The Rocker Movie - Behind The Scenes

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"The Rocker"
BEHIND THE SCENES
by Tim Nasson
July 15, 2008

Watch "The Rocker" Trailer

THE ROCKER's theme of second chances resonated with the filmmakers and cast. "THE ROCKER is a heartwarming, character-driven comedy about a guy who is getting a second shot at what he thinks is his birthright and what he knows is his lifelong dream," says producer Tom McNulty, who developed the project with his partner at 21 Laps Entertainment, noted filmmaker Shawn Levy, director of Night at the Museum and Cheaper by the Dozen.

"It's a coming-of-age story, but for a 41-year-old, over-the-hill rock drummer," says Rainn Wilson. Tied into the theme of second chances, adds the actor, is the universal dream of being a rock star. "Everyone -even movie stars - wants to be in a rock band (and vice versa). It's always been my dream.

"I was in the world's worst high school rock band," says Wilson about his own stint as a wannabe rocker. "I sang, even though I had a terrible voice. We had a band called Collected Moss. We were awful."

If anyone ever needed a second chance, it'd be Fish. Director Peter Cattaneo, who helmed the smash indie hit The Full Monty, notes that the character "has the biggest tumble a guy could ever have, missing out on the greatest opportunity of a life, by a hair."

Rocker

"Fish is suspended in adolescence because he's never gotten over the moment in his life when he lost his dream," elaborates Ryan Jaffe, who penned the film's story. "He's in a pretty dark place, and joining A.D.D. is a last-gasp moment before adulthood. He stumbles into this amazing second chance at realizing his dream."

"Going to the movies and watching Fish's story unfold - it's wish fulfillment," Jaffe continues. "You feel like you're part of the dream for two hours." Adds Christina Applegate, who plays Kim, mother to A.D.D.'s lead singer Curtis (and who becomes a potential love interest for Fish): "I think everyone wishes for second chances. People can relate to and enjoy movies about the human spirit and redemption."

Given THE ROCKER's central notions of "what-might-have-been" and second chances, it's no accident that former Beatles drummer Pete Best has a supporting role in the film. Best is renowned for being the Fab Four's first drummer, joining the band in 1960, only to be dismissed two years later when The Beatles were on the verge of super-stardom. (Best now fronts his own successful band.)

While the filmmakers point out that THE ROCKER is not Best's story, his life does have interesting parallels to the fictional tale of Fish. So, Best was invited to appear opposite Wilson in a key scene early in the story. Best read the script and, appreciating its humor and characters, agreed to take the role.

But before Best's participation was secured - even before principal casting was underway - producers Tom McNulty and Shawn Levy, of 21 Laps Entertainment, carefully guided THE ROCKER through development. McNulty brought in Maya Forbes & Wally Wolodarksy to work on the script. The screenwriters, whose work includes a stint on "The Simpsons," brought verisimilitude to the project, as well as laughs. "They grew up in the rock business and love it," says McNulty.

As work continued on the script, Cattaneo came aboard to direct. Rainn Wilson happened to be a fan of Cattaneo's The Full Monty, and he was delighted when Cattaneo took the reins of THE ROCKER. "I think what Peter did with The Full Monty is pretty remarkable," says the actor. "It seemed entirely real, like you had stepped into this working-class English town and you were going on this journey with these characters. When we met about THE ROCKER, I could tell immediately that he just got the humor and tone of the film, and we've been on this enormous roller coaster ever since."

The filmmakers' first order of business for the filmmakers was to catch their Fish: Rainn Wilson. "We wanted Fish to be a recognizable character," says Shawn Levy, "a relatable protagonist who comes unleashed - who becomes the dream version of himself. Rainn has that kind of contained vibe, but he also struck me as someone audiences would enjoy watching come unhinged."

Wilson embraced the character and story, which he says "possesses the perfect combination of good rock n' roll fun and a lot of heart. It's an epic odyssey for a rocker-turned-insurance guy-turned-reborn rock god."

If Fish is the prototypical wild man of rock, then his opposite number would be Curtis, the heart and soul of A.D.D. and the band's lead singer. The two bandmates - generation gap notwithstanding - form an affecting bond. "Curtis is kind of introverted," says Geiger of his on-screen persona. "He's in his own world, writing songs and singing, but not really enjoying himself. Fish helps bring him out of his shell."

Curtis' burgeoning social skills facilitate a tentative relationship with Amelia, A.D.D.'s bassist. But true love is never easy, especially within a band. The intra-band dynamic and cross-generational hijinks intrigued Emma Stone, who portrays Amelia. In THE ROCKER, the 40-year-old drummer wants to party all night and live the rock-star lifestyle, while the teenagers just want to go home and rest up after each gig. "It's a fun idea and it should appeal to a broad audience," says Stone. "If you're a teen, then you'll think THE ROCKER is a fun rock movie with a cute guy [Geiger] and a weird older guy galling over his drums. If you're an adult, you'll think, oh, man, I know what Fish is going through. It's an inspirational story to anybody who's had a dream that seemed far-fetched, but maybe wasn't."

