THE STORY SO FAR….
A rock star retreats to his hometown after his sophomore album flops.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
After his second album fails, famous rocker Spyder (Kevin Zegers) returns to his hometown to lick his wounds. There, he reunites with his former best friend, a fellow musician and son of a legendary punk rocker. Soon the two set off on a road trip. As they travel historic Route 66 with a new band, they find themselves confronting their past and the choices they’ve made.
A reporter is granted an exclusive interview with a former rock god (Kevin Zegers) who now lives in exile and solitude. There is some speculation about a missing album that shrouds the story, but that’s really just a red herring that begins this story of friendship and betrayal. As the principle plot unravels in the flashback, we are introduced to Zegers who is already a troubled but successful artist. He reconnects with a childhood friend (Jason Ritter) who was responsible for writing much of the material that helped Zegers achieve his stardom. Zegers needs Ritter to provide new songs, so an invitation to join the band is extended. At first wary of one another, the relationship evolves throughout and the two find their friendship again–but when you’re a damaged soul, you always hurt the ones you love. The story is set, rather improbably, as a cross country odyssey that allows for plenty of musings about music and thoughtful introspection.
The DVD comes with a behind-the-scenes featurette, music videos, outtakes, promo spots and deleted scenes. The A/V Quality is pretty sharp, but it lacks any substantial punch-up. The Dolby 5.1 track comes alive during most of the performances, but it still feels like an unbalanced mix. But, I enjoyed the movie for what it was. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: 11/08/2011
