Clevercell Very disappointing...

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

SnoopyStyle It's 1978. Hawk (Edward Furlong), Lex (Giuseppe Andrews), Trip (James DeBello), and Jeremiah "Jam" Bruce (Sam Huntington) are four Cleveland high school kids in KISS tribute band Mystery. Beth (Melanie Lynskey) secretly likes Jam. When his mother finds their KISS concert tickets in his pocket, she destroys them and transfers him to a Catholic boarding school. The boys win tickets on the radio but it's Detroit radio. They rescue Jam from his school and set off for the radio station. The DJ reveals that Trip hung up before actually getting the tickets. The boys split up and have little more than an hour to get into the concert.The writer Carl V. Dupré seems to be more adapt at horror and that's probably where the problem with this movie starts. Adam Rifkin's directing skills may not be the best either. There are plenty of attempts at slapstick comedy. It's trying to be a rock and roll high school comedy except the comedy part is under-served. It's got the rocking music. The comedy is broad and irreverent. There are a lot of interesting young actors who are capable of doing good work. The strip show is kinda funny. In the end, it's simply not funny enough, at least not consistently funny.

Python Hyena Detroit Rock City (1999): Dir: Adam Rifkin / Cast: Edward Furlong, Sam Huntington, Lin Shaye, Natasha Lyonne, James DeBello: It resembles the hilarious Rock N' Roll High School in look, era and madness that celebrates KISS through the hysteria of its fans in this maddening comedy. Detroit represents destination, reputation and enthusiasm. Inspiring setup follows four high school teens on a road trip to obtain KISS tickets after the protesting mother of one of the boys burns their previous tickets. High energy farce that breaks more rules than it should. The portrayal of Priests and religious figures is offensive. Directed by Adam Rifkin with hysteria satire that remembers the mentality of music and the so-called rules. Lin Shaye steals scenes as a protesting mother. Her opening scene is priceless with an interrupted evening but the rebellious defeat may require discernment. Sam Huntington plays her son seeking escape, which he finds in union with his friends and their love for KISS. Edward Furlong plays the ring leader who strikes more trouble than needed. Natasha Lyonne plays a hitchhiker whom they saved. KISS make the promising appearance on stage with their phantom face paint and a knack for revealing the tongue. One can argue the morality of the rebellious nature of the teens that seems to be applauded but it also examines an era that knows no shame. Score: 7 / 10

Bryan Kluger Over the years, we have seen a wide variety of coming-of-age stories on film, but nothing quite like 'Detroit Rock City'. While this film has all the aspects of a true coming-of-age film, it also has a ton of very adult situations, which ultimately made this film rated R. We've seen a group of kids find rich stuff, look for a dead body, build a tree house, and even shoot a homemade movie based on 'Rambo'.It wasn't until 'Detroit Rock City' in 1999, where we had a group of four burnout teenagers literally do whatever it took to score KISS tickets, which included stripping, robbing a store, fighting, and even drugging a preacher with magic mushroom pizza. While this movie didn't do to well at the box office, it became a huge cult hit on home video and continues to garner laughs and a spectacular soundtrack some 16 years later.'Detroit Rock City' centers on a teenager named Jeremiah or "Jam" for short, whose single mother (Lin Shaye) rules over the household with a God fearing iron fist. She makes him tuck his button down shirts into his khaki pants for school and would never allow him to listen to anything more dangerous than The Carpenters. Little does Jam's mother know that he secretly loves rock n' roll, especially KISS, and is in fact a drummer in a KISS cover band with his three friends Hawk (Edward Furlong) , Lex (Giuseppe Andrews) , and Trip (James DeBello).These friends are not necessarily the friends you would bring home for a family night dinner, as they are always stoned, dirty, and destructive. That being said, they are true and loyal friends to the end, which is what this film is all about. Jam has four tickets for him and his friends for the KISS concert that night, but unfortunately his mother finds them and burns them up in front of everyone. This causes all four friends to ditch school and try to score KISS tickets by anyway possible, but due to their lack of intelligence, it proves more difficult that it really should be.Whether it be fighting off disco douchebags, saving a girl from two rapists, winning money in a strip contest, even outrunning a fat Elvis security guard, or having sex for the first time in a sacred place, these four friends will stop at nothing to see KISS and protect their friendship to the end. The movie is completely silly and has some very gross out moments, including two gallons of puke and one hell of a bloody fight in the street. That being said, 'Detroit Rock City' is as genuine as it is funny, and even though these kids might not be the brightest in the bunch, they would be friends I'd like to have.It's so exciting that all four members of KISS signed off on this movie. Not even that, each member had a ton of creative input that went into this production as well as cameos. Speaking of cameos, there are a ton of them here, including Shannon Tweed, Ron Jeremy, Joe Flaherty, Natasha Lyonne, and Melanie Lynskey to name a few. Everyone does a great job in their roles here, and seems to have an amazing time on screen, no matter how over-the-top it can get. 'Detroit Rock City' is one of those films that is always welcome on my television at home, because it's highly entertaining, hilariously funny, and has an excellent soundtrack.

gangstahippie Detroit Rock City is a teen film set in the 1970's.There have been quite a few like this(such as the brilliant "Dazed & Confused").This film was not as good as Dazed, but it definitely exceeded my expectations.I somewhat like the band KISS(who are the basis of this movie), I like some of there songs, but I am not a big fan like plenty of other people.You do not need to like KISS to enjoy this movie.It's very funny and also has a good story.The film is about four friends who plan on going to a KISS concert.However one of them has a very strict Christian mother who will not let him see them.So she destroys all their tickets.They now have to go and find another way to get tickets and get into the concert, while getting into a bunch of funny misadventures.Detroit ROck City is a funny and great film, you do not need to like KISS to see it.