Rocker

The fourth member of A.D.D. is Fish's nephew Matt, who serves as the group's bassist. Like his bandmates, Matt undergoes some big changes after his uncle arrives on the scene. "Matt is shy and reclusive," says Josh Gad of his character. "Thanks to Fish, Matt discovers a new side to his personality, and he is able to focus his energy into something productive, like his music."

Also playing key roles are Jeff Garlin as Fish's brother-in-law Stan, who watches Fish's ascendancy with awe and wonder; Jane Lynch, as Fish's put-upon sister Lisa; Jason Sudeikis as an obsequious A&R man who becomes A.D.D.'s manager.

As you can guess about a movie called THE ROCKER, music was a critical element. Cattaneo, who says it was the film's potential to incorporate great music that drew him to the project, insisted on getting the songs right. To that end, all the tunes - encompassing A.D.D.'s garage-band vibe and Vesuvius' power-rock, heavy metal sound - had to be original.

Composer Chad Fischer and music supervisor Patrick Houlihan were charged with the formidable task of rockin' THE ROCKER, with Fischer handling most of the songwriting. "A.D.D.'s sound had to feel fresh and real," notes Fischer. Adds Houlihan: "It's kind of like Fountains of Wayne meets Ben Kweller with some influences from The Cars and Weezer."

Fischer and Houlihan similarly pushed for authenticity for Vesuvius' sound. The group's signature hit, "Promised Land," is a big rock anthem that also reflects the film's emotional and thematic beats about second chances. "We needed to come up with a song that [in the film] becomes the biggest heavy metal song of the '80s and through the '90s - that would put Vesuvius into the realm of Guns n' Roses," says Fischer. Other potential breakout hits from THE ROCKER soundtrack include "Bitter" and "Tomorrow Never Comes."

In keeping with the filmmakers' desire to mix the laughs with verisimilitude, Wilson, Stone and Gad were assigned special coaches to prepare them for A.D.D.'s on-stage musical numbers. According to producer Tom McNulty, the coaching really paid off. "Rainn, Emma, Josh and Teddy became a real band," he says. "They were A.D.D., with Teddy on lead guitar and singing, Emma playing the bass line, Josh on keyboards, and Rainn on drums."

Wilson's training, under veteran drummer Stuart Johnson, was especially intensive. His lessons started with him learning some basic beats from classic bands such as AC/DC and Smashing Pumpkins. Equally important as attaining the necessary level of musicianship, says Johnson, was for Wilson to project a certain attitude behind the drums - larger than life, hair-flipping, whiskey-spitting, and stick-twirling. "We wanted to transform Rainn into [legendary Who drummer] Keith Moon," says Fischer. "Moon was a total animal behind the kit. He would be bombastic, and he broke a lot of rules by just playing too much. But he made it work perfectly."

A highlight for everyone on the production was shooting the big, climactic concert scene, in which A.D.D. shares the bill with superstar rockers Vesuvius. The light show circling the arena and the legions of screaming fans/extras, made it feel like a real concert. For the actors, many of whom, as we've already learned, probably harbor deep-seeded dreams of music superstardom, it was a fantasy come to life. "It's awesome to get to play and pretend to be a rock star," says Wilson. "We got to play in big arenas and really rock out to the songs."

As it was with the music, it was critical to get the costumes right. Fish's eclectic wardrobe includes a kimono, cowboy boots, leather pants, sweat bands, headbands, glitter, lame, leopard prints - and sometimes nothing at all. (See HYPERLINK "http://www.IOnlyDrumNaked.com" www.IOnlyDrumNaked.com for details.) For the pre-stardom Vesuvius, circa the 1980s - "the decade that time forgot," jokes costume designer Christopher Hargadon - flea markets were a key source of inspiration. "Their look had to have a homespun not-quite-right feel, like maybe their Moms had sewn it for them," says Hargadon. For the contemporary rock god-like Vesuvius, a higher class of attire was warranted. "A band that big would have its designer, creating a distinctive look," explains Hargadon. Adds Cattaneo, with a laugh: "I don't know where Christopher found those leopard skin pants, but they were perfect!"

Teddy Geiger

For key makeup artist Elizabeth Gruszka, "it was all about the eyes...and the hair." And sweat - lots and lots of it, because Fish's drumming is characterized by a strong beat, a full-throttle, in-your-face attitude, and prodigious amounts of perspiration. To achieve the necessary "wet look," Wilson underwent an interminable bout of what Gruszka calls "rocker sweat torture." For simple sweat-soaked hugs, drenching Wilson with a steady stream of water sufficed. But for scenes set on-stage, Gruszka employed a simulated sweat product; petroleum jelly combined with sprayed water did the trick - "it's beautiful because the jelly makes the water bead," she says.

"My heart went out to Rainn," Gruszka adds. "Imagine being stuck in a rainstorm for hours on end, being constantly spritzed with...well, whatever we could get. Imagine that happening to you for hours each day. You'd feel incredible tired and weak. But Rainn was a real trooper."