Not Fade Away (2012)

[Frayed Knot]

Written & directed by David Chase (The Sopranos)

New Jersey teen from the early 1960s sees Rock & Roll as his salvation.
Occasional hi-jinx ensue

[Edgy MD]

> Eddie and the Cruisers?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It was okay. I'm kind of disappointed because I wanted to like it more, but it was really kind of dull where it ought to have been kind of exciting. The soundtrack was great. The movie could have ended when they drove away from Jersey, the whole ending, and sister-narrator conceit, and the Stones-on-the-train, were all probably unnecessary.

I had lots of issues with That Thing You Do! but that movie at least conveyed the excitement of teens playing rock n roll. Of course you should go to film school. Your whole band doesn't give a shit! Why should we root for another outcome?

I saw where the flick and music was produced in part by Steve Van Zandt (of course! Tony Soprano stars!). Springsteen would never have put up with such a lazy band.

[Frayed Knot]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: It was okay. I'm kind of disappointed because I wanted to like it more, but it was really kind of dull where it ought to have been kind of exciting. The soundtrack was great. The movie could have ended when they drove away from Jersey, the whole ending, and sister-narrator conceit, and the Stones-on-the-train, were all probably unnecessary.

Yeah, that's pretty much where I'm at too, expecting a bit more from the Sopranos trio of Chase, Gandolfini, & Van Zandt.
A bit choppy and, at times, heavy-handed with the direction; a bit too obvious at others with the stereotypes (I hate that my dad's an ad exec so I'm going to run off to Greenwhich Village cuz that's where it's at).

[Edgy MD]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Springsteen would never have put up with such a lazy band.

Neither would Eddie Wilson!

[Frayed Knot]

I never saw E&tC so I've got no basis for comparison.

[Edgy MD]

It's a definite miss. But a gloriously stupid miss. Same period and same themes as this one, though.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

This flick was very different than 'Eddie' at least as I recall that one.

You know what? Chase could have stuck to his strengths and made NFA a weekly HBO drama. It would give him more space to develop the stuff he just zoomed through in the movie (I mean, it was always Thanksgiving). The transition from drummer to singer could have been Season 1 by itself. Season 4 is Hollywood.

[Edgy MD]

I gave this a college try and found it boring and maudlin (and to read ahead about what I missed, it only got moreso). Behind both That Thing You Do and, yes, even Eddie & the Cruisers among films with similar themes and time periods, even if very different tones.

What an indictment of a generation, if only accidentally --- lazy sons of hardworking fathers, sproting big dreams and belief that their vision is superior, but no sustained gumption to pursue success and so instead hope to position themselves to maybe be handed opportunities.