RipDelight
This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.
FuzzyTagz
If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.
HomeyTao
For having a relatively low budget, the film's style and overall art direction are immensely impressive.
Humaira Grant
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
Woodyanders
Spunky young Susan (a winningly fresh and sassy performance by the adorable Zenee Zellweger) and her friends start their own rock group as well as open a nigh club. However, they face opposition from local uptight adults who consider rock'n'roll to be the devil's music. Director Allen Arkush, working from a sharp script by Trish Soodik, relates the enjoyable story at a zippy pace, offers an affectionate evocation of the 50's teen rock scene, maintains an engaging breezy tone throughout, and nicely addresses the racism and repressive conservatism of the period. Moreover, the main characters are drawn with great warmth, the vibrant soundtrack seriously smokes, and the picture possesses an infectious bounce and crackling energy that's a total joy to watch. The zesty acting from the enthusiastic cast keeps it humming: Howie Mandel as hip TV show host Danny Klay, Patricia Childress as Susan's sweet gal pal Cookie, Max Perlich as groovy drummer Tony, John Doe as surly rebel biker Lucky, Gerrit Graham as jerk producer Lipsky, and P.J. Soles, Dey Young, and Mary Woronov as evil square buzz-crushing parents who are determined to stop rock'n'roll. Popping up in neat bit roles are Dick Miller as Officer Paisley and William Schallert as a stern judge. An absolute blast.
pigeonforge
Though I have only seen this once, and frankly I wasn't impressed with the lead actress, It was great that the writer would choose to reference three characters from an earlier film about teenagers and rock and roll. P.J. Soles, Dey Young, and Mary Woranov are playing the mothers of their characters from 'Rock and Roll High School'. Forget Zellweger and go rent 'Rock and Roll High School' if you want teenage antics and a good soundtrack. By the way if John Lennon was the first "songwriter", then who wrote all those songs that came before him? And as for women playing instruments in the 50s, as an earlier review stated that they did not, apparently the reviewer has never heard of the hoards of female artists in the fifties that not only wrote their own music, but played instruments on the recordings, and live.
Rogue-32
If you love Renee Zellweger, you will love her in this film. Adorable performance, bursting with winning charm and energy. Although someone named Julianna Raye is actually performing her songs, you'd never know it; she's thoroughly convincing as a piano-poundin' rock an' roller.
Yokondo
From the very beginning of this film, those who have any fondness of the 50s and its music know that this is a film they will enjoy. The camera work is done in such a way that it seems to bring you greatly into the emotion of the film and truly make you believe that you are there. This then carries on though the film along with some classic 50s music. It is a film in which the parents are so stereotype-hyped that they almost don't seem real, yet there is an edge to them which makes you fear that parents truly where that way. It tells the story, not only of the apparent parent inability to accept rock 'n' roll but of the social pressure against the coloured community at the time. In many ways this film seems to still talk about many issues of today and therefore this remake still has a modern edge. The only thing against this film is the fact that more was not done with the plot, therefore creating a film where you know how it will end from the first meeting we see of Susan (the main star played by Renee Zellweger) and Luck.A great film full of romance, teenage angst, and more importantly - the 50s.
