A cinematic advance in an era where true cinema seems all but forgotten!

Rating: 9/10 (1 December 2000)

This film is a gem! Without a doubt the best film of the music genre of cinema. Val Kilmer delivers an astounding performance in which he almost seems to be channeling the energy of Jim Morrison. Although I am not a fan of Oliver Stone I must give credit where it is due he did a terrific job with this film. This film is what Stone is capable of when he actually knows what he is attempting to comment on. Stone does an amazing job several times throughout the film of recreating events as they actually occurred, but simultaneously realizes that ultimately for a film to possess its own vitality, a vitality beyond that of a mere representation or reflection of reality it must transcend reality and attempt to express something much deeper than what is on the surface. Stone also does an excellent job in getting stellar performances out of the rest of the cast. This is one of the few films of Meg Ryan's I've ever seen where she does a good enough job to make you really forget about her and focus on the character. The cinematography by Robert Richardson (director of photography of Platoon, Wall Street, Natural Born Killers, Born on the Fourth of July, Casino, Bringing Out the Dead, and many more) is bold and extraordinary, making it one of the most unique and distinct visual films I have ever seen. The great thing about this film is it is so much more than a behind the scenes account of a rock n' roll band. It is also very interesting in that most of the score consists of songs of the band that the story is about, and I have never seen another film that has accomplished this to the same extent. In a time when there are so few films that give first priority to the cinematic content of the film this is a refreshing masterpiece that discovers new territory. Whether or not you enjoy the film it is one of the few cinematic films of its decade, and it is also safe to say that there is no other film exactly like this one.