Finally rented Almost Famous and let me tell you, it's no Say Anything. While I was charmed by the story of the kid befriending Lester Bangs and going on the road with "Stillwater" (Allman Brothers), that tale is told to better effect in the "making of the film" segment on the DVD.

It's so hard to portray the beauty of rock music on film without resorting to cliches, and unfortunately this movie resorts and resorts: embarrassing concert scenes where everyone in the audience is swaying and pumping fists and waving their arms in the air....for the opening act! And the pretend Allman Bros playing wretched music penned by Nancy Wilson. And that scene on the bus where everyone happens to know the lyrics to "Tiny Dancer" ...

The airplane almost-crash scene was cheap--and neither funny nor touching in its effort to be both. I dunno, I never warmed up to anyone in the movie, although Fairuza Balk was great as Sapphire. She embodied that low-slung, hiphugger walking bangs-wearing groupie spirit--she should have played Penny Lane.

And so to bed.