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Prey for Rock and Roll is a great movie for anyone who likes to rock, especially women who have grown up admiring the likes of Joan Jett, Ann and Nancy Wilson, Lita Ford, Chrissie Hynde, or any women in the predominantly male music industry who have taken control of their music rather than allow themselves to be molded into the industry's "male fantasy" of a female musician. (Britney Spears, are you listening?) But it's not a movie only for women -- I saw PFRR with a guy, and he loved it. We are looking forward to the soundtrack coming out -- great music. Just to balance out my comments, my very small criticism is that once or twice (and only once or twice) a line sounded a little canned or flat, but I tend towards overanalyzing in that regard. (I won't say which lines so I don't give the movie away.) But overall the dialogue was great, very real, with a lot of humor also thrown in. The interactions between characters were great for building them up beyond 2-dimensions. (For example, Jackie's relationship with her mother made Jackie's character more interesting, Tracy's relationship with her boyfriend made her boyfriend more interesting -- a role that could have otherwise easily have been a caricature instead of a character. Ivan Martin was also great in the role.) I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone ready for a movie that balances the heavy (harsh aspects of life) with the light (finding the humor in life and following your dreams).

"Prey for Rock and Roll" sticks B-movie diva Gershon in the spotlight of yet another B-flick as the lesbo lead of an all-girl small time club rock band. This slice-of-rock-life look at the aging rock musician almost works but can't seem to avoid those oh so very Hollywoodish excursions into lesbian sex, sex for drugs, rape, revenge, etc. More music and fewer gratuities and this could have been a reasonable representation of the plight of the aging rocker, the narcotic-like hold music has over the musician, and the trade-offs and sacrifices they make for their art. However, when all is said and done, "Prey..." plays out like just another B-flick wannabe. Recommended for rockers and Gershon fans. (C+)

I just want to respond to some of the comments I've read here. First of all, this movie absolutely GETS IT RIGHT. Yes, rock musicians do really talk like that. I know this because I am one and so are all of my friends. Yes, most of the rock musicians I know really dress like that and really do all that drinking & drugging. And about the music...if the music was good, there'd be no movie, get it? They'd have gotten signed long ago so there'd be no hard times, no conflict. They even said during the movie that she couldn't sing! You want bad acting & great music, go watch Purple Rain. You want to watch a movie about what the rock life is really like, watch Prey For Rock and Roll.

Glamorous… no way. The low-scale feature "Prey for Rock and Roll" is far from a sugar-coated rags-to-riches tale, but a scorching and soul-seeking drama (they might be making ends meat, but they enjoy and live for 'their' music than looking for fame… but they slog it out the hard and long way to finally see it that way) set in the hot and heavy punk rock scene captured in an almost imitate documentary style. It wasn't what I was expecting that's for sure, as the music is its core (with some good musical pieces by Gina… who did perform all of her own vocals and '6 minutes' was something special), but wrapped around it is a very conventional character formed, but strikingly biting story (based on rocker Cheri Lovedog's autobiographical) driven by its authentic grit and picture-perfect performances with excellent dynamics led by the outstandingly simmering Gina Gershon. She lives her character psychically, but also mentally through the highs and lows. Pouring out emotion (and there's a lot from anger to sorrow and pain that's effectively brought across), with roguishly pointed-tongue quips from an elastic script. Making up the rest of the chicks in her band is a rebelliously intoxicating Drea De Matteo, a sure-footed Lori Petty and a sassy doll-face Shelly Cole. In support are stable turns by Marc Blucas and Ivan Martin. Director Alex Steyermark instills a punching attitude and a genuine feel to his imagery with its all-too easy pace breezing by making the whole thing so engaging, even though it's a well-worn formula. The electrifying soundtrack to boot, pumps out the potent tunes and accordingly matches to the smothering atmosphere. You actually do feel like you're a passenger on the rock and roll ride. Enjoyable, but also confronting music/drama feature.

OK OK......I am a 40 year old(male) rocker & can relate 2 a lot of this movie if you have never been a musician who sweat & tormented over music you just wouldn't get it.......great flick tells a good story.....I watched it twice once with musicians & once with just sum regular friends....group one got it...group two did not..if you haven't lived that life or lived in that time sure you wouldn't understand what they were going through & the pain that comes with the life that they chose there were hundreds & hundreds of bands like that on the strip in the 80s this was just one story...so take it for what it was.....a rock n roll movie......to quote a line from the movie."I am chick in a band & that f@#%in rocks" & she did the whole way through this movie.............PEACE

I've always thought of punk rock as the most pure variant of what 'rock and roll' really is. Anarchy, chaos, pure violent emotion. Basically we are going to say what we came here to say and f*ck you if you don't like it.

