Bardlerx Strictly average movie

Protraph Lack of good storyline.

ScoobyMint Disappointment for a huge fan!

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

valis1949 GARAGE DAYS (dir. Alex Proyas) A strange film because it's a rock'n'roll movie that does not embrace the clichéd rock'n'roll fairy tale, but aims for just the opposite. GARAGE DAYS is about learning to accept your limitations and struggling with something that is really important regardless of your degree of success. Set in Australia the film has a 'local' feel, although Alex Proyas, the director, makes the film as big in scope as a classic of the rock genre. The perennial romance of rock'n'roll is the belief that a small but influential voice can overcome overwhelming odds and attain massive popularity and success. But the message of GARAGE DAYS is that after all of their struggle, the band members don't come close to fulfilling their rock'n'roll fantasy, but are still satisfied with their lives.

Mel Pullen I've watched the DVD twice this weekend and I think it is an excellent, light comedy. There's a dark subplot to act as counterpoint, and most actors have dark as well as light. Bruno, the manager and Luce, the drummer produce brilliant characterisations; high energy. Garage days shows nicely how, for most people, life doesn't turn out the way they hoped. It also shows, equally nicely, that most people learn to accept the way their life turns out. The director was brave to portray drugs in the way he does. He is also fleetingly and subtly negative about gambling. The commentary on the DVD is tantalising about the possible treatments. It also indicates the lengths the director has gone to for emotional appeal relating to the various actors. The plot is simple, but that's not the point of the film. It doesn't have overt gimmicks or special effects. There's no heart stopping shocks or car chases. It's a subtle, nicely portrayed love story. I'm sure this film will be enjoyed by many of the baby boomers, the people who (vaguely) remember the sixties.

LilyDaleLady I had to check the DVD box three times to be sure that it was the name ALEXPROYAS as director, because this is just such an unbelievably bad andamateurish film. It would be more believable with its odd tone, jokiness andmusical/fantasy elements if it were a hitherto undiscovered, very, very very early Baz Luhrman project."Garage Days" is a whimsical look at a contemporary Sydney, Australia rockband. For an American viewer, the first obstacle is the slangy, heavily accented Australian dialect. I do understand that is the setting, but for anybody in another English speaking country to understand even half of the plot, they needed totone down the accent and the words that are incomprehensible to the (muchlarger potential) US audience. Like "pokies"...I guess they are slot machines but it certainly was not clear.The story is so aimlessly told that although it's about a rock band -- I did get that -- I have no idea after watching the whole film what the band's NAME was. They don't play a whole song until the very end, and then we are told that they really suck -- although actually they are not that terrible. So all the sturm and drang is for absolutely nothing, because they are talentless and as the tie-ups at the end tell us, all the members went on to other careers or get married.The overall tone of the film is very like an old episode of the Monkees or The Partridge Family -- very jokey and cartoon-like, with lots of stylized action. Of course, because this is the 2000's, we have to get the requisite CGI effects: bullet time, slo mo, CGI monsters and drug trips and other comical moments.None of this really pans out or seems to work. The emotional tone is so sixties and caricaturing, and yet the story is supposed to be very "now" and thecharacters wouldn't have even been born in the 60s.Some of the lamest moments involve "drug trips", portrayed like something out of Reefer Madness.I can only scratch my head wondering why Alex Proyas, who made two of themost stylish, influential and original sci fi fantasy movies of the 90s would have stooped to this embarrassing garbage. It can't have been money, because this is a pretty low budget affair and it can't be fame, because it seems to be aimed mostly at the Aussie film market. Perhaps Mr. Proyas was himself once in aGarage Band and wanted to relive it a bit, although he would have to be at least 20 years older than the characters in the film."Garage Days" suffers quite badly also when compared to rock band films like"Almost Famous" or "The Committments". Although the idea of a bad, untalented band is quite funny -- think "Spinal Tap" -- there is an inherent problem that no one wants to listen to really bad music for 2 hours. Also, "Garage Days" is just plain unfunny, with tired sitcom-like jokes.The sound track has a mixture of oldies and contemporary music, played loudly and over every scene, apparently to compensate for a lack of any original music or even covers played by the band in the film. While some of this music isenjoyable, the loud overwhelming presence of other, more talented rockersmusic only draws attention to the lack of any interesting qualities to thecharacters or the plot, and doesn't allow the action to slow down enough for us to develop any intimacy with the characters or the romance between the twoleads.If shown on MTV as the senior project of an wannabe film director, this would still be lacking in quality, but more understandable and maybe forgivable. As the work of one of most respected sci fi fantasy film directors of the last decade, it is actually disturbing. Since "Dark City", Mr. Proyas has only made two films, this and the dull, derivative "I Robot". WHAT HAPPENED???? I'd give ten dollars to know...but the answer would probably make me very very sad.

SulphurMan "Garage Days" seems like an attempt to capitalize on a bunch of different genres by re-hashing them into a confused mess of film failure. Offering nothing new or fresh to the table, the film is un-entertaining and plods along at a predictable, ultra-flashy pace. The jubilent, carefree tone of the film is compromised here by weighty subject matter such as abortion and drug use. These "dramatic" elements of the film keep it from having a distinctive tone that engages the viewer when contrasted with the hyper active camera work, pointless interludes and predictable comedy. When all is said and done this is nothing more than a vanity piece trying to showcase cool clothing and little else. All of these combine to deliver an un-entertaining film experience. Pass on this one.