I AM ROCK AND ROLL!
Chazz (Brendan Fraser), Rex (Steve Buscemi) and Pip (Adam Sandler) make up the LA rock band The Lone Rangers. These guys are desperate to make it big, and they know their only ticket to success is getting their song on the radio. Air time = record contract, after all, and these guys are ready.
If you have an aversion to Adam Sandler, do not fret. He’s a wingman in this flick, and he’s really, really hot. It’s weird and takes me by surprise every time.
The Lone Rangers break into Rebel Radio and accidentally take everyone hostage with very realistic water guns. Michael McKean plays Milo, the numb-nuts station manager who plans to turn the station into easy listening. He’s obviously the antithesis of rock and roll. Joe Mantegna (The Simpsons’ Fat Tony) is Ian, the cool-cat DJ who ends up as an ally to the aspiring rockers.
The parking lot of the radio station becomes a huge party, and Chris Farley the cop has to go find Chazz’s hot but bitchy girlfriend Kayla (Amy Locane- how much has her life sucked the last few years?) who has the only cassette copy of the song they want played. David Arquette plays a surfer guy who works at the station. He’s goofy as hell, and I think he wasn’t really acting. Judd Nelson is a greasy record executive, Ernie Hudson is a good-guy cop, and Michael Richards spends the entire movie in the duct work. There’s a scene with White Zombie playing in a club (swoon). There’s even a cameo by–wait for it–Lemmy!
There’s an abounding theme of injustice: suited fat cats controlling music. How many of us writers can find that somewhat relatable?
There are lots of quotable moments. For example, Chazz tells Milo, “You look like half a butt-puppet.” I don’t know what that means, but it’s hilarious! At one point, Chazz riles up the crowd by chanting “Rodney King.” The only black guy in custody is all “What’s that supposed to mean?” and Pip replies, “He’s that guy.”
So, they’re surrounded by cops and have a room full of hostages. The crowd outside is cheering for them, and the viewer is, too. They’re lovable dumbshits with pepper-sauce filled water guns. But they find a way to make their rock and roll dreams come true. Airheads is a throwback to the glitzy days of hair bands, and it just makes me freaking happy. Motorcycles, guitars, long hair, and leather.
Life was simpler back then.
You have a limited amount of time, so why spend it reading about things that suck or are only kind of okay? Favorite thing EVER is not a review site. We're unrepentant fans, and this is the stuff we love. Hope you like gushing, because we're about to embarrass ourselves.
I have been meaning to check this out! A scene from it was included in a recent supercut of cinematic The Fingers, and you know I love me some The Fingers.
I had an embarrassing crush in Brendan Fraser, man. I saw Encino Man. In the theater.
This can’t be worse.
It’s much better than Encino Man. You won’t be sorry.