Prey For Rock & Roll Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
Prey For Rock & Roll is the story of Jacki and her all-girl rock and roll band, Clam Dandy, who are trying to make it in the LA club scene of the late 1980's. After ten years of being ignored by record producers, Jacki and the band find hope in one producer who promises to see them play and consider them for a contract. Jacki resolves to play this one last gig and then throw in the towel if she does not find success. Personal tragedies, however, threaten to rip the band apart, rocking the foundation of friendship and trust the women have built together. Ultimately, the band must find its strength in the music that is their passion and the thread that holds them together, inspiring them to prevail.
| Gina Gershon | Jacki |
| Drea de Matteo | Tracy |
| Lori Petty | Faith |
| Shelly Cole | Sally |
| Marc Blucas | Animal |
| Ivan Martin | Nick |
| Eddie Driscoll | Chuck |
| Ashley Drane | Punk Rock Girl |
| Shakara Ledard | Jessica |
| Terri Laird | Herself |
| Sandra Seacat | Jacki's Mom |
| Nancy Pimental | Natalie |
| Greg Rikaart | Scott |
| Francois Harold | Johnny |
| Joannah Portman | Sorority Girl #1 |
| Alex Steyermark |
6.00 out of 10 (786 votes)
Visitor Reviews
as offensive as they come (and lazy filmmaking to boot)
posted on 28 Apr 2009It's very clear to me why the Outfest programmers chose to screen this film after the awards ceremony (so the viewers didn't get a chance to show their displeasure) and without a Q/A with the filmmakers afterwards (where I and the vast majority of others in attendance certainly would have voiced our displeasure): shame that they included it in a queer film festival at all.In 2003 there is NO excuse for films in which the only homo characters are either raped or killed, 2/3 of the queer women characters speak of childhood abuse (because of COURSE no one would be a dyke unless "men did us wrong") and the bisexual character ends up with a man in the end.Sloppy, misogynist filmmaking. Shame on the filmmakers.
If you like the music, you'll like the movie.
posted on 12 Apr 2009The music seems to be the dividing line for this movie. So if in the first say 15 minutes your not into the movie, pop it out, take it back, lie and say it wouldn't work and rent something else. Now if you have decided that you like the music and or want to see something a little out of the norm then your time will not been wasted. I found everything to ring pretty true with the exception of that the bad guy gets punished for what he did. Someone needs to pass a bill and make that the law. Anyway, I love the fact that everyone plays their own instruments and the camera shows their fret hand. Another great thing is they show a song from its conception to its performance, and its played in its entirety. So while not for everyone it was definitely for me.
This is a pretty good movie actually...
posted on 21 Mar 2009This movie was really good!! It portrayed some things not always as they really are, but i think it showed some important subjects that needed to be shown. The story line is pretty good and interesting, through the whole movie i was interested to know more and more about the characters and how they turn out. The movie is entertaining and quite funny at times, although the whole vibe of it is, mostly, almost the opposite. Gina was great, she really got the whole feel of the character. The music lacked a little, but still was good for a movie i guess. This movie is not spectacular, but it most certainly did not suck. I enjoyed watching it. So over all this was a -good- movie, recommended.
Daring Punk rock film.
posted on 30 Jul 2008Gina Gershon stars as Jacki, a woman who has devoted her whole life to becoming a rock star. Jacki leads an all female Punk rock band, who have been struggling to make it for years. The band are like a family, and have gone through hell and back together. Jacki is closing-in on her fortieth Birthday, and she's weary of trying to get a break. She begins to wonder if it's worth it, to keep up the quest for rock stardom.This flick is cutting-edge, in many ways. First of all, Gina's character is a lesbian, who's involved with with a woman of color. Then there's the gritty, no holds-barred look at the down-and-dirty world of Punk rock. Plus, this film made a of point of portraying a female band, that's just as grungy and devil-may-care, as any male Punk band.Punk rock has always been an equal opportunity genre. That's part of it's charm. The Punk rock movement has been deeply influenced by many female rock icons, such as Patti Smith, Tribe 8, Wendy O. Williams, Team Dresch, and many others. Some of these female Punk rockers, are also lesbian and/or bi. Like them, Jacki's band also freely expresses their right, to defy sexual conventions.This film has lots of heart, soul, and anguish. It shows that rock stardom, can be more elusive than ever. Punk rock especially, is anything but glamorous. It's actually anti-glamorous. Jacki and her band, certainly fit this anti-glamor mold. Those who have ever sought to become rock stars, can identify with all of the heartache that can be a part of pursuing a career, in rock music. This isn't the greatest rock film ever, but it's damn good. It's edgy, contemporary, exciting, and above all, very moving.
