Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

Those familiar with The Office know that Dwight Schrute loves to rock. Those few fleeting moments when the paper salesman cranks up Motley Crue to get pumped are comedy gold. Now imagine stretching that bit into a 100-minute movie.

The Rocker stars Rainn Wilson as "Fish" Fishman, drummer of the heavy metal band Vesuvius. One night after a gig, the band gets a record deal (which includes an offer to open for Whitesnake!). The only catch: Dump Fish for the studio head's son.

About 20 years later, Vesuvius is huge and Fish is unemployed. Thankfully, his nephew (Josh Gad) has a band that's in need of -- get your devil horns ready -- a drummer.  Rounding out the band are real life young rocker Teddy Geiger and Emma Stone.    

The idea sounds funny, and The Rocker does crank out a few laughs. Did we mention that Vesuvius includes Will Arnett, Fred Armisen and Bradley Cooper? They, along with the rest of the all-star lineup, get very little screen time. While the cast, a rockin' soundtrack, and a nude Dwight Schrute should also equal comedy gold, Wilson's first headlining gig falls slightly flatter than Poison without a case of Aqua Net.

Check out Chris Boylan's review of the theatrical release of The Rocker.

The Picture

What part of a nude Dwight Schrute did you not understand? Sadly, the 1.85:1 transfer does deliver that vivid image, all the way down to some hairs and beads of sweat. There's also a lot of flamboyant color in the flick, thanks to plenty of spandex and other flashy outfits. The picture delivers nicely, especially during the live performance scenes.

The Sound

When you label a movie The Rocker, it had better include a kick-ass soundtrack. The DTS-HD 5.1 sound does know how to rock, which is good, because if there were any more songs in this movie, it might have qualified as a musical.

The Extras

Are you ready to rock? Well, you'll have to weed a bit. The special features play a bit like an Asia record: There are plenty of tracks, but only a few gems. The crappy navigation doesn't help matters either. Highlights include podcasts with Wilson and guitarist Slash, an interview/featurette with ex-Beatle Pete Best, and a short on how every actor in the movie just wants to guest star on The Office.

Final Thoughts

Wrongfully pegged as a shameless School of Rock rip-off, The Rocker isn't as bad as it sounds. However, fans of Wilson, musician Teddy Geiger, and even Howard Hesseman (Dr. Johnny Fever, babies!) should save their money and just enjoy this one as a rental.

Where to Buy:

• The Rocker on Blu-ray Disc (Amazon.com)

Product Details

• Actors: Rainn Wilson, Christina Applegate, Jeff Garlin, Josh Gad, Teddy Geiger, Emma Stone, Jane Lynch, Jason Sudeikis
• Director: Peter Cattaneo
• Audio/Languages: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (English), 5.1 Dolby Digital (English, Spanish, French)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 2
• Rating: PG-13
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: January 27, 2009
• Run Time: 102 minutes
• List Price: $39.98
• Extras:
  • Commentary by Director Peter Cattaneo and Actor Rainn Wilson
  • Commentary by Actors Josh Gad, Teddy Geiger, Emma Stone and Jason Sudeikis
  • MTV Panel
  • Matt Gags
  • Internet Podcasts
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Gag Reel
  • Vesuvius Gags
  • Pete Best Interview
  • Vesuvius PSAs
  • Rainn Wilson Office Rocker
  • Behind the Band
  • Rock Tales
  • Rock Beat with Fish Fishman
  • "I'm Not Bitter" Music Video
  • Fox Movie Channel Presents... In Character with The Rocker
  • The Music
  • Digital Copy