Arkush has been on a journey with this film - based on a personal story, turned into a slapstick comedy, it flopped, he dealt with crooks, but time has been kind and the film has a cult.
It has tremendous energy, memorable music numbers, everyone is having fun. It doesn't have the heart of Rock n Roll High School - there's no equivalent of the Dey Young-PJ Soles friendship, and the central love story isn't as good. We don't get the sense Daniel Stern loves the venue the way Riff Randell loved the Ramones. The Allen Garfield part seems uneasy - like it should be smaller or bigger.
Malcolm McDowell is hilarious as is Lee Ving and the girl band. And the guy who plays Garfield's nephew. Lou Reed is fantastic.
Some very funny gags. A genuinely sense of rock n roll.
I just think more time needed to be spent on Stern's character. And give his love interest more to do.
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