Rock Chicks!
posted on 20 Jun 2008It was inevitable for me to see this movie. I play in a rock band myself. We've done concerts for almost no audience and we've done sold-out ones too. Small clubs as well as big festivals. So you could say I've "been there, done that". This being said, I have to make one thing clear: rock musicians come in all shapes and sizes. Not all rock musicians are like the ones portrayed in this movie, but the type of rock chicks in PREY FOR ROCK & ROLL do exist and I even had the pleasure of playing with them. So you could say that this movie is a pretty accurate portrayal of what rock & roll is all about on some levels.The first part of the movie was a little boring, perhaps. I was thinking "This movie is supposed to be about a rock band's struggle for some recognition, but all we see is stuff about their family and relationships." But the second half is much better, 'cause things start to happen (in their private lives and for the band). So maybe the first half was necessary to make you care about the characters. The over-all acting was pretty good, especially Gina Gershon as the lead singer and Drea de Matteo as the silent bass-player with a nasty drug habit. The music itself was just standard rock & roll, well-played, but nothing special. And yes, Gershon's singing wasn't very good at all but at least it was her voice doing the singing. And let me remind you that a lot of successful rock singers aren't actually good singers. The fact that their music's kinda average makes it believable that they haven't been signed yet. Anyway, to me the problem with Gershon's singing wasn't so much the singing itself, but more the lyrical contents. She sings about stuff a 16-year-old would sing about, not a 40-year-old.When you see them play (live or at a rehearsal) it's all pretty accurately filmed. You see the drummer hitting the right drums, the bass-player playing the right notes,... except for the guitar-player. Lory Petty should really learn how to play the right chords when acting. And one more thing: a band playing in a rehearsal room never acts the same way as on stage. And if they do, their's a big chance that afterwards they'll laugh about it. The rehearsals looked a bit too serious to me. They didn't even play mistakes while rehearsing. Not once. Oh well, it's a movie, right?But there are also a lot of things I did like. At one point you see the first phase of a song being written: Jacki trying to find the right words together with the right chords on an acoustic guitar. Afterwards you see and hear the finalized version of the song. Then there's the rape-scene. Actually, we don't get to see the act and the idea alone is horrible enough, but I felt real good about what happened to the rapist afterwards. And at one point you see an enthusiastic teenage girl coming up to our rock chicks, doing the R&R-sign and saying something like "I really love your music, but if it were just a little faster, it might be even more cool". And at the end Jacki writes a fast song about that girl. It's just a little detail, but if you can read between the lines, than you know that Jacky's into R&R for all the right reasons. Doing it for the fans is one of them.PREY FOR ROCK & ROLL is just an enjoyable movie about being in a rock band. I was thinking about giving it 6 out of 10 stars, but I saw this movie together with a girl and since I consider it to be a chick-flick, more or less, I asked for her opinion. She agreed with me that if you're a 16-year-old, you'll probably think of PREY FOR ROCK & ROLL as THE coolest movie ever. But she isn't a teenager anymore and ended up giving the movie 7 out of 10 stars. So this one's for you, Barbsi.
could have been worse
posted on 21 Apr 2008overall, i'd say that this movie could have been worse. the scene where they kidnap & tattoo the rapist is worth it. the music was really lacking; the band's name was awful and the music was awful. drea dematteo (sp?) was the best part (Tracy) because she had the most authentic rock & roll lady thing going on...she must have done her homework on donita sparks (L7). there is (obviously) a rape in the movie, but you don't really see it--thank gawd. there is some awkward violence right before hand, but where most films would show the actual rape, the director cut to a black screen. there were a lot of predictable moments, but it was fun nevertheless. i believe it went straight to video, and i understand why.
