This is well put together and I was happy to watch it all the way through. I even felt fairly moved by the ending. Next morning, however, I find I don't care much about it. Why?
Maybe it's that the convincing and compelling hell we're watching for a lot of it is really that of the characters surrounding the monstrous rock star, trying to keep their lives and careers going in the face of her epic BS. Yet then the salvation we witness is the rock star's, not theirs. As she went into isolation and addiction recovery, they all apparently just dusted themselves off and got on with their lives, then gathered around to forgive her, putting the 'supporting' in supporting characters.
It's fairly plausible, it just doesn't feel as if it matters, maybe because, except for a mildly delivered rebuke ('You were horrible') from her bassist and best friend, she never really has to face up to the devastation she's wrought. The only thing really propelling her arc is dull stuff: she got clean, she got sued a lot, she had a kid who grew up cute and loved her despite being tossed around like a rag doll during her meltdowns. It's banal and doesn't really show why or how she changes.
The bassist, in particular, who was also getting high, apparently just to deal with the chaos, and also had to go into recovery, deserved more as a character than to just turn up when needed as a sagacious and maternally loving mentor. Said bass player, by the way, was ably portrayed by Agyness Deyn, and I'd like to see her in a better movie sometime.
Maybe it's that the convincing and compelling hell we're watching for a lot of it is really that of the characters surrounding the monstrous rock star, trying to keep their lives and careers going in the face of her epic BS. Yet then the salvation we witness is the rock star's, not theirs. As she went into isolation and addiction recovery, they all apparently just dusted themselves off and got on with their lives, then gathered around to forgive her, putting the 'supporting' in supporting characters.
It's fairly plausible, it just doesn't feel as if it matters, maybe because, except for a mildly delivered rebuke ('You were horrible') from her bassist and best friend, she never really has to face up to the devastation she's wrought. The only thing really propelling her arc is dull stuff: she got clean, she got sued a lot, she had a kid who grew up cute and loved her despite being tossed around like a rag doll during her meltdowns. It's banal and doesn't really show why or how she changes.
The bassist, in particular, who was also getting high, apparently just to deal with the chaos, and also had to go into recovery, deserved more as a character than to just turn up when needed as a sagacious and maternally loving mentor. Said bass player, by the way, was ably portrayed by Agyness Deyn, and I'd like to see her in a better movie sometime.