Fun, and not as weird as it could have been

Rating: 7/10 (4 April 2017)

I wasn't sure what I was going into seeing this movie, but I was delighted at what it ended up being. Mostly.
It's a pretty straight forward exploration of creativity, fame, and to some extent mental health. It's not so much about what good music is, but rather how talent evolves, and perhaps how it's more than something inherent in one person. I especially loved their take on the idea of making popular music, and Frank's attitude towards it.
I like how they used the "creative isolation" aspect of many (real) musicians story in a fictional setting. I can't remember having seen that being done before.
All that said, the movie doesn't seem to have much ambition to be more than a fun movie about silly characters. There are touching moments and an arch to many of the characters, but other than some (kind of heavy handed) comments on talent and fame, it's mostly "just" a fun ride. I'm not saying that that's bad, but I'm sure there's material enough in the story to take it even further. Especially in developing the relationships between the characters, and the motivations (which at times weren't that believable).