Almost Famous Movie Review 2000

Fifteen-year-old budding rock critic William Miller's (Fugit) dream comes true after he bluffs his way into a Rolling Stone writing assignment covering a rising '70s rock band on tour. This ode to the music and youth culture of that decade may lack grit, but its sympathetic treatment of young Miller's coming-of-age amid groupies, drugs, rock and roll, and a worried, undupable mother (McDormand) achieves director Crowe's ends. The film's adoration of the music's energy and emotion appear to be the headliner here, but it never outperforms its devotion to character and relationship. Delicate performances by first-timer Fugit, and by Hudson as the more-than-a-groupie groupie, plus a memorable portrayal of the wise and slightly surly critic Lester Bangs by Hoffman. Based on Crowe's own experiences.

Distribution

DreamWorks SKG, 1000 Flower St., Glendale, CA 91201, Phone: (818)695-5000, Fax: (818)695-7775, URL: http://www.dreamworks.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 202 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Period Piece: 1970s, Romantic Comedy, Rock Flicks, Buses, Road Trip, Biopics: Writers

Screenplay

Cameron Crowe

Cast

Patrick Fugit, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Frances McDormand, Jason Lee, Billy Crudup, Kate Hudson, John Fedevich, Mark Kozelek, Fairuza Balk, Bijou Phillips, Anna Paquin, Noah Taylor, Jimmy Fallon, Zooey Deschanel, Liz Stauber, Eion Bailey, Mark Pellington, Terry Chen, Peter Frampton, Zack (Zach) Ward

Cinematography

John Toll

Director

Cameron Crowe

Music

Nancy Wilson

Other

Jann Wenner

Awards

Oscars 2000: Orig. Screenplay; Golden Globes 2001: Film--Mus./Comedy, Support. Actress (Hudson); L.A. Film Critics 2000: Actor (Douglas), Support. Actress (McDormand); Broadcast Film Critics 2000: Orig. Screenplay, Support. Actress (McDormand).