I would have been with this movie completely, but they lost me there. Still, 7/8 of a great movie is still pretty great. If you like rock movies, or tough chick movies, then definitely check this film out!

Being someone who actually lives in LA, who used to frequent the rock clubs of Hollywood where this film is set (not Silverlake -- Argyle crosses Hollywood Blvd near Vine) and WeHo, who is friends with many musicians, straight, gay and in between, and who LOVES most expressions of rock, I love this film for its realism and passion. I wish there were more films that told it like it is instead of the plasticized fantasies than some reviewers seem to have expected.

An excellent movie, well cast, with a reasonable and easy to follow storyline. It really was reminiscent of Joan Jett's early days (in Philly)(I really expected Gershon to belt out 'I Love Rock and Roll').

It tells the story of the 'wanna be' groups playing clubs and wishing for a break. (There has to be at least 50 bands that are good that don't make it for every band - good or bad - that does and this is their story.
It deals with the gritty part of life trying to 'make it' as an artist.
-"When are you going to grow up?"
-"What do you REALLY want to be when you grow up?"
-"When are you going to get a real job?"
-"When are you going to pay the rent?"
-"How are you going to pay the rent?"
-"You spent HOW much on a d#$@ guitar?"

There are touching and tragic moments as well as some good music all presented equally well. You won't finish this movie with a smile on your face - but you'll be wrung out - as if you are the one that just finished a club set... All in all, an entertaining movie (I have to admit the 'street justice' hammered out got my applause).

For those playing the club scene, or related to anyone struggling to make it - this is a must see. For everyone else - see it, then go support your local bar band.

While I'll give Gina Gershon credit for trying to come up with a new way of telling the rock dream, I have to say that this piece of product comes up short on original ideas. I know she spent a long time getting to this realization, but more time should have been spent on writing a decent screenplay. The heroine/madonna, herion addict, lesbian couple seems played out.
The energy is there, but when you add awful lines about addiction and why these women have stayed so long in the business, not to mention that if they have been prey to to this lifestyle called Rock N Roll, I just don't buy it. Give me something to beleive in.

If you have a youngster interested in a career in rock 'n' roll, have them watch this movie to show how incredibly difficult it can be and what to expect. I enjoyed the interactions between the band members and Gina Gershon was terrific. There's nothing terribly exciting about this movie as it hits too close to reality for those musicians who don't hit the big time (which is just about all of them).