(no)SEX,(some)DRUGS, and (bad) Rock and ROLL
posted on 02 Mar 2008I rented this purely on the basis for Gina Gershon as the star of the movie. The movie's choice of characters is not great, and the movie doesn't really deliver a powerful message at all. There is no sex in the movie, there is one scene(like all gershon movies) where Gershon is about to get it on--but doesn't cause she's interreupted. And there is a guy in the movie who looks like steve-o from jackass plus 40lbs...who plays a good sleaze, yet his role has not purpose other than bringing jackie and the prison dude closer.the most disappointing thing about the film is it leaves you empty at the end...thats all I will say . Although Gershon movies are likely to enjoy the movie, they are just as likely to feel insulted knowing she played a major role in not just the acting, but directing.2 stars outta 5, but worth da rental
Excruciating
posted on 19 Feb 2008I don't know what Gena Gershon's problem is, but oh my god it royally annoyed me during every second of this terrible movie.I find that in general, up-and-coming rock group movies leave a bit to be desired: The tale of "The Commitments" (1991) rapid rise to glory may have been watchable, but was just not plausible. "Satisfaction" (1988) was neither, and was just superficial to the core. "That Thing You Do" (1996) tried so hard only to achieve saccharine, dorky, false-rock results. But I'm sorry, "Prey For Rock And Roll" absolutely takes last place. It just sucks.Gena Gershon portrays a girl on the "ragged edge" of rock and roll, caterwauling for over an hour and a half in this movie. Her band plays the most painful, self-important, hook-less, uninteresting music heard in any of the above movies. Her performance is incredibly over-dramatic and overwrought in every way. And despite the volume of her voice, she is not a vocalist. If I saw this band live I would leave. It was so bad that I don't think I can ever look at this woman (in any movie) the same way again.Perhaps, some say, it was her character's personal anguish that led her to such tortured artistry. But don't be fooled - it is only the viewer who is tortured. I say perhaps she should have taken to visual art or maybe pantomime instead. Anything to avoid witnessing a primadonna, non-rock trainwreck like this. Abysmal performances and music throughout make this a pure headache. Yuck.The good news for rock group movie lovers is that "The Buddy Holly Story" (1978) is excellent, and "Cotton Candy" (also 1978) is so bad that it's good. Seek these out instead, at any price.
Don't need to be punk fan to enjoy this movie / also wondering why never saw it before video...
posted on 24 Dec 2006Really enjoyed this movie, found for the first time in B&N video store the other night. Was wary of it because had never heard of it though am GG fan and also like girl-group movies (even is JAPC! though my fav is old Brit series Rock Follies).As not a fan of punk (well, except for Joe Strummer and Ramones and Joan Jett but they know how to play guitar so they are not really punk right? ;-) did not care that much for the songs though "Every 6 minutes" is pretty affecting. GG and all the other actresses are both babely and convincing, Riley is not as whiny and irritating as on his TV show, and even the evil bad guy is so real that one felt some sympathy for him. If you like movies about music, give this one a try.What does puzzle me is why I never heard of this movie before. It apparently did show at a LGBT film festival in SF, but do not recall hearing about regular theatrical opening or seeing reviews. Maybe that was a busy month/week/day, or maybe it got weird/bad reviews like "Bound" (another great little movie staring GG) did, possibly for its lezbo characters? If you are interesting in indie film making the directors commentary is fun, and the end credits are cute.
prey for rock and roll the movie
posted on 02 Nov 2006I think Gina Gershon did a terrific job of acting in this movie. The content was very well done. I believe it is a good movie for all ages and would recommend it to anyone. It deals with a lot of issues we face today and have faced in the past. The actors were very good in it and I especially liked the message it left. The music was very well done and the writing was good. The cast got along very well and it shows that we can all still be friends and do what we enjoy the most.Wheather you're black or white it was for everyone from every walk of life and it dealt with everything in life. I came away with a positive attitude and felt that the audience would too.
I love rock and roll
posted on 01 Oct 2006I just saw this film this afternoon at the Toronto Film Festival. It was fantastic - Gina Gershon was great! Based on Cheri Lovedog's life experiences, the film really draws you into the world of a working rock musician. Who among us can say they didn't want to be in a band in some way or another in their lives?Made for a modest sum, you feel that every dollar is on the screen and that everyone involved in the film was so committed to making it real. You never feel cheated that the actors are faking it. In fact, Gina Gershon sings all her own stuff.See this movie and buy the soundtrack; you won't be disappointed.
Prey for the movie to be over
posted on 29 Sep 2006This is definitely one of the worst movies I've seen so far this year.Lori Petty = bad movie. I think Lori ruined the movie for me most of all with her whiny voice and annoying mannerisms. Every scene with her made me want to turn the movie off. I think what annoys me most is that she acts the same way in every movie she's in. As a female musician myself, I was disappointed with the music. I didn't feel that it "rocked" at all. So the bad music + Lori Petty = super bad movie.Gina's great, but not even she could save this one.
