This is good!.....

Rating: 7/10 (14 April 2015)

I went into this movie expecting to see a film about a band, and ended up seeing a movie about mental illness. Domhnall Gleeson ("About Time", "Unbroken") stars as a Brit who joins an American rock band touring in England, headed up by a peculiar guy (the titular character) who wears a big papier mache mask over his head (see the boxcover)- sorta looks like "Davey" of the old Lutheran "Davey & Goliath" animated series. He's a really nice and creative guy who takes Gleeson under his wing to show him the inner-workings of song-writing and overall creativity, but of course the one thing he and us are all wondering...who is that under that mask???!!
Jump ahead in the film- and they go to work in the States, and one thing leads to another- *SPOILER*- I remember thinking- either we're never going to find out who that is under the mask -OR- it will be someone really famous. I kinda feel a little ignorant now looking at all the descriptions, so it's no secret it turns out to be world-famous actor, Michael Fassbender ("Prometheus", The Counselor", the new "X-men" films).
I liked this movie because you take away from it a little more than you expected. The music is a side-issue, but again, this is a film about mental illness, and what it may add or take away from artistic endeavors. Fassbender is really good- in spite of the fact we only see his face the last 15 minutes of the film; as is Gleeson. Maggie Gyllenhaal also has a decent role as one of the other band members.