Almost Famous
2000
*****
Director: Cameron Crowe
Cast: Billy Crudup, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Patrick Fugit, Anna Paquin, Frances McDormand, Fairuza Balk, Noah Taylor, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Terry Chen, Jimmy Fallon
Cameron Crowe's follow-up to the box office success of Jerry Maguire is a more personal and semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story about William, an aspiring 15-year-old music journalist who goes on tour with a fictional rock band called Stillwater in 1973. Although Crowe presents a family friendly version of sex, drugs and rock n' roll, his film is irresistibly funny, charming, and poignant. He won an Academy Award for his screenplay. The soundtrack obviously rocks and the performances are excellent. Kate Hudson is incredibly sweet as a groupie called Penny Lane, Frances McDormand is hilarious as William's overprotective mother, and Philip Seymour Hoffman is terrific as his mentor.