Weak, bad music., bad plot.......where do I start?
posted on 20 Aug 2006Oh Gina, my lovely Gina, how bad have you fallen? Then again, you were never really an A-lister. Prey for Rock n' Roll features an all-girl punk rock band, but maybe hard rock too, in LA, supposedly in the late 90s or early 2000s. Jackie (Gershon) is the lead singer, who is turning 40 and still doesn't have success or a respectable recording contract. While the cast looks the part and the acting is decent thanks mostly to Gershon and Drea DeMatteo, the plot has several odd and un-realistic situations. 2 of the girls are lesbians, while another is bi-sexual. I didn't know straight rocker chicks didn't like punk. 2 of the bandmates were sexually abused when young, then one of them is raped, another dies in an accident, while the remaining one is a drug addict. The rapist has the word "rapist" tattooed to his forehead (oh wow). Why not send him to jail? According to the writers it seems, people in rock bands lead trash existences and suffer constant calamity. Funny, I've had many friends who were in rock bands and I can't recall any having such a decadent band history. And at least their music was decent. Clamdandy (where did they get that name?) had terrible music, I believe courtesy of Linda Perry, formerly of 4 non blondes (East Village crackehead supreme if there ever was one). Their songs simply weren't.....great. Also, the characters kept talking about the rock n' roll lifestyle that they ended looking to much like poseurs wanting to look like rockers. We never find out Animal's real name. The girls seem to have only one connection in the recording industry. The band performed too many of their songs on screen. Who becomes a rocker after watching Tina Turner? That would be R&B. One of the few bright spots is that Gershon's voice over narrative seemed cool and had some good lines. Oh and did I mention she looked hot in those pants!
good movie
posted on 03 Jul 2006I just watched this movie this morning on t.v. at first the title seemed interesting so I thought I'll check it out. so I did at first I noticed there were three lesbians in the movie, I thought what the heck. I was about to change it but it got me interested. even though three of the band girls are lesbians its a movie most people I think should go see. its good and if you like music go see it I recommend this. The movie is about a singer/ guitarist who wants to basically rock out at clubs. and she does so but she seems worried that she is to old to keep rocking. There is more to this movie than just rocking at a club. it deals with the girls family problems and stuff.by the way I'm an 18 year old guy and I didn't think I would even like it.
Hot Women and Hot Music Mutually Generating the Power of Each
posted on 27 Feb 2006I was interested in this movie because of the "do your dreams have to die because you are over 40?" angle, but was completely blown away by the total quality of the movie. I'm not a huge rock fan so much (preferring jazz), but this movie made me a believer in the power of rock and I swear I am now going to regularly devour the entertainment listings in the "L.A. Weekly" with hopes of catching Cheri Lovedog (who wrote the autobiographical script) and I will be lining up at the Dragonfly or wherever with the rest of the explosive fans if she is still performing and I sure hope to God she is. Cheri--as you know better than most, dreams are eternal and age is a cipher. Maybe with this movie, you have made it like you deserve.The music is hot and the women are even hotter--but there are no boundaries between the music and the women. Tender and tough all in the same package, those women are true stars. And these are no cookie-cutter characters, not by a long shot, and every single one of them is interesting to the max and were portrayed as not only very real, but people you have to care about despite how tough they come across--or maybe BECAUSE they are so tough, because no matter what life throws at them, they measure up to the challenge. They're fighters and survivors and I count that as an inspiring thing.Probably my favorite character was "Faith," played by Lori Petty, although the entire cast was outstanding (and I have a tender place in my heart for Animal) but I have now firmly placed Gina Gershon at the head of the "sex is sex, I don't care which body parts you've got" list on which she was the charter member after her role in the movie "Bound". If I ever am asked why I won't explain whether I am gay or bi or whatever-the-hell, all I have to say is "Gina Gershon" and I hope that explains it all. This movie is the answer to so many questions I didn't even know I was asking. For those who love the power of music, for artists, for men and women, for the older and the younger, and for people everywhere just trying to love and to make it in life with as many pieces as possible, go see this film. I guess that includes everybody!
Enjoyable, just doesn't feel real
posted on 01 Feb 2006I love Gina Gershon, I love American punk, I love films. Hence put the 3 together and you should have my dream come true, but its sadly not the case.The story is interesting, but the attitude towards reality just doesn't work, almost every character has had a bad sexual experience and it seems that if you have ever been raped or abused you immediately decide to become a punk rock loving rebel, and don't worry because one day you will get revenge on your attacker, it worked out that way for all the girls in Clamdandy.The music is pretty cool and I think Ginas voice is groovy but the song lyrics are soooo clichéd I felt embarrassed, pretty much every track is like "I swear at police and I drink and drive, and I don't care about men and I stay up really really late and I wear rude t-shirts and I litter" gee, Can you hear me back there in the 70s?Some of the direction is handled very well, like during the songs and the films more disturbing moments and strong performances are given by all the cast (special praise to Drea De Matteo who is worryingly convincing as a drug addled rock casualty) My problems with the film are not with the performers, just for a frankly patronising script.Finally, There's this "comedy" character who is this ultra cheerful young girl learning to play guitar who keeps making the horns and shouting "rock onnnnnn!!!!" and the clamdandy girls are all like "haha, she hasn't a clue" I tell you now; There's NOTHING "punk rock" about trashing someone else whose just trying to enjoy what they do in their own way.Gina looks amazing, everyone tries real hard. Kudos to them, But, ultimately, the films patronising attitude to sexual abuse and unrealistic approach to life and punk rock in general just falls at the first hurdle.
