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The Dirt
(Netflix)
By Lucas Allen
Last fall, audiences flocked to see the Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsod,” which recently won four Oscars, including Best Actor. With the success, a new wave of musical biopics of rock legends has come its way.
The next title to ride that wave is Netflix’s production of “The Dirt,” which details the wild and insane antics of the hard rock group Motley Crue.
It’s based on the 2001 autobiography of the same name written by all four of the group members, while the film version is directed by Jeff Tremaine, of “Jackass” and “Bad Grandpa” fame. Much like the book, the movie is narrated from the perspectives of different characters. It starts with Nikki Sixx (Douglas Booth) growing up in a broken home with his deadbeat mother (Kathryn Morris) before running away to Los Angeles. After his first band falls apart, he tries to come up with a new band. Upon meeting drummer Tommy Lee (rapper Machine Gun Kelly), he starts to form his new band with the addition of guitarist Mick Mars (Iwan Rheon) and lead singer Vince Neill (Daniel Webber).
As the band comes up with new ways of shocking the audience, Motley Crue becomes an instant sensation in the LA underground punk scene of the early 80s, selling out to wild crowds and throwing wilder parties.
Eventually, they’re signed to Elektra Records by the label’s rep Tom Zutaut (SNL’s Pete Davidson) before hiring rock manager Doc McGhee (David Costabile) and scoring some hit albums. Not to mention, their first tour with hard rock legend Ozzy Osbourne (Tony Cavalero in a spot-on impression) would kick off their infamous series of moments that redefine the term sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. But as the story goes, all that excess will have them experience tragedy at every turn that will affect their group dynamic.
Just like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The Dirt” is your standard biopic charting the group’s rise to success before descending into indifference fighting set to a soundtrack compiled of their greatest hits. The film shares the same anarchic spirit of the band’s legendary persona. It doesn’t hold back, showcasing some of their most outrageous moments during the height of their newfound fame. Any hardcore fan of the group will enjoy seeing each of the best moments from the book come to life through the magic of filmmaking. It helps that one of the guys behind “Jackass,” who understands how to make shocking moments happen, is in the director’s chair.
Though their hit songs aren’t fully showcased, it’s more about the group’s ways of making their performances stand out from the heavy rock crowd. Motley Crue were more interesting when they know how to shock the crowds both on stage and off. There’s also a heavy tonal shift between the group’s antics and some heavy drama that happens throughout the movie. Some of it may seem too sudden, but there’s still a natural flow in the scenes that work out well for the story.
All four of the actors playing the band members do a great job portraying each of the member’s different personalities nicely. They all bring the right amount of humor and emotion to their roles, while also embodying their real-life counterparts realistically.
While it’s debatable if it’s better or worse than “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The Dirt” is a different beast of a music biopic and can be seen on its own terms. It’s certainly outrageous and entertaining enough to please a lot of hard rock fans. Let’s see if the upcoming Elton John film, “Rocketman,” farse any better come this summer.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: TV-MA
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.25 Stars (Out of Four)
