IMDb currently has this movie top listed as "Comedy". That plus its eponymous association with the 1980 B-movie classic "Roadie" starring Meat Loaf, not to mention this movie's deceptive DVD tagline ("Sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll. It was fun while it lasted") might lead you to expect... I dunno... a comedy?It's not. If we're ok with that, then let's move on to what this movie really is."Roadie" (2011) is a brutally honest, sometimes bizarre but mostly lucid look at returning to an ordinary life after living on the road for 20 years. The movie doesn't focus on the rockstar life (and in fact the only references we get are a few hazy flashbacks in the beginning) but instead plants us squarely in the real world, Queens NY to be exact, where our protagonist Jimmy is forced to confront reality for perhaps the first time in his life.The entire story occupies the space of about 24 hours from Jimmy's arrival at his estranged mother's house to his chance encounter with the old high school douchebag who coincidentally married Jimmy's high school sweetheart. The high school sweetheart herself is an amateur musician, and this (plus Jimmy's refusal to accept his failure in life) leads him to claim he's the manager for Blue Oyster Cult. The plot certainly sounds like it could be a raucous rib tickler, but the material is played straight, dramatic rather than farcical, even a bit on the disturbing/dark side.This came as a big surprise, but once I realized how well everything was presented--the excellent and I mean EXCELLENT acting by all 3 leads plus the mother, the appropriate pace giving things time to breathe, the subtle brooding vibe of cinematography, and of course the great script with believable dialogue--I was sucked in and riveted until the very end.This film has a slow, careful buildup to an explosive climactic scene and a thoughtful aftermath which will stick in your mind for a long time. The main question being: Whose reality is more valid, those who accept their mediocrity but hang on to dreams of a better future, or those who fall from success but hang onto dreams/fantasies of their past? If that last sentence didn't make a lotta sense, just watch the movie and you'll see what I mean."Roadie" has a distinctly indie vibe (as much as I hate to use that term) which means it's not glossy, snappy paced and glamorous like most Hollywood blockbusters. The style reminded me of some of Vincent Gallo's work ("Buffalo 66", "The Brown Bunny") in the same way Gallo weaves a surreal story within the confines of a very real world. If you're not familiar with Gallo, think of maybe "Leaving Las Vegas" where the main character comes from a questionable past and refuses to accept a new future.Again, this is NOT a rock 'n' roll movie, though it does have some great classic rock tunes on the soundtrack (Blue Oyster Cult, Robin Trower, Jethro Tull, The Ramones). So don't expect Spinal Tap! "Roadie" might be closer to the excellent washed-up-musician flicks "Crazy Heart" or "Searching for an Echo".

Roadie is a very well photographed - and acted - show. In the world of show business, all that counts is appearances, and all Jimmy has left for himself is keeping up appearances. And at the same time that he appears back home, his mother is herself DIS-appearing, seemingly to Alzheimer's or some other form of dementia. He can no longer even count on coming home to the "womb," because the womb is itself disappearing into nothingness in the form of a terrible disease. Poignant, moving and real. The dialogue is well enough done that you actually listen TO it, instead of just hearing it, a la "The Sounds of Silence": "People hearing/without listening." The dialogue makes you want to not miss anything. And "Jimmy" himself could be anyone who reached for - and missed - the brass ring. And, just like his mother's slow loss of touch with reality, Jimmy is disappearing too, in a world that barely noticed him even during his "roadie" days. One recognizes a decay that is all too prevalent in today's society: the invisibility of the individual who walks to the beat of a different drummer.

Jimmy was a roadie for Blue Oyster Cult all his adult life who has - painfully and wrongfully according to him - been fired by the band and left by them somewhere in the wilds of Michigan. With nowhere else to go, he makes his way back home to Queens where he has not been since his father's death many, many years before. He has barely spoken with his mother in the interim and now he overstates his role with the band to her - manager, writer, producer, etc. He tries to collect himself to deal with this massive setback, but he is not making the situation any better with angry calls to the band's actual manager.I think that roadie is one of the coolest jobs in the world next to rock star and Jimmy does as well. I, too, would have major problems dealing with his rude awakening after so many years and the loss of his livelihood and dream.Out for some butter for his Mom's famous tuna melts, Jimmy runs into a high school classmate who is and was quite a butt-head who is now married to Jimmy's first love, Nikki. Jimmy and Nikki wind up back in his boyhood room which is untouched by time and looks like a "rock and roll museum" according to Nikki.Out of his vinyl record collection, Nikki pulls out Ratcity In Blue by, local 70s favorites, the Good Rats and they listen to a couple of tracks. This brings back memories of seeing the band every Saturday night with their friend Steph - who passed away unbeknownst to Jimmy.This movie is about real people, with lots of issues, who love music and are dealing with some very real problems. If you enjoy music, have been on the road with a band or thought about doing so (one of my life's regrets is turning down an offer to be a roadie) you will really like this movie.Full disclosure - I also own this "original" album with the cool pizza sleeve art, am a huge Good Rats fan and may have seen Steph, Nikki and Jimmy at one of those Saturday night shows back in the day. My heartfelt thanks go to Gerald and Michael Cuesta for a wonderful film and soundtrack including these New York music legends and a great version of Jackson Browne's Stay by Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows. Did they misspell "Peppi" Marchello in the closing thanks to him?

I caught this on Amazon.com before it hits the theaters in January. This is one of the few movies I really wanted to like before I saw it, and it did not let me down. I don't know what the nay-sayer movie critics are talking about who didn't like this film. The script has depth, there's great music, an engaging story-line, characters the audience member will care about, and humor in most ordinary, unexpected places. The actors bring their characters to life in unique ways that only those with skill and knack can bring.Ron Eldard and Lois Smith make such a great mother-son team. They had great chemistry. I hope both get Academy award nominations. They deserve it!I've always liked Bobby Cannavale ever since "Will & Grace". He and Jill Hennessy do excellent jobs in their supporting roles.The whole feel of the film is authenticity and spontaneity, as if we're truly eavesdropping on these characters' lives. There's nothing staged or "actorish" about this film.Love the BOC music. Its great to hear some of their lesser played, but no less great "other" hits. And its nice that Ron's character gives the band and Buck Dharma's genius permanent celluloid recognition that is overdue.