"That 70s Movie" or ( "Rock Bottom")

Rating: 4/10 (2 July 2006)

It could be easily said that it's just an ironic coincidence that this film appeared just a year after "That 70s Show" made it's debut. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if they watched the show and took notes. When I went to see this movie,it had already been out for weeks and had less than wonderful raves but still I just "had" to check it out (and i'm not even that big of a KISS fan,my brother is but even he opted out.)
I honestly felt,as i watched this,like I'd paid full price for an extended episode of "70's Show". The lead boy might as well have been Eric Forman and the others could be Michael Kelso,Casey Kelso & Steven Hyde. The bible thumping mother who bands together with other protesting parents against the impending KISS concert,is to me a female version of Red Forman.
Just like parents and clergy back in the late 70s,adults thought that the four letters in the groups name stood for "knights in satans service" and that their whole thing with the make up was part of an evil kin of worship. The lead teen's mother discovers his tickets to the show and burns them! Now he and his friends have to jump through hoops to get into the show. These two factors make up the whole of the story.
Some things are funny,like having to deal with a younger boy in Ace make up,while the song "Popcorn" by Hot Butter plays over the scene.
When they go into a strip club and one of them tries to win money for tickets by stripping himself.
The battle between parental guidance and teen rebellion should have been played more for laughs,than in the semi-serious fashion it was. Although many families did go through this back then,for a comedy,overall,it interferes with the humor and the fun.
To sum it up in quick fashion.there were a few things I liked here;what few funny moments there were;the music;the nostalgia. Otherwise,the rock bottom idea of (allegedly) copying a TV show & the other detracting factors I've mentioned,make the film something I might only watch again,if I really was in the mood to see it once more.
(END)