Review of Rock the Kasbah (2015) by Cornell W — 18 Sep 2016

Review:

What a weird but original movie! I've always been a big fan of Bill Murray but he certainly takes on some challenging projects, which are way out of the norm. In this movie, he plays a music manager, Richie Lanz, who is looking for the next big thing. He decides to take his only act Ronnie (Zooey Deschanel), to Kabul but the conditions are unbearable, and she escapes with his passport and money, with the help of Bombay Brian (Bruce Willis). He is then approached by Jake (Scott Chan) and Nick (Danny McBride) to sell arms to some mercenaries, for a large amount of money and a passport home, so he heads out with Brian and a local taxi driver to do the deal. Whilst trading in the desert, he hears a young girl singing in a cave, Salima (Leem Lubany), who he thinks, could be the next big thing, so he tries to convince her father to enter the Afghan Star competition but it's completely against there religion for ladies to sing in public. After much deliberating and impossible situations, and with the help of Merci (Kate Hudson) they finally get Salima on the show, so there is different elements which does touch the heart towards the end. Murray was brilliant as Richie, and with the many different laws in Afghanistan, it must have been hard to film a movie in this genre, especially one that questions there beliefs. The fact that it was based on the true story of Setara Hussainzada, who was the first female singer to sing on Afghan Star, does give this crazy movie a meaning but the events that lead to that moment, were mad. Its one of those movies that you have to watch twice to totally get it, because there is so much going on and you just don't know what is going to happen from one scene to the next. Personally, I enjoyed it but I can understand if some people might find it slightly offensive. If you take it as a comedy, and not a political statement, then I'm sure that people will enjoy it. Enjoyable!

Round-Up:

It's not very often that a movie starring Bill Murray and Bruce Willis, makes such a lose at the box office, which is a shame because it has been some time since Murray has made a comedy, we're he is in the leading role and I personally think that people were taking it too seriously. Barry Levinson, 74, has made some classic movies like Diner in 1984, Good Morning Vietnam, Rain Man, Avalon, Disclosure, Sleepers, Wag The Dog and Sphere but then his career seemed to go on a downhill spiral with Bandits, Envy, Man of the Year, What Just Happened, Poliwood, the Last Act and the Bay. He certainly has covered many different genres and he has touched on some subjects which have never been brought to the big screen, as he did with this movie. This might be one of those films which pull a bigger audience on DVD, than it did at the box office, which I hope it does because it is definitely worth a watch.

Budget: $15million.

Worldwide Gross: $3.4million.

I recommend this movie to people who are into their music/war/comedies, starring Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Kate Hudson, Zooey Deschanel, Scott Caan, Danny McBride, Kelly Lynch and Leem Lubany. 6/10.