Roadie

After 20 years of lugging gear and setting up equipment for the Blue Oyster Cult, Jimmy (Ron Eldard) is unceremoniously fired and abandoned by the band members he considered to be friends. With no identity outside of his status as a roadie and no life plans, Jimmy ends up heading back home for the first time in a decade. After crashing in his old bedroom, Jimmy comes into contact with Randy (Bobby Cannavale), his high-school nemesis who happens to be married to Nikki (Jill Hennessey), an old flame he never really got over. With nothing to show for his time away from home, Jimmy begins making up stories and eventually draws Randy's ire, creating an uncomfortable situation that further messes with Jimmy's already fragile mental state.

Roadie is like a conflict between two mountain goats (I know that "bighorn sheep" would be a more scientifically correct title but "mountain goat" just sounds better): one goat represents the acting in this film, chiefly that of Eldard, and the other represents the storyline and general exposition of said storyline. The Acting Goat is an outstanding specimen. Eldard is one of my very favorite character actors, a guy who always draws my attention no matter how big or small his role in a given movie may be. (This makes him a member of the "Barry Pepper All-Stars", a list of actors I really need to write a piece about one of these days.) This is a rare leading role for Eldard and he shines brilliantly. Jimmy is easy to root for despite not really showing many qualities that usually make one likable and that is due to Eldard's ability to convey a measure of truthfulness, or perhaps relevance, to his character. The lack of purpose and the search for meaning in his life work make Jimmy an appealing protagonist in this sort of slow- paced, character-driven drama. There is also an edge of genuine desperation to Jimmy and through this trait Eldard gives real weight to a character which otherwise might have been pointless. The supporting players around Eldard are all solid as well, though none quite measure up to the work of the leading man.

The Story Goat, however, is an equally impressive beast but one that works for evil instead of good. Simply put, the events of Roadie are about as bland as you can get. It isn't what I would call "boring" necessarily and yet nothing much happens. Jimmy comes into town, Jimmy pals around with some old friends, and then Jimmy threatens to leave town once more. That's about it. The settings that Roadie inhabits are uninteresting and the dialogue within is unimpressive. As a result, the story undermines Eldard's work and leaves him virtually trapped in a dull and somewhat meaningless world that serves as a stark contrast to the appealing lead character. In the end, neither the Acting Goat nor the Story Goat really win; instead, the two tire out and settle in for a nice nap, a genuine shame considering all that this film had going for it.

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IMDb currently has this movie top listed as "Comedy". That plus its eponymous association with the 1980 B-movie classic "Roadie" starring Meat Loaf, not to mention this movie's deceptive DVD tagline ("Sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll. It was fun while it lasted") might lead you to expect... I dunno... a comedy?

It's not. If we're ok with that, then let's move on to what this movie really is.

"Roadie" (2011) is a brutally honest, sometimes bizarre but mostly lucid look at returning to an ordinary life after living on the road for 20 years. The movie doesn't focus on the rockstar life (and in fact the only references we get are a few hazy flashbacks in the beginning) but instead plants us squarely in the real world, Queens NY to be exact, where our protagonist Jimmy is forced to confront reality for perhaps the first time in his life.

The entire story occupies the space of about 24 hours from Jimmy's arrival at his estranged mother's house to his chance encounter with the old high school douchebag who coincidentally married Jimmy's high school sweetheart. The high school sweetheart herself is an amateur musician, and this (plus Jimmy's refusal to accept his failure in life) leads him to claim he's the manager for Blue Oyster Cult. The plot certainly sounds like it could be a raucous rib tickler, but the material is played straight, dramatic rather than farcical, even a bit on the disturbing/dark side.

This came as a big surprise, but once I realized how well everything was presented--the excellent and I mean EXCELLENT acting by all 3 leads plus the mother, the appropriate pace giving things time to breathe, the subtle brooding vibe of cinematography, and of course the great script with believable dialogue--I was sucked in and riveted until the very end.

This film has a slow, careful buildup to an explosive climactic scene and a thoughtful aftermath which will stick in your mind for a long time. The main question being: Whose reality is more valid, those who accept their mediocrity but hang on to dreams of a better future, or those who fall from success but hang onto dreams/fantasies of their past? If that last sentence didn't make a lotta sense, just watch the movie and you'll see what I mean.

