Loved it, once I learned to ignore the plot!

Rating: Null/10 (1 August 2001)

The first time I saw this movie, I hated it. I totally didn't get the plot, Ewan McGregor (my reason for renting it in the first place) was hardly in it, and it jumped around a lot. But for some reason, I was compelled to watch it again. I'm glad I did.
There are plenty of reviews that wrote about what the movie's plot was. I'm writing to say: IGNORE THE PLOT. I mean, of course, it's obviously based on David Bowie's relationship to Anna, and also to Iggy Pop... but the characters, while bearing striking resemblance to those glam-rock icons, are "fiction". There are a million little stories to sidetrack you in this movie; my advice: go with it. Just ignore the plot, don't try to make sense of it- it's not too well-written or thought out.
But- I'm sorry- how sexy is Jonathan Rhys Meyers? He plays the lead character, a Bowie-esque rocker, whose alter-ego, Maxwell Demon, ends up consuming him. And he looks extremely sexy in tight purple velvet pants.

The actors in this movie are all great, actually- the three male leads (McGregor, Meyers, and Christian Bale) are beautiful and convincing, and Toni Collete did a great job as well. The music in this film totally blew me away- Roxy Music, Brian Eno, Lou Reed, Placebo, and some actors doing their own vocals. Of course, they dubbed over a lot of Jonathan Rhys Meyers's singing with the voice of Thom Yorke from Radiohead, but all is forgiven. :)
The movie is a rock opera of sorts, dedicated to glam rock. So don't see it if you're homophobic- there are several gay relationships portrayed, keeping with the era's sexual revolution. Don't see it if you're into plot-driven stuff, either. But if you go into this open-minded, maybe watch it twice or so... you might turn out to be one of those people that's incredibly touched and moved by this movie. I know I'm one of 'em. The images and sounds really stay with you, though, love the movie or hate it. And one more time- Jonathan Rhys Meyers is incredibly sexy and talented as Brian Slade, and he's worth watching the movie for!!!