A wasted opportunity

Rating: 3/10 (2 September 2012)

The real story of the departure of long time Judas Priest singer Rob Halford along with his coming out and the hiring of Judas Priest tribute band singer Tim "Ripper" Owens inspired this movie. Mark Wahlberg is Chris Cole, the lead singer in a tribute band to his idols, British metal group Steel Dragon, and after a violent argument with his bandmates during a gig is kicked out only to be invited several days later to audition for Steel Dragon's lead singer job. He lands the job and goes on tour with his new band and girlfriend. The movie starts out well and Mark Wahlberg does a reasonable job of playing an 80's metal front man but the story just isn't there. He sleeps with a few groupies, has a few beers, and sniffs some drugs but it's also contrived to give a cute little ending where he leaves the band after pulling a guy out of a concert audience who happens to be a better singer than him. He then proceeds to cut his hair and go play small shows at coffee houses with his integrity intact. Bleh.