Though it borrows liberally
from its genre brethren, The Rocker showcases a keen sense of parody
and heart with a powerful star performance from the Jack Black-channeling
Rainn Wilson. The “naked drummer” doesn’t stray
too far from his Office persona, but the random foul-mouthed spurts
and goggle-eyed expressions certainly add a welcome layer of comic
ingenuity.
In 1986, Robert “Fish” Fishman (Rainn Wilson) drums
for the popular rock band Vesuvius and a lucrative career seems
destined to embrace him. However, a chance to play at a killer
gig causes his bandmates to sell him out for fast fame, and the
drummer is literally kicked to the streets. Twenty years later,
Robert finds himself in a dead-end desk job with no hope of escaping
his mundane lifestyle. But good luck and misfortune strike simultaneously
leaving him jobless, homeless, and shacked up at his sister’s
house – where the desperation of his nephew’s rock
band lands him a spot as their drummer. What starts off as a rocky,
mismatched collaboration inadvertently becomes a rapid success
and Robert, along with Amelia (Emma Stone), Curtis (Teddy Geiger),
and Matt (Josh Gad) may finally get to live the dream they’ve
worked so hard to obtain.
For his debut leading film role, Rainn Wilson manages a diverse
blend of comedy and emanates the better qualities of funnyman
Jack Black. Rainn keeps his character under control so as not
to get annoying but remains erratic enough to evoke plenty of
laughs. Most of the physical comedy (and nudity, unfortunately)
belongs to the Office veteran who competently handles elaborate
falls and crazed expressions with sincere enthusiasm. Spouting
off random quotable gibes, Wilson utilizes a copious amount of
offbeat one-liners and bizarre references that will result in
a hearty chuckle for those attuned to the borderline-offensive
brand of comedy.