In this film we are treated to those who would dare to devote some or all of their lives to the creation and perpetuation of this form of musical expression. We see how life and all its harsh realities are synthesized into musical form. This film is not a simple 'band chasing a contract stereotypical Hollywood rubbish' though I think that is how its marketers are trying to falsely spin it. This film is about each character and how they influence and are influenced by the music they create. Punk rock isn't pretty, thoughtless or safe music and the characters depicted in the film aren't either. We see both the humor and the tragedy that makes that humor possible in each of the characters lives (and there is plenty of each). Also, the lifestyle of those who choose to 'pray' at the alter of rock and roll pay a price. I think the double almost triple meaning of the title of the film says it all. Perhaps one really must suffer for ones art.

Basically, everything about the film is extremely well done from writing to the cast, direction, music, costumes, etc... Its obvious that this was a work of love for all involved. That being said this film isn't for everyone and there is plenty for people to hate and fear. If you're one of those unfortunate few who sympathize with the title of this review then you have more problems than I can help you with because Gina Gershon is hot no matter who she is kissing!

Overall Rating 9/10

oh, and f*ck you!

I liked this movie a lot, despite a couple of violent scenes. I've been involved with music, and women making music, for a long long time, and this film rings true to everything I've experienced. Gina Gershon and Drea DeMatteo are terrific -- good casting job all around (although Lori Petty comes off more like folksinger Jill Sobule than a punk guitar goddess). Not sure whether Gina sings the songs or if they're dubbed (I suspect the latter), but she's got great rock star moves and is even believable as a tattoo artist. Drea is dead on as a party-hearty rock chick guarding her vulnerable side. And, oh, yeah, they're also kind of hot. There are a lot of DIY-type full-length songs, most of which are enjoyable, if not quite ready for prime time. If you've ever grooved to Joan Jett's "I Love Rock and Roll" -- you'll appreciate this movie.

overall, i'd say that this movie could have been worse. the scene where they kidnap & tattoo the rapist is worth it. the music was really lacking; the band's name was awful and the music was awful. drea dematteo (sp?) was the best part (Tracy) because she had the most authentic rock & roll lady thing going on...she must have done her homework on donita sparks (L7). there is (obviously) a rape in the movie, but you don't really see it--thank gawd. there is some awkward violence right before hand, but where most films would show the actual rape, the director cut to a black screen. there were a lot of predictable moments, but it was fun nevertheless. i believe it went straight to video, and i understand why.

so i just finished watcing Prey for Rock and Roll and just finished reading the comments. i was here in los angeles when cheri lovedog (the writer) was doing her thing.

and she was doing it great. she took a piece of her life and made it something that all of America could watch. because if all of America had seen the real deal they would not no how to handle it. living in los angeles at the time was intense and this movie captured the desperation. the saddest thing about Hollywood has always been and will always be people who don't know when to quit. don't know when to stop drugs, don't know when to stop their dream. and i would say for a movie it gets the point across. gina gershon shows that she is more than a glam girl. she knows how to get dirty. drea de mateo shines. looked almost to real.. there is something to be said for that. all the girls did a good job. but this was not just a movie about making it in rock and roll. this was a movie about coming to terms with yourself. and that can sometimes be the hardest thing. i think cheri really shows that this is the biggest fight in Hollywood. and this is the fight that most people lose. it was also great to see francois on the screen. brought back some interesting memories. and Texas teri continues to rock. here is a woman that is living that dream. over forty and still going strong.

I like it, but dang- I was expecting just a fun punk rock movie, but instead got a movie that gets pretty dark and serious. And that ending nearly ruins it for me, but... well, all in all, it does still have a fun punk rock feel about it, so I can't hate it on the whole.

Worth noting is that the film's star, Gina Gershon was coached by real-life Rock star Joan Jett on how to properly play electric guitar, and if you really pay attention, you can see Joan's influence in her stance and mannerisms as-well. Also, the tie/rope necklace Gina wears throughout the film was given to her by Joan. That said, Gina's way of talking and other things about her say more Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders to me (the Rock star Gina herself says she relates to more, in real life). All in all, it seems she basically channels a combo of the two.

The whole film is well-made and casted, and if it weren't for how depressing it gets, I would like it a lot more than I do, but I still like it. Besides, one thing a lot of people don't seem to realize is that this movie is loosely based on the real-life impressions and recollections of a woman named Cheri Lovedog during her time working in and around the music scene. And she who actually wrote the story for the film (so no, not based on Joan Jett as some of her fans joke). Thus, I guess the dark details needed to be in there for authenticity.

FYI- my girl Joan Jett was supposed to make an appearance in this film AND the guitar parts in the songs were supposed to be done by her on the soundtrack, but financial issues and disagreements between Joan's team and the movie's team meant that Joan dropped out and the idea for her cameo was abandoned, and her guitar parts replaced. Too bad too, cause there're some good songs in this movie.

