Friday, October 23, 2015

Rock the Kasbah Movie Review

Bill Murray stars in Rock the Kasbah

This Isn't Good

Rotten Tomatoes PlotRock the Kasbah is the story of Richie Vance (Bill Murray) a has-been rock manager who takes his last remaining client on a USO tour of Afghanistan. When Richie finds himself in Kabul, abandoned, penniless and without his passport, he discovers a young girl (Leem Lubany) with an extraordinary voice and manages her through Afghanistan's version of "American Idol," the wildly popular "Afghan Star." Directed by Barry Levinson. Also stars Bruce Willis, Zooey Deschanel, Kate Hudson, Scott Caan and Danny McBride.


Murray asks Hudson, "What's a beauty like you, doing with a goof like me?" Perhaps a better question is... why make a movie as audaciously awful as Rock the Kasbah? One year removed from a brilliant turn in St. Vincent, Murray flops/implodes, while Hudson coughs up ridiculous lines like, "I can fuck you like a Mouseketeer on crack." Gross. It's also cursed with atrocious casting (Salah Benchegra & Ellen Chenoweth) seemingly nonexistent direction and woeful writing (Mitch Glazer.) Toss in a myriad of insults at Afghan culture and people, and I'm amazed Open Road Films agreed to distribute it.

GradeF