Review of Ricki and the Flash (2015) by Valerie M — 30 Aug 2015
Meryl Streep should play rock stars more often. Watching her rock out on guitar and vocals in Ricki And The Flash, Streep's Ricki Rendazzo is a party woman who dumps her family to play sets in bars with backing band The Flash, a cover band that includes drummer Joe Vitale, keyboardist Bernie Worrell and bassist Rick Rosas, complete with Rick Springfield on guitar playing lover-boy Greg.
Ricki isn't a huge star, and director Jonathan Demme, who is no stranger to rock stars cool, see Stop Making Sense and Neil Young: Heart of Gold, delivers a rousing salute to those who live for the rock and roll dream no matter where it gets them.
Unfortunately for the rest of the film, written by Oscar winner Diablo Cody (Juno), it slides into a dime-a-dozen soap. Kevin Kline gets in a good turn as Ricki's ex, and Mamie Gummer, Streep's actual daughter, is a firecracker as her fictional daughter.
But those right notes can't outweigh the flat ones.
This review of Ricki and the Flash (2015) was written by Valerie M on 30 Aug 2015.
Ricki and the Flash has generally received mixed reviews.
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