I don't know what Gena Gershon's problem is, but oh my god it royally annoyed me during every second of this terrible movie.

I find that in general, up-and-coming rock group movies leave a bit to be desired: The tale of "The Commitments" (1991) rapid rise to glory may have been watchable, but was just not plausible. "Satisfaction" (1988) was neither, and was just superficial to the core. "That Thing You Do" (1996) tried so hard only to achieve saccharine, dorky, false-rock results. But I'm sorry, "Prey For Rock And Roll" absolutely takes last place. It just sucks.

Gena Gershon portrays a girl on the "ragged edge" of rock and roll, caterwauling for over an hour and a half in this movie. Her band plays the most painful, self-important, hook-less, uninteresting music heard in any of the above movies. Her performance is incredibly over-dramatic and overwrought in every way. And despite the volume of her voice, she is not a vocalist. If I saw this band live I would leave. It was so bad that I don't think I can ever look at this woman (in any movie) the same way again.

Perhaps, some say, it was her character's personal anguish that led her to such tortured artistry. But don't be fooled - it is only the viewer who is tortured. I say perhaps she should have taken to visual art or maybe pantomime instead. Anything to avoid witnessing a primadonna, non-rock trainwreck like this. Abysmal performances and music throughout make this a pure headache. Yuck.

The good news for rock group movie lovers is that "The Buddy Holly Story" (1978) is excellent, and "Cotton Candy" (also 1978) is so bad that it's good. Seek these out instead, at any price.

PREY FOR ROCK AND ROLL (2003) *** Gina Gershon, Drea da Matteo, Lori Petty, Shelly Cole, Marc Blucas, Ivan Martin, Eddie Driscoll, Greg Rikaart, Sandra Seacat, Ashley Drane, Joannah Portman. Highly energetic and scrappy depiction of women in rock and roll and the dreams that always seem within grasp even if it takes decades to achieve. Gershon (she also co-executive produced and sings and performs all her own original songs to boot) is the lead singer (think the love child of Iggy Pop and Joan Jett) of a woman's rocking band attempting to score a recording contract to a ticket to the big time but the usual melodramas of bad choices in boyfriends, drugs and life in general delay them despite their game camaraderie and love for one another. The autobiographical screenplay by rocker Cheri Lovedog (and Robin Whitehouse) shows the warts and all look at a tough industry with some tough cookies clawing their way to gain some respect for their artistry (and from within). Petty gives her best performance since `Point Break' while da Matteo and Cole provide enough sugar and spice to mix things up believeably. Great soundtrack and again Gershon (who I love) clearly shows her blood, sweat and tears in this personal project with her trademark ballsy yet vulnerable and sexy-as-hell aplomb; she shoots and scores! (Dir: Alex Steyermark)

Alex Steyermark, a man who's worked in the music department on movies for decades, made his own filmmaking debut with this decent drama. Gina Gershon stars as Jacki, lead singer and rhythm guitarist for an all female punk rock band, Clamdandy, in the late 1980s. The film shows what happens as she and her band mates deal with the chaos in their lives. Among other things, there's a creepy boyfriend (Ivan Martin), an ex-con brother (Marc Blucas), and a bass guitarist (Drea de Matteo) who's kind of a mess.

"Prey for Rock & Roll" is nothing great, but it does have a feeling of real authenticity to it. It's based on the autobiographical play by Cheri Lovedog, a real life West Coast musician. It's actually fairly realistic when it comes to the subject of making it in the music business. Clamdandy does make some reasonably listenable music, but most of it is nothing special; one exception is their effectively angry "Every Six Minutes", a warning to rapists. The girls (also including Lori Petty as the lead guitarist and Shelly Cole as the drummer) look just right and the dialogue, while sometimes pretty profane, is appropriate for these characters. The film does get somewhat melodramatic at times, but at least it never goes truly overboard in the attempt to manipulate the viewer. It does offer a fairly satisfying comeuppance for the story's most vile character.

The performances are all very good. Gershon, who also did her own singing, took guitar lessons from real life rock star Joan Jett, and actually played clubs with real bands. She does a wonderful job of convincing you that she's really part of this scene, and is the main reason to watch this film.

Commendably, this doesn't try to come off as some sort of fairy tale, offering instead a resolution that is believable.

Worth a look for rock & roll lovers, and those musicians out there living their dream.

Seven out of 10.

It's very clear to me why the Outfest programmers chose to screen this film after the awards ceremony (so the viewers didn't get a chance to show their displeasure) and without a Q/A with the filmmakers afterwards (where I and the vast majority of others in attendance certainly would have voiced our displeasure): shame that they included it in a queer film festival at all.

