More a snapshot of a period than a story, but energetically enjoyable

Rating: Null/10 (18 January 2004)

Ten years to the day after glam rock star Brian Slade staged a fake assassination live at a show and then vanished from the public eye, journalist Arthur Stuart is sent to do a `where are they now' piece on him. Unable to trace the man himself, he starts to interview old friends but, while building up a full picture of the past, his own role in the story begins to come back to him despite his best efforts to forget.
When I first saw this film I was overly critical of the fact that the story was pretty thin despite a reasonable narrative potential. However I was missing the point of the film. While it does have a basic premise that is very much a glam version of Citizen Kane, this film is far more about the time and place and experiences rather than any specific story. The plot works on the idea of a fictional version of fact and it works well. It is of course exaggerated for effect but it works better for it. The 70's are before my time (or rather I was born during them) but the effect of the film is to create a lasting impression that even young audiences can buy into - although it is apparent that the film is aimed at those who were teenagers during the time; and indeed those who were seem to like this film.
The film is energetic and very enjoyable with an OTT pace and delivery. This makes it very easy to get into as it basically sucks you along. At times it seems to be trying to shock (certainly a graphic suggestion in one scene where a school boy awaits buggery could have been removed or toned down), but for the majority of the time the excessive lifestyle and ideals only help to portray the sense of time and place better. The direction is pitched to this and is flashy despite being a bit hollow; he manages to capture the glittery wonder of the time and his bias is not that bad a thing as he does show the bad side of the period (albeit in a pretty non-judgemental light). The music is even better and it is that I enjoyed the film most for!
The cast is pretty mixed and don't all succeed - mostly because the film is not a character piece or even, really, a narrative - it is more of time and place. As a result the cast mostly play wide characters or could almost be accused of doing impressions. Rhys-Meyers' Bowie-like star is good but is very much an impression. McGregor is very good and his character is good. Izzard is tremendous fun in a wide character but has too little screen time. Bale has the responsibility to fit it all together and he does pretty well considering that the film doesn't serve him as well as it could have done. That said, he still does a good job of being the everyman teenager of the time. Support from Collett, Woof and the like is good and they do well with what they have.
Overall this is not a film to come to expecting a fantastic plot, but it is one to come to for a feel of the period, energy and good music as well as a talented cast. It may be very much a matter of taste (and perhaps age) but I found it to be slick enough, interesting enough and, despite my age, easily enough identified to be enjoyable.