Movie review: Rock of Ages (+trailer)

I've never pictured Tom Cruise as a rock 'n' roll rebel with the accompanying long hair and bad attitude.

But forget what you know about Cruise and say hello to Stacee Jaxx - an 80s hard man of rock.

Jaxx is everything about rock music that you want to keep your children away from.

But Jaxx is just one part of a story and movie that sits somewhere between High School Musical and Grease.

It is the tale of Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough) and Drew Boley (Diego Boneta), a small-town girl and a city boy who meet in Hollywood while pursuing their dreams of musical stardom. Both want their opportunity in the limelight, and to achieve their musical ambitions.

The famous Bourbon Bar is the heart of the story and the place where Sherrie and Drew hope to emerge from.

Despite their love at first sight, the young couple face challenges and the influence that stardom and the presence of Jaxx has on their lives.

At the same time, the Bourbon Bar faces its own battle with money issues posing problems.

It also must stare down a very vocal and high-profile group of church women wanting the bar closed down because of its immoral influence on young people.

Rock of Ages tells its story through an awesome 80s soundtrack which features an all-star cast including Def Leppard, Poison, Journey and Foreigner.

With actors like Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti and Catherine Zeta-Jones, this isn't a standard teen film but an entertaining romp through the 80s.

There is a little bit of something for all age groups - you don't need to know the 80s soundtrack to enjoy this.

Rock of Ages

(M), 135 minutes

Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars