Its 1978 and four midwestern high school students are on an unstoppable mission to score kiss concert tickets. The quartet faces obstacles along the way from authoritarian nightmares and parental hypocrisy to trials of con... more »science and the ever present influence of disco in their pursuit of a rock-n-roll fantasy. Studio: New Line Home Video Release Date: 04/05/2005 Starring: Edward Furlong Line Shaye Run time: 95 minutes Rating: R Director: Adam Rifkin« less
Classic plotline with a great collection of music! A must watch!
Keith A. (Keefer522) Reviewed on 5/28/2013...
It's 1978 and four suburban stoners are skipping school and heading to Detroit to see KISS at Cobo Hall... and encountering a seemingly endless series of disasters along the way.
Hilarious rock n roll road comedy features a great soundtrack and cast including Edward "T2" Furlong, a young Sam ("Being Human") Huntington, and B-Movie legend Lin Shaye (as an anti-rock crusading Mom from Hell) and captures the late 1970s period vibe almost perfectly.
Even if you're not a KISS fan, this movie belongs on your Rock Movie shelf right next to "This is Spinal Tap," "Rock N Roll High School" and "Almost Famous."
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
Detroit Rock City - movie review
phat9000 | Cleveland, OH | 11/23/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Detroit Rock City is a classic teenage rebellion movie. It has a mixture of comedy, teenage pranks, sexual situations, drug use and just plain rock and roll. Even though I didn't grow up in the '70s, this movie will definintely take you back to that time period. Great acting by Edward Furlong and the supporting cast. This movie is a must for KISS fans. The story is of a group of friends, who are in a band and want to goto a KISS concert, but something terrible happens to their tickets, and after that the adventure begins. A very good movie. I am surprised it didn't do that well at the box office. I recommend it highly. If you like teenage rebellion movies or movies set in a different era you will love this film."
WHATEVER YOU DO, DON't MISS IT THIS TIME AROUND!!!!!
Tim Sullivan | Los Angeles, California | 11/04/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Darth Maul, Austin Powers,John Travolta, and killer sharks... What else would summer 1999 require? KISS. That's what we needed. Recalling "Dazed And Confused" and channeling "Rock N' Roll High School", "Detroit Rock City" is a heaping portion of good fun. Filled to the brim with energy and acted by a cast of clever actors who probably can't even shave yet, this music-packed comedy is just be what the doctor (Dr. Love, that is) ordered. KISS fans might not be too happy to hear that the band isn't in the film for more than 5 minutes, but the DVD extra scenes will more than make up for it. Director Adam Rifkin has made a film not about KISS, but about four teenagers from 1978 Cleveland who drive to Detroit to see the band in concert. Everything from religiously fanatic mothers (The great Lin Shaye), to money-stealing bullies, and even some Disco lowlifes try to stop our heroes as they trek to see the world's greatest band. Once in Detroit, the friends split up to find opportunities to scam their way into the show. It is also in Detroit where each teen learns a very important lesson about life, and just how much KISS rocks. Leading the group is Edward Furlong, who gives his best performance to date. I've never seen him so loose on-screen before. Working with James DeBello, Giuseppe Andrews, and probably the most expressive teenage actor working today, Sam Huntington, they each deliver just the right amount of teenage apathy. You don't come around such a young cast that works so well together too often. It's quite obvious from the brilliant opening credits that Director Rifkin is out to have some fun. He brings back the 1970's with wonderful widescreen lensing, a dab of split-screen, and a soundtrack crammed with classic rock hits. (Go buy the CD!) One after another, the music fills each scene with such vibrant energy. The camera swings and moves with alarming speed. The colors pop and squeak. The era is evoked gently and without(much) sarcasm. "Detroit Rock City" is one of the few films that seems to be the product of genuine love for the era and the music. It's a bright film with an enormous amount of good will. "Detroit Rock City" is often sharp, always silly, slightly tasteless, but a seriously rocking late summer film that made up for the usual garbage that litters August. You wanted the best, you got the best. Don't miss it on DVD!"
You gotta lose your mind in Detroit Rock City!
Eggplant | state of denial | 06/25/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Ah, the '70s. What a cool time that must've been... it was before Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Hillary Duff, et cetera, were even BORN. Even though I'm only 19, I'd take bell bottoms and mood rings over South Pole and Tamagotchis any day of the week. (Of course, it's always entertaining to starve a Tamagotchi, but that's neither here nor there.)
They want the best, but do they get the best? This movie deals with four teenaged KISS fans in 1978, whose sole purpose on one fateful day is to see their beloved KISS - LIVE in Detroit. However, when Jeremiah "Jam" Bruce's (one of the four) bible-thumping mother burns the tickets (all I can say while watching the movie is geez, I'm sure glad I don't have a mother like that), the foursome decide that it's up to them to see the concert anyway, despite the numerous obstacles - hilarity ensues. Great, enjoyable, funny romp that is worth watching again and again.
Today, watching it, something hit me: this is me and my friends in high school! Jam, Hawk, Lex and Trip are me and three of my best friends (except none of us had a mother like that, thank god)! We wore the black rock shirts to school, and hated/made fun of rap (our generation's disco). We hated the [white suburban "thug"] jocks (our generation's guidos). (Please note I don't hate all jocks, just the jerks.) Because of that, to me, this movie's actually truer to (my) adolescent life than Dazed And Confused (another great movie, some of which I can relate to, but not as much as DRC). Oh yeah, and the kickin' soundtrack doesn't hurt either!
Anyway, if you love the '70s and rock 'n' roll, you can't go wrong with the one-two punch of "Detroit Rock City" and "Dazed And Confused"! It's the perfect movie to slap "You Got Served" in the face with!
"LORD HAVE MERCY!!!""
Great Film, Great DVD
jetboy77 | Far Hills, NJ United States | 05/21/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"On it's own, DETROIT ROCK CITY is an excellent film, and this DVD edition is equally incredible .... The film features three of the today's most interesting and unique young actors: Edward Furlong, Natasha Lyonne and Giuseppe Andrews ... Each bring an individuality and passion to every role I've see them in, and DRC is no exception .... And that's NOT to say the other actors don't shine: THEY DO... Each character plays their part to perfection, from the sleazy ticket scalper to the loonie Father McNulty to the "Stellas and Guidos", this film has not one frame where there isn't someone cast to perfection bringing some odd character to life ... And the 1970's feel is done to perfection: from the vocabulary to the clothes to the music, everything is dead-on ... The extras to this DVD are PLENTY: Multiple commentary tracks, behind the scenes with screen tests, multiple interviews with the cast and crew, an additional "making of" documentary, clips of Edward Furlong recording his vocals to the KISS classic "Rock and Roll All Nite", and my favorites, videos from The Donnas ( Strutter ) and Everclear ( Boys Are Back In Town ) ... And there's even more ... I am a very jaded film viewer, especially when it comes to new films ... But DETROIT ROCK CITY has earned a place in my collection, and has become a favorite of mine .... For this genre, it's a total classic ..."
Detroit Rock City
John Reeves Strother | Ga,North Amercica | 01/16/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Detriot Rock City is about four teens in a band who are going to see their favorite band Kiss. It is full of laughs! But when they get their tickets one of the teen's mother finds the tickets and burns them. They have to find another way to see the concert. Along the way to the city lots of comedy takes place! If you like when teens go crazy and have fun this is your type of movie!"