Rock of Ages is a cinematic adaptation of a Broadway show, much like Shankman’s previous outing, Hairspray.  It’s set in the gaudy ‘80s and the whole film is just like the decade it’s set in: shiny, bombastic, utterly lacking in any real substance, but kind of fun anyway.

The story is simple: smalltown girl heads for the bright lights of LA, meets boy who shares her dream and falls in love.  There are inevitable complications, but everyone lives happily ever after.  The film is set around a rock club called the Bourbon.  It’s struggling and the mayor’s wife, an evangelical Christian (played with scenery-chomping gusto by Catherine Zeta-Jones), is determined to shut it down.  It’s up to eccentric rocker Stacee Jaxx to save the club and keep rock music on the strip.

Tom Cruise really steals the show as the debauched Jaxx.  Part Axl Rose, part a reprise of his Vampire Lestat, Jaxx is creepily sexy and his chemistry with the tightly laced Rolling Stone reporter trying to interview him is incredible.

It’s a shame then that there is so little chemistry between the two young leads, played by Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta.  Both have good singing voices, but their performances are shallow and unconvincing.  Even Russell Brand (who I despise) manages to shine compared to these two.  In fact, the pair are so forgettable, when looking back at the film, I barely remember any scene they were in.

Shame, because despite its completely over the top nature, this is a fun film. If, like me, you grew up in the eighties, you’ll know every song and be able to sing along. However, there are no surprises (well, maybe one involving Alec Baldwin’s character, but I won’t spoil it), nothing challenging and it finishes exactly the way you knew it would from the first scene. But you already knew that, right?

I can’t recommend it as a great piece of cinema, but as a guilty pleasure, you probably couldn’t go too far wrong with this one.

5/10

ROCK OF AGES

USA | 2012 | 123 minutes

Cast: Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Bryan Cranston, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Malin Akerman, Will Forte, Kevin Nash, Mary J. Blige

Director: Adam Shankman