The Key of Rock

Movies: Rock N' Roll High School and Get Him to the Greek

Rock N' Roll High School

Sample lyric: Fun fun rock n' roll high school/Fun fun rock n' roll high school


Although the above lyric recalls a less celebrated song that glorifies "partyin' partyin (yeah)" and "fun fun fun fun", Rock N' Roll High School, a sweetly anarchic comedy that revels in the joy of skipping class, getting to second base with your best gal, and the music of the Ramones, is the real deal. It's a true celebration of the power of music in a teenager's life, wrapped in an absurdist, genre-defying package.


The plot of Rock N' Roll High School revolves around the students of Vince Lombardi High School, specifically Riff Randall (P.J. Soles), the sweetest, most chipper rebel rocker you'll ever meet. Riff is obsessed with the Ramones and wants to share the joy of punk rock with her high school. Unfortunately, Vince Lombardi High has a new principal--humorless Miss Togar (Mary Woronov)--who is hell bent on whipping the school into shape.

This movie cracks me up because even though it's about punk rock music and causing mass mayhem (including arson) on public property, it's so darn lovable. When Riff meets the Ramones backstage at a concert, they're not shooting up or drinking heavily--they're just salivating over pizza! When the two star crossed lovebirds Katie and Tom finally get together at the end of the movie, they don't have awkward teen sex in the back of Tom's van--they just kiss! Rock N' Roll High School has the music of the late 70's, but the heart of a more innocent time. And the movie's sweetness makes the climax all the more hilarious and weird.

4 out of 5 stars

Get Him to the Greek

Sample lyric: When the world slips you a jeffrey/Stroke the furry wall


Get Him to the Greek, by contrast, is far more cynical (but just as hilarious) in its view of the music industry. Jonah Hill plays Aaron, a scout at a record company whose boss assigns him to travel to England and escort rocker Aldous Snow (Russell Brand, reprising his role from Forgetting Sarah Marshall) to New York for an appearance on the Today Show and then to the Greek Theatre in LA to perform an anniversary concert. Along the way, Aaron is forced to do drugs, have freaky sex, and undergo a number of enlightening/humiliating experiences in order to earn Aldous's trust and get him to the Greek.


First of all, I want to say that this movie is ingeniously cast. Not only are Hill and Brand perfect for their roles, the supporting actors are all unexpectedly hilarious. Sean "Puffy" Combs steals the show as Sergio, Aaron's flashy jerk of a boss, whose idea of "game changing" music is a rap song with the lyrics "I'm gonna fuck your shit/I'm gonna rock your bitch". Rose Byrne plays Aldous's ex-wife, Jackie Q, a British model and singer whose beauty and delicacy bely her filthy mouth and drug addiction. Elizabeth Moss (Peggy from Mad Men) plays Aaron's overworked doctor girlfriend. I thought her role would be one of those lame, two-dimensional "girlfriend" roles, but she and Aaron have a legitimate conflict when she's offered a residency in Seattle, forcing the couple to consider relocating. In addition, there are a number of amusing cameos sprinkled throughout the movie, from Tom Felton (Draco in the Harry Potter films) at a club in London to Paul Krugman at the Today Show. Watching Get Him to the Greek was like opening presents on Christmas--you didn't know what you were going to get next!

The film's cynicism lies in its satirical exploration of the modern music industry, where selling records is more important than artistic expression. The film opens at the video shoot for Aldous's latest single, "African Child", which pokes fun at pretentious white rockers trying to single-handedly "save" third world countries. Aldous even refers to his look in the video as a "white, African, space Christ" (Bono would approve). Get Him to the Greek accurately captures slick celebrity culture in which celebrity romances, divorces, and addictions are just as much fodder for entertainment as their music and movies are. The film also manages to get a lot of humor out of drug use, while simultaneously pointing out that drugs destroy lives and relationships. In true Judd Apatow fashion (he was one of the producers of the film), Get Him to the Greek has a sweet, moral message lying under a heap of drug and sex jokes.

I had relatively low expectations for Get Him to the Greek and I wound up being pleasantly surprised. Russell Brand may not have the widest range in the characters he plays, but he frickin' owns Aldous Snow.

4 out of 5 stars