"Roadie" has a distinctly indie vibe (as much as I hate to use that term) which means it's not glossy, snappy paced and glamorous like most Hollywood blockbusters. The style reminded me of some of Vincent Gallo's work ("Buffalo 66", "The Brown Bunny") in the same way Gallo weaves a surreal story within the confines of a very real world. If you're not familiar with Gallo, think of maybe "Leaving Las Vegas" where the main character comes from a questionable past and refuses to accept a new future.

Again, this is NOT a rock 'n' roll movie, though it does have some great classic rock tunes on the soundtrack (Blue Oyster Cult, Robin Trower, Jethro Tull, The Ramones). So don't expect Spinal Tap! "Roadie" might be closer to the excellent washed-up-musician flicks "Crazy Heart" or "Searching for an Echo".

Roadie (2011)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Decent character story of a man named Jimmy (Ron Eldard) who returns home to his mother (Lois Smith) after being fired as a roadie for Blue Oyster Cult. Even though Jimmy's only back home for one, day he strikes up a relationship with an old girlfriend (Jill Hennessy) and her husband (Bobby Cannavale) who used to pick on him back in high school. The story of a fired roadie should have made for a great movie and while there are hints of a strong story here the end result is pretty disappointing even with the great music and lead performance. The first thirty-minutes of this movie almost kills it before it can take off and I'm sure many people are going to reach this point and start to grab for the remote to turn it off but they should certainly stick with it because the film does get better during the final hour. These first thirty-minutes are rather shallow because we just see Jimmy on the phone leaving messages or cussing in front of a window with kids watching him. Once he gets home we start to see his relationship with him mother and I found this to be rather dull as well. The film finally kicks into high gear when Jimmy meets up with his ex and her husband. I thought some interesting ideas started to come out here including the lies that Jimmy is trying to give off about his life. At this point in the film you actually start to care about the guy and what's going to happen to him next. There are some very good moments between he and the husband but of course there's a downfall towards the end of film and it's quite powerful. Eldard certainly looks the part of a roadie and I thought he really did a fine job bringing this character to life even when the screenplay wasn't giving him much to work with. He certainly adds a lot of depth to the role. Both Hennessy and Cannavale are very good in their parts as is Smith, although I'd say the screenplay really doesn't spell her character out all that well. ROADIE contains some good rock tunes but there's no question that the screenplay needed a re-write. As it is, the film will appeal to fans of rock but it's doubtful to find a large audience.

You don't know me (most likely). But this guy Jimmy (Ron Eldard, in an affectingly understated performance) in "Roadie" is me. Not in every aspect of his life, certainly. But in essence.

Jimmy cherishes, and largely lives in, the past. It is an intimate history, though fraught with it's share of painful memories, that inspires intensely felt emotions of a carefree youth. And much of this joy is generated by a deep, abiding love of an intoxicating (both viscerally and literally) siren sound. It is the powerful, so often times overpowering, beautiful noise of Rock 'n Roll. It permeates not just the atmosphere, but also the soul, with it's rapturous allure.

The only problem is, ya gotta grow up. Or not. Jimmy has decided to pursue a path based on the latter. His is a personal resolution which has perpetuated an adolescent sensibility well into his '40's. And now maturation and responsibility may finally not be just be knocking on his door. They're kicking the son-of-a-bitch down.

Some of what we get with "Roadie" may be considered overly small, petty and sophomoric against the backdrop of this mostly serious character study. The grown-up and now married to each other versions of the principal high school bullies and belittlers who tormented a teenage Jimmy played by Bobby Cannavale and Jill Hennessy comprise the collective case in point. They serve their purpose in terms of the "you can leave high school, but high school never leaves you" plot device. But perhaps that function is a bit overserved here.

In the end, "Roadie" leaves us with the sense that maybe you can go home after all. And loved ones may actually be damn proud of you and what you've done with your life. Even if such sentiment is never expressly spoken.

And, ultimately, we witness touching confirmation that a son always loves his Mother. And vice versa.

Always.

I was really moved by this film , great performances from Lois Smith and Ron Eldard - like the previous reviewer wrote there is great chemistry between them and none of the performances are hackneyed or overworked , its a perfectly practical plot and it allows for the cast to put in some shining examples - the motel scene is particularly effective, as are the kitchen scenes with the Lois Smith doing some excellent pottering ! Don't know why the the reviews haven't been more glowing for this its a little gem of a film , one for reflection and not gushy or sentimental its pitch perfect , great soundtrack too even though there's no 'Reaper from the blue oyster cult

I heartily recommend you watch this with a hangover and you phone your parents and tell them how great they are!