In 2003 there is NO excuse for films in which the only homo characters are either raped or killed, 2/3 of the queer women characters speak of childhood abuse (because of COURSE no one would be a dyke unless "men did us wrong") and the bisexual character ends up with a man in the end.

Sloppy, misogynist filmmaking. Shame on the filmmakers.

I really just liked this movie a whole lot. Sure the music wasn't the greatest but I am close to "40" and really can relate to these women. Must be my generation that went through Punk Rock, New Wave and Goth era that really got this movie. It just goes to show you you're never too old to dream and if your my age you're far from a poser instead we old folks deserve our respect for making a scene that people still try to emulate to this day. Have fun watch this movie and just be yourself. Thats what I got from it and I just really dig women with their style and panache. Always will and when you see someone that feels so strongly about their craft it makes it even better. This is far from just some average movie that glorifies the hardcore scene it makes it personal and non glamorous in a realistic way.

Growing in up in LA Jacki (Gina Gershon) always knew she wanted to be a rock and roll star.

"I was this dorky 7th grader when I had my first real cool experience. Ike and Tina Turner at the Hollywood Bowl. Suddenly the idea of becoming a teacher or a nurse lost its edge. Sorry, Mom."

According to Jacki, watching punk icons X at the Whiskey A Go Go on LA's Sunset Strip was a pivotal experience

"I left that show knowing I had to have my own band. So I got an electric guitar, learned three chords and conned some chicks into starting a band with me."

Twenty years later Jacki is still toiling away in small clubs on the Strip and nursing an arena size midlife crisis.

"Don't you ever think of being 50 or 60, hauling our gear around, passing out fliers, fighting with the bookers and still sweating the rent?" she asks bandmate Faith (Lori Petty).

It's a dilemma most bar band veterans have to face sooner or later although no one wants to think about it.

Although the plot occasionally strays into melodramatic made-for-cable movie territory the dialogue has the rueful ring of actual experience. In fact, novice screenwriter Cheri Lovedog toughed it out on the LA club scene for over a decade with her own all girl punk rock band, opening for bands like Jane's Addiction, Hole and L7. There is a lot of smoke, sweat and tears in lines like " So I'm a 40 year old woman chasing a teenage dream. But you know what? It all comes down to this. These 40 or 50 minutes of playing live a few times a month." Gershon is a naturally charismatic performer and she's firing on all cylinders here. The star did all her own vocals live. This kind of hard, angry, lyrically charged rock is deceptively difficult but Gershon has the vocal moxie as well as the looks and the attitude to pull it off. (To prepare for the role she took guitar lessons from Joan Jett and played clubs with a backup band.) Lovedog wrote the songs and although not all of them work, "Every Six Minutes", a snarled warning to would-be rapists, is chillingly convincing. Musician/filmmaker Alex Steyermark lenses the proceedings like a gritty reality TV doc. "It was really important for me to capture the culture of what it is like to be in a band," he tells us on the DVD. "This is a world I'm familiar with, a world I come from and in many ways I wanted to pay homage to that, to the people who really work hard at their art even though they are never going to see any kind of material success from it."

Based on the reviews I'd read of this film, I knew it could go either way: a supercheesy, false account of a "chick band," or an entertaining and authentic movie about rock music and the people who make it. Unfortunately, it went the supercheesy and false way.

Gina Gershon, Lori Petty, and Drea de Matteo are three of my favorite actors, and one of the few good--though thoroughly shallow--things I can say about the movie is that the women all looked fantastic (especially Gershon). De Matteo maximized her role as the strung-out Tracey; she's the only one who really shone.

One of the film's greatest flaws was incorporating so much of the band's music into scenes. The music was no great shakes, and especially unfortunate is Gershon's voice, which is thin and amateurish. By the time the movie reached its final fifteen minutes I was ready to hit the "mute" button.

Also irritating was the inauthenticity of the film and its characters, who postured endlessly about "rock and roll" this and "rock and roll" that. It's been my experience, as part of the New York City music scene, that no one who plays music talks that much about the "rock and roll lifestyle"!

The film handled issues such as rape and death with a very heavy hand, with a series of unrealistic plot twists--I'm thinking of what happens to Petty's character here in particular. Bad dialogue abounded.

All in all, only the attractiveness of the characters--particularly Gershon, whose tattoos and leather pants are irresistible, and for whom I've had a soft spot since "Bound"--makes this movie worth renting.

This is definitely one of the worst movies I've seen so far this year.

Lori Petty = bad movie. I think Lori ruined the movie for me most of all with her whiny voice and annoying mannerisms. Every scene with her made me want to turn the movie off. I think what annoys me most is that she acts the same way in every movie she's in.

As a female musician myself, I was disappointed with the music. I didn't feel that it "rocked" at all. So the bad music + Lori Petty = super bad movie.

Gina's great, but not even she could save this one.