Watch Not Fade Away For Free

Memorable, crazy movie

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

This movie received terrible reviews from the audience, but it is not that bad. Its main problems are too many sub-plots and a silly open ending. Apart from that, it is a classic "coming of age" tale. Main character Douglas loves rock'n'roll and joins a band as drum player. The band leader is handsome Eugene, who cannot sing as "soulfully" as Douglas. Therefore, Douglas plans to replace Eugene as front man. Trouble ensues, as it always does and dreams are crushed....The bitter twist of the story is that we follow Douglas's sister narration and we know from the start that his band is not bound for glory. Maybe this was also what put off the audience: is there a point following the story of a rock band that won't make it?Considering they must be the majority, I guess there is. Besides, the music is good and you can spend a couple of hours feeling nostalgic for a bygone era.As already mentioned, too many characters mean that none is developed properly (Douglas's girlfriend Grace and her family, including her nutty sister; Douglas's dad Pat and his cancer, etc...). Even Douglas and Eugene, the two closest to a lead role are very sketchy characters. Pat is played by Gandolfini, who early in the movies delivers one of the best one-liner ever: while Douglas gushes about Twilight Zone and "Reality not being what it looks like", the tired man answers "Reality is too much what it looks like".

OK, this isn't 'The Commitments' or 'Georgia' or 'Grace of my Heart' or even 'Backbeat,' but this movie has charm, wit, a nice script, appealing young actors (Jack Huston, John Magara and Bella Heathcote, especially) and the most authentic reproduction of music from the start of the 60s to the end of the 60s that I can remember seeing since, well, 'The Commitments.' From the opening shot of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards contemplating starting a blues rock band to the charming voice over, to the music scenes (every one of which made me tap my toe) to the graceful and surprising, magical ending, this movie had me. And the sex scenes certainly add to the thrill. I love 60s music and it has to be done well for me to sit up and take notice. This film made me sit up and take notice.

Boy what huge disappointment this movie was, especially since the recent news of James Gandolfini passing. What a shame that this miserable movie is his swan song. Don't get wrong, James Gandolfini is excellent in this movie, he is definitely one of the bright spots in what I view as a very dim movie.David Chase wrote, directed, and produced this waste of time. David Chase is the creator and writer of the HBO hit series "The Sopranos". I'm not sure what David Chase was thinking or smoking when he came up with this fine piece of rubbish, but whatever creditability he had built up should hopefully now be completely behind him, as he has proved to be a one trick pony in my book.There are many many problems with this movie, but the main mistakes are there is absolutely no story here. Could there have been a story? Yes, but trust me when I say in this instance there is none. Second, there is no character development. You won't give a darn about anyone in this movie, so combined with no story and no viewer connection to the characters this is a disaster.The good news is the musical soundtrack is excellent, especially if you like the great 60's rock hits. The acting by everyone concerned is decent, once again James Gandolfini is excellent but at the same time a clone of his role on the Sopranos, which tends to make me think David Chase has him type cast.So here's the take-away....no story, no character development, no connection for the viewers, no good!!

Yes, I'm fully aware that America is currently infatuated with superheroes and apocalyptic fantasies right now at your local multiplex {right back atcha' Mr. Cruise, Mr. Damon & Mr. Smith (both of 'em)}. But can't a decent, well-acted, smaller period piece written and directed by the great David Chase find an audience? Anyone? I guess not, as this grossed less than $600,000 on a budget of twenty mil. Maybe this will catch new life down the road on cable, but that remains to be seen.I'm not saying this was the greatest thing ever, but I certainly enjoyed it. Awesome period sets (I loved the snippets of TV shots thrown in) along with cool music highlighted this great effort by Chase to bring back his days as a young suburban NYC drummer turned west-coast film school "refugee".It also really worked well to have a cast of unknowns, as they really helped make the story of many a 60's garage band like this looking for any kind of breakout believable. It took me several minutes to figure out the guitar wiz was Jack Huston from "Boardwalk Empire"…40 years, one eye and a great wig away from his chilling Richard Harrow character.And there surely was something comforting, and a great nod to nine years of quality work on "The Sopranos" with Chase letting James Gandolfini's one-dimensional 1960's "generation gap" father have a bowl of ice cream again on the couch, even though The History Channel wouldn't be invented for another 30 years! Do check this out if you somehow want to remember the mid-60's, as it's well worth the time spent.P.S.-best line for me was when our hero Douglas realizes he may have lost his babe at a Hollywood party to some "English Invader", but still asks the burning question: "Do you know where Rod Serling lives?"