Unfortunately, the majority of the movie, though enjoyable, lacks the subtlety demonstrated in this scene. In the lingo of "This is Spinal Tap," director Stephen Herek plays most scenes with the amps turned "up to 11."
The premise of "Rock Star" is every rock fan's dream: Chris, a regular working-class stiff, catapults to fame when he is picked to front the fictitious Steel Dragon, the band he has worshiped since his high school days.
Like the superior "Almost Famous," "Rock Star" attempts to portray not just an era of music, but more specifically, the relationship between music and fans. The twist is that the movie never tries to celebrate or glorify the actual music (since we're talking about '80s hair metal, this is probably a good idea). Rather, it focuses on the earnestness with which its fans followed it.
In an early scene, Chris and his Steel Dragon tribute band become involved in a fight with a rival tribute band. Each member of the other band is dressed, coiffed and tattooed exactly like Chris and his bandmates. The film resists the impulse to mock them; instead, it emphasizes the heartfelt devotion with which the bands strive for status as the premier Steel Dragon wannabes.
Much of the film's appeal can be attributed to the casting. Although Wahlberg's performance is not much of a stretch for the star of that other kitschy rags-to-riches tale ("Boogie Nights"), "Rock Star" relies heavily upon his sincere expression and good-natured smile. The movie also gets a jolt of energy from Aniston, whose impeccable comic timing distinguishes a typically underwritten "girlfriend" part.
With the combined wattage of Wahlberg and Aniston, the first half of "Rock Star" actually shines quite brightly. It follows the obvious storyline with a series of scenes that feel fresh and often funny, and almost trick you into believing you don't know what's approaching.
But don't be fooled by the energy of these early scenes: "Rock Star" is unabashedly formulaic, and it soon succumbs to the weight (or lack thereof) of its sentimentality. "Rock Star" has the requisite euphoric performance sequences, the lead character's moral downfall (which makes him lose the girl) and his redemption (which, of course, wins the girl back).
The movie falls apart after Chris finds success. As if it can't be troubled to portray Chris's inevitable moral decay in actual scenes, the movie shows us images of the moving tour bus with dates flashing across the screen. After three months, we are shown Emily, Chris's high school sweetheart and longtime manager, leaving him for reasons we have never actually witnessed. Sure, the reasons aren't that hard to imagine, but glossing over them entirely leads to a somewhat hollow effect.
Herein lies the essential problem of "Rock Star": it fails to follow the proverb of showing, not telling. In a scene where Chris attempts to write his own material for Steel Dragon, he is told flat-out by the guitarist that his job is only to perform, and to stay out of the creative process. One is left wondering if the point couldn't have been made in a more delicate manner.
The movie's tag line, "a wannabe who got to be," indicates that the story is meant to be taken as wish-fulfillment fantasy. But as zero-to-hero films from "Rocky" to "That Thing You Do!" demonstrate, even fantasies require at least a certain degree of credibility to be effective.