Hey Its A Movie About A Chick In A Band>>>>>>>
posted on 23 Nov 2005OK OK......I am a 40 year old(male) rocker & can relate 2 a lot of this movie if you have never been a musician who sweat & tormented over music you just wouldn't get it.......great flick tells a good story.....I watched it twice once with musicians & once with just sum regular friends....group one got it...group two did not..if you haven't lived that life or lived in that time sure you wouldn't understand what they were going through & the pain that comes with the life that they chose there were hundreds & hundreds of bands like that on the strip in the 80s this was just one story...so take it for what it was.....a rock n roll movie......to quote a line from the movie."I am chick in a band & that f@#%in rocks" & she did the whole way through this movie.............PEACE
Great flick
posted on 02 Sep 2005I'm not a great writer, and I'm definitely not into all the esoteric crap that everyone else is putting on here. But I know what I like, and I liked this movie. I watched the mini-series/documentary that Gina Gershon did relating to this flick, and enjoyed it. I waited patiently for the movie for a bit and other life things happened and it was forgotten. So late(or early as the case may be) this morning flipping through the channels I stumble on it about a quarter of the way through. I enjoyed it immensely, and can't wait to see the whole thing. I find it interesting the geographical location of most of the people writing how they didn't like it versus the location of those of us who did.I lived half my 48 years in the LA area. Being a big fan of L7,Hole, and Bikini Kill,and now knowing about other bands indirectly connected to this flick and it's writers, I wish I had gotten down into the city more often. I have always been dismayed at the lack of the type of music in this flick, as it is my favorite. I don't consider it Punk or Girl band music. Just plain old hard driving rock & roll. Actually, I have been known to refer to it as PMS Rock, but I say that with love and affection. The anger and pain I feel in it seem to me to be universal for the open mind.I absolutely love Gina Gershon as a singer and performer. Of course I pine for her anyway. I thought the music was great and the stories and direction were as well. As a hetero middle aged male, I found nothing cliché or pandering about the characters. It was a great semi-autobiographical story that I feel was well executed.
Eye candy with zero content--a real disappointment
posted on 16 Jun 2005Based on the reviews I'd read of this film, I knew it could go either way: a supercheesy, false account of a "chick band," or an entertaining and authentic movie about rock music and the people who make it. Unfortunately, it went the supercheesy and false way.Gina Gershon, Lori Petty, and Drea de Matteo are three of my favorite actors, and one of the few good--though thoroughly shallow--things I can say about the movie is that the women all looked fantastic (especially Gershon). De Matteo maximized her role as the strung-out Tracey; she's the only one who really shone.One of the film's greatest flaws was incorporating so much of the band's music into scenes. The music was no great shakes, and especially unfortunate is Gershon's voice, which is thin and amateurish. By the time the movie reached its final fifteen minutes I was ready to hit the "mute" button.Also irritating was the inauthenticity of the film and its characters, who postured endlessly about "rock and roll" this and "rock and roll" that. It's been my experience, as part of the New York City music scene, that no one who plays music talks that much about the "rock and roll lifestyle"!The film handled issues such as rape and death with a very heavy hand, with a series of unrealistic plot twists--I'm thinking of what happens to Petty's character here in particular. Bad dialogue abounded.All in all, only the attractiveness of the characters--particularly Gershon, whose tattoos and leather pants are irresistible, and for whom I've had a soft spot since "Bound"--makes this movie worth renting.
- 1
- 2
A vital, visceral flick
posted on 31 Jul 2009I liked this movie a lot, despite a couple of violent scenes. I've been involved with music, and women making music, for a long long time, and this film rings true to everything I've experienced. Gina Gershon and Drea DeMatteo are terrific -- good casting job all around (although Lori Petty comes off more like folksinger Jill Sobule than a punk guitar goddess). Not sure whether Gina sings the songs or if they're dubbed (I suspect the latter), but she's got great rock star moves and is even believable as a tattoo artist. Drea is dead on as a party-hearty rock chick guarding her vulnerable side. And, oh, yeah, they're also kind of hot. There are a lot of DIY-type full-length songs, most of which are enjoyable, if not quite ready for prime time. If you've ever grooved to Joan Jett's "I Love Rock and Roll" -- you'll appreciate this movie.