Summary
The story of Mötley Crüe and their rise from the Sunset Strip club scene of the early 1980s to superstardom.
Cast
mgk
Tommy Lee
Douglas Booth
Nikki Sixx
Daniel Webber
Vince Neil
Iwan Rheon
Mick Mars
Pete Davidson
Tom Zutaut
David Costabile
Doc McGhee
Aaron Jay Rome
Kayla's Boyfriend
Alyssa Marie Stilwell
Kayla
Brittany Furlan
Biker Chick
Trace Masters
Frank Feranna, Jr., Age 8
Erin Ownbey
Excited Partygoer
Matthew Underwood
Gino
Kathryn Morris
Deana
Vince Mattis
Frank Feranna, Jr.
Mark Ashworth
Deana's Boyfriend
Avis-Marie Barnes
Officer
Eleanor Threatt
County Clerk
Joe Chrest
David
Elena Evangelo
Voula
Courtney Dietz
Athena
Kabby Borders
Tommy's Girlfriend
Carol Ann Scruggs
Dottie
Peter Jaymes Jr.
Rick
Katherine Neff
Lovey
Bernard Hocke
Mick's Doctor
David Kallaway
Starwood Bouncer
Ethan McGee
First Fan
Betsy Holt
Vince's Groupie
Sylvia Grace Crim
Restaurant Groupie
Lucius Falick
Drunk Dude
Christian Gehring
David Lee Roth
Alexanne Wagner
Tom Zutaut's Girlfriend
Melanie Hebert
MTV VJ
Tony Cavalero
Ozzy Osbourne
Leven Rambin
Sharise
Max Milner
Razzle
Jordan Lane Price
Roxy
Kristin Brock
Party Guest
Rebekah Graf
Heather Locklear
Scott Walker
News Anchor
Iris D'Aquin
Skylar, Age 2
Lyra D'Aquin
Skylar, Age 2
Joshua Mikel
Drug Dealer
Blaine Kern III
Addict
Martin Bats Bradford
Paramedic #1
Anthony Marble
Paramedic #2
Kamryn Ragsdale
Skylar
Anthony Vincent Valbiro
John Corabi
Ladson Deyne
Bartender
Michael Hodson
Randy Feranna
Martin Covert
Stage Manager
Kennedy Anthony
Denny's Daughter (uncredited)
Michael Anthony
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Katira Banks
Concert Patron (uncredited)
Charles Barber
Motley Security (uncredited)
William Buster Benefield
Concert Goer (uncredited)
Johnathan Calton
Firefighter (uncredited)
Kadrolsha Ona Carole
Rocker Mom (uncredited)
Alisha Carter
Rocker Mom (uncredited)
Mary Cazes
Tropicana Stripper (uncredited)
Devin Lord Chachere
Valet (uncredited)
Rebecca Chulew
Mourner (uncredited)
Renee Compton
Concert Goer (uncredited)
Karen Dalferes
Concert Goer (uncredited)
Gordon Dexheimer
Bar Patron (uncredited)
Sean P Douglas
Rowdy Meathead (uncredited)
John Frederick
Party Guest (uncredited)
Chad Governale
Hospital Parent (uncredited)
Sammy Hagar
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Forrest Jade
Concert Goer (uncredited)
Zelda Kimble
Party Guest (uncredited)
Steve Kish
Arena Security (uncredited)
Tommy Lee
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Gary Wayne Loper
Security Guard (uncredited)
Jocelyn-Brooke Manuel
Party Goer (uncredited)
Mick Mars
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Woodrow Eduard McCarthy
Concert Goer (uncredited)
Mike R. Moreau
Sharise's Father (uncredited)
Christopher Morris
Rock Fan (uncredited)
Vince Neil
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Erik Olsen
Radio Creep (uncredited)
Edward Parker
Hospital Visitor (uncredited)
Sean Powell
Fireman (uncredited)
Lindsey Reimann
Studio Assistant (uncredited)
Helena Sadvary
Early Fan Girl (uncredited)
Leanne Scarbro
Concert Goer (uncredited)
Nikki Sixx
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Clayton Smith
Heroin Addict (uncredited)
Toney Chapman Steele
Strip Club Patron (uncredited)
Jessica Dawson Strong
Groupie (uncredited)
Richard Blake Suarez
Concert Goer (uncredited)
Sue-Lynn Ansari
Backstage Vixen (uncredited)
Meiyee Apple Tam
Doctor #2 (uncredited)
Alex Van Halen
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Eddie Van Halen
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Amanda Marie Wilkinson
Crue Groupie (uncredited)
Christina Michelle Williams
Concert Goer (uncredited)
Crew
Director
Jeff Tremaine
Book
Tommy Lee
Book
Vince Neil
Book
Mick Mars
Book
Neil Strauss
Book
Nikki Sixx
Writer
Rich Wilkes
Writer
Amanda Adelson
Reviews
Wuchak
March 23, 2019
9
***One of the most entertaining music biopics ever made (but also nastiest)***
RELEASED IN 2019, "The Dirt" is a biography of Mötley Crüe from their inception in the early 80s to the mid-90s. Along with GnR, the band was the cream of the crop of 80’s hair metal. They were notorious for their childish, debauched antics and the movie depicts this from the get-go with an off-putting bit o’ raunch at a party. There’s also an amusing pool sequence that gets pretty repellent with Ozzