Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
In the 1980s, a drummer is abandoned by his band just before they become rock superstars. Twenty years later, the drummer sees his second chance at stardom arise when he is asked to perform with his teenage nephew's high school rock band.
The Rocker is a fairly formulaic comedy built on a well-worn redemption/second-chance premise with few surprises. Rainn Wilson commits fully to the lead role and generates genuine laughs, elevating the material above its script, but the supporting cast is underused. Visually it's competent but unremarkable TV-movie-level work. The concept of a washed-up musician getting a second shot is well-trodden territory, and the film doesn't bring a distinctive enough voice or execution to stand out. The ending is predictable and ties things up in a tidy, unsurprising bow.