Picture this: you’re 15 years old growing up in San Diego, California and your mother wants nothing more than for you to be a prestigious lawyer. Now picture this: you’re 15 years old growing up in San Diego, California and you’ve been offered the cover story for Rolling Stone Magazine. Which would you choose? For William Miller the answer is obvious.
Almost Famous jumps right into the first of many conflicts throughout this film’s entirety. Elaine (Frances McDormand) is the mother of 2 children: Anita (Zooey Deschanel) and William (young: Michael Angarano, old: Patrick Fugit). The relationship between Elaine and Anita is off balance to say the least, due to the fact that Anita views her mother as a control freak who refuses to let her live her own life. All the while William gets along with both and in lieu of picking sides he chooses his own path somewhere in between civilized society and sticking it to the man.
Fast-forward to the mid 1970s and we find that William is in high school writing articles for “Cream Magazine” and legendary rock critic Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Bangs serves as William’s mentor throughout the rest of the film and gives him his first big assignment which turns out to be bigger than expected. While instructed to write 1,000 words on Black Sabbath, William runs into what become his first love and his first big break.
At the Sabbath concert, William is unable to get past the bouncer and waits with the other “groupies” for a chance to get near the band. This is where the unforgettable Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) makes her debut. She is described as the one that changed everything. All of the previous assumptions and stereotypes about groupies were revolutionized due to the inspiring Penny. Her claim was simple: they are there to inspire the music. Right before William’s eyes he has fallen for this mysterious girl with a Beatles song for a name. Finally after much anticipation he enters backstage with the opening band, Stillwater. Despite what we went there for, the bulk of his interview comes from the lead singer of Stillwater, Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee). Thus comes the main event, William goes on tour with this up and coming rock and roll band after receiving a call from the editor of Rolling Stone.
In the simplest terms, he is shown a world that would turn his mother’s upside down. The experience being that of a long, strange trip with much more than just sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. Almost Famous takes you on young kid’s dream to become a rock journalist. It portrays almost every age groups’s opinion of a 70s music genre that says “here I am and f*** you if you can’t understand me.” This film is relatable to anyone that wants to stand out from the conveyer belt of society. The belt including everyone that does what they’re told when they’re told their entire lives without question. To really appreciate the film you have to watch it for yourself. Keep in mind that love can make a person crazy, whether that person realizes it or not. In this case love is either lost in feeling or found in survival.