If rock and roll is, as some believe, hedonistic music, then that might explain this movie. It focuses a lot on drinking, illicit sex, disrespectful attitudes and making conservatives look judgmental and hypocritical. In this movie, the women who condemn others deserve it as they are harsh and dance sensually themselves.

In 1987 Sherrie Christian ( Julianne Hough) moves from Oklahoma to L.A. as her dream is to become a rock singer. One of the movie’s very few positive elements in terms of family viewing is that it does promote the idea of going after one’s dreams. Dennis Dupree (Alec Baldwin) is also a would-be rocker and gives Sherrie a job. However, the raucous theme of the film grows larger when we meet rocker Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise). He parties constantly and seems to live for sex and yet he remains unfulfilled even while achieving his lascivious exploits.

I understand this movie is adapted, based on a hit Broadway play. Although Tom Cruise brings a lot of energy to his rock star character, and the movie figures some big names including Catherine Zeta-Jones, this picture is definitely not family viewing material. We therefore can’t award our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal to this one.