Velvet Goldmine

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Dennui S @dennui Aug 2 Glitter goes camp. The performances are sometimes strong and sometimes a bit cringe. See more J R @RT04388765 05/19/2025 Velvet Goldmine struts onto the screen dripping in glitter, eyeliner, and swagger — but beneath the dazzling facade, it’s a film still searching for its soul. Unlike its spiritual cousins Once, The Commitments, and Breakfast on Pluto — all of which earned their place with coherent storytelling, emotional heft, and unforgettable music — Velvet Goldmine spends too much time looking in the mirror. A film has to pay its rent, and while the others delivered on their promise, this one was in arrears. Visually stunning but narratively homeless, it’s a kaleidoscope of beautiful moments that never quite become a home you want to live in. And let’s talk about the music. While there are flashes of glam brilliance — a dash of T. Rex here, a whisper of Bryan Ferry there — the soundtrack leans heavily on pastiche and budget-friendly compromises. Bowie’s refusal to license his music casts a long shadow, and many of the stand-in tracks feel like imitations rather than homage. “I Wanna Feel It” is a prime example: a bland, forgettable tune elevated to anthem status by a crowd that reacts with religious fervour, betraying any sense of authenticity. It's hard to be moved when the music itself feels manufactured. A film about music needs to make you feel something — this just made me reach for the originals. See more Alec B @Alec97 02/27/2024 A biopic that's both fake and real (which allows for several "Citizen Kane" references) with a number of earth shattering performances. See more Shioka O @RT54204327 12/11/2022 Good or bad, it's like a 2 hour hallucinate music video. It's a nostalgia of glam rock in 70s, but now watched in 2022, it appears like a pure 90s film with those talented actors from UK. Directed in the Citizen Kane style. It's not a bio, the main character is fictional, a mixture of the iconic figures of that era, and I kinda feel cheated to hear those iconic songs played at once. (and no Bowie) BTW, the director made a documentary about Velvet Underground in 2021. See more isla s @RT89656869 09/04/2022 The most memorable performances in this film, I felt, were from Christian Bale and Toni Collette. It was also nice seeing Eddie Izzard in this film too - he also does well in his role as Jerry Devine. Its a diverting, entertaining enough watch I suppose, with some amusing moments but I didn't feel there was very much in the way of a clear plot narrative/structure as such. Its alright but not a film I'd personally speciffically recommend as such, no. See more 06/04/2021 Connects "Citizen Kane" to "Rocky Horror Picture Show", and had the "Hedwig" ending before "Hedwig" was on screen. The music is great, Rhys Meyers is at his Dorian Gray-beautiful-best, and for those who need to know...McGregor lets it all hang out like Iggy Pop. Might I suggest "The Ballad of Maxwell Demon"? See more Read all reviews

Velvet Goldmine

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