Almost Famous shines with strong storyline

Almost Famous is a realistic portrayal of life, culture and rock n' roll in the early 1970s. The film, directed by Cameron Crowe, stars Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee and newcomer Jason Fugit. Crowe, a double Academy Award nominee, was a music journalist for Rolling Stone in his younger years. The film shadows his life as a teenager as he starts his career, demonstrating his love of rock n' roll music. Fugit portrays young William Miller, son of an over-motherly and overprotective college professor, who is as strict as she is boring. His older sister abandons him for a career as a stewardess, in order to escape their mother's eccentric and overbearing nature. When his sister leaves him a record collection, he develops a love for music that fuels his passion for writing. His mentor, writer and music critic Lester Bangs, guides him in his pursuit of a career in journalism. Bangs was also Crowe's real-life mentor who always emphasized a strong division between professional journalism and making friends in the entertainment industry. That particular theme proves to be a great idea for a film due to the storyline that entails Miller's struggle to find the separation between obligation to his writing and his friends in a popular band. The story is a great revenge for those who felt misplaced in their teenage years. Viewers will leave entertained, with a sense of relief and closure as they grow to love Miller and relate to his experiences. Almost Famous is a film for all ages. It gives parents an opportunity to get nostalgic about their wild and crazy days listening to Led Zeppelin and The Who, while those who missed the joy of the glory days of the 60s and 70s get a better perspective of rock n' roll's origins. Rating: A