Almost Famous is a 2000 musical comedy-drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe and telling the fictional story of a teenage journalist writing for Rolling Stone magazine while covering the fictitious rock band Stillwater (named for an eponymous actual band), and his efforts to get his first cover story published. The film is semi-autobiographical, as Crowe himself was a teenage writer for Rolling Stone.
The film is based on Crowe's experiences touring with rock bands Poco, The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the real Stillwater. In a Rolling Stone article, he talks about how he lost his virginity, fell in love, and met his heroes, experiences that are shared by William, the main character in the film.
Despite failing to break even, the film received positive reviews and received four Oscar nominations, one of which led to an award to Crowe for his screenplay. It was also awarded the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media. Roger Ebert hailed it the best film of the year. It also won two Golden Globes, for Best Picture and Kate Hudson won Best Supporting Actress.
In 1973, William Miller (Patrick Fugit) is a 15-year-old aspiring rock journalist. His protective mother, Elaine (Frances McDormand), wants him to become a lawyer. Shunned by his classmates, he writes for underground papers, sharing the love of rock music instilled in him through a gift of albums left behind by his sister, Anita (Zooey Deschanel), when she leaves home in disgust over Elaine's beliefs.
William listens to an interview with rock journalist Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman). William has sent Bangs copies of his work, and Bangs gives William a $35 assignment to review a Black Sabbath concert which he considers his big break. Bangs advises William to be "honest and unmerciful," but fails to mention how to get into the show or meet the band. Without credentials, William cannot get into the San Diego Sports Arena. He meets a group of semi-groupies who call themselves "Band-Aids": Estrella Starr (Bijou Phillips), Polexia Aphrodisia (Anna Paquin), Sapphire (Fairuza Balk) and their leader, Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) whom he starts a conversation with. The Band-Aids get into the show but William is still barred from entry as the opening band, Stillwater, arrives. Initially reluctant to assist a journalist, they bring William backstage after he critiques Stillwater's work. The guitarist, Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup), takes a liking to William.
William is driven from San Diego to Hollywood by Penny to the "Riot House", the Hollywood Hyatt Hotel on Sunset Boulevard, to meet Stillwater. Penny serves as William's chauffeur, but only to get close to Russell, for whom she has genuine feelings and shares a past relationship. William is called by Ben Fong-Torres (Terry Chen), editor of Rolling Stone, who wants him to do a story for their magazine. Ben believes William is several years older than he really is, and William convinces Ben to let him go on the road with Stillwater to get a story. To this end, William rides with Stillwater and the Band-Aids aboard "Doris", the band's bus, promising to keep in contact with his mother. William desires to interview each member of Stillwater separately. However, William finds Russell's evasion of interviews increasingly frustrating. Russell receives an electric shock onstage in Phoenix, which infuriates their manager, Dick Roswell (Noah Taylor), causing them to abandon the show. In Topeka, Kansas, a t-shirt showing Russell in focus with the rest of the band out of focus sparks an argument between lead singer Jeff (Jason Lee) and Russell. Russell and William leave, going to a teenage house party so Russell can be with people who are "real". Tripping on LSD, Russell climbs onto the roof, screaming "I am a golden god!" and instructing William to write that his last words were "I'm on drugs!" before jumping into the pool. William calls Dick to make Russell to board the bus the morning after. In the following rest of the tour, William forms a strong bond with Penny and at one point loses his virginity to one of the Band-Aids.
A new manager, Dennis (Jimmy Fallon), comes on board, and it is revealed that Penny must leave the tour before New York City, where Leslie, Russell's ex-wife and current girlfriend, will join them. During a poker game, Russell allows Dick to sell the groupies to Humble Pie for $50 and a case of Heineken. When William tells Penny, she acts nonchalant but is devastated. Penny and Doris are left behind; Dennis has piled the band into a plane for more gigs. Penny goes to New York on her own, showing up as the band gathers in a restaurant with Leslie. As they celebrate making the cover of Rolling Stone, Dick forces Penny to leave as Leslie grows suspicious. William follows Penny back to her hotel to find her overdosed on quaaludes. While keeping her awake he confesses he loves her just before doctors arrive. The following day, Penny reveals her real name (Lady Goodman) to him, a secret she has told very few. Penny thanks William for saving her before returning home to San Diego.
Stillwater's plane is suddenly caught in a thunderstorm and dangerously loses altitude. With death apparently imminent, the group confesses their secrets and jealousies. During a quarrel, Penny is referred to as "that groupie." William defends Penny, reminding the band that they declared they were "in this for the fans," but Penny was their most adoring fan yet they discarded her. However, the plane emerges from the storm unharmed, leaving the band to ponder the changed atmosphere. William continues on to San Francisco to finish the story, parting ways with the band. Russell tells him to write whatever he wants. William submits an article but the Rolling Stone editors dismiss it as a "puff piece." Bangs advises him to be "honest and unmerciful." William rewrites the article, telling the truth. The Rolling Stone editors are eager to publish it until the fact checker reports that Russell has denied everything, making William look like a liar, and the story is dropped. Sitting dejected in the airport, William encounters his sister. Now a stewardess, she offers to take him anywhere; William chooses for them to return home in order for him to make Elaine reconcile with her.
Sapphire talks to Russell about Penny's attempted suicide. She reveals that William saved her life and chastises Russell for denying the truth William reported. Russell calls Penny and asks for her address so they can talk in person; she gives him William's address, and Russell, thinking the address is Penny's, enters the house to find Elaine. Learning who he is, she lets him see William. They reconcile and Russell reveals that he called Rolling Stone to tell them William's story is true. The film ends as Russell finally gives William an interview.
The end shows Stillwater happily back together again, and touring on their bus, while William, Anita, and Elaine are shown at the kitchen table having a pleasant meal together, apparently having gotten over all of the friction from before. Penny is shown at the airport on her way to Morocco like she promised.
[edit] Alternative versions
Along with the standard DVD version, Crowe compiled an alternate version called Almost Famous: Untitled, which was a compilation of both released footage and his favorite deleted scenes. Running for about 40 minutes longer than the theatrical release, Untitled was subtitled "The Bootleg Cut", with its packaging resembling a cheap seventies bootleg. A variant of Untitled is the basis of the network television version of Almost Famous.[citation needed] The film has been released in Region 2 territories on Blu-ray Disc in its Untitled form—these discs are region-free and will play in all Blu-ray players.[citation needed] The DVD also contains a deleted scene that shows William playing Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven (in its entirety) to his mother. The song itself is not included in the film, but the video has a watermark instructing viewers when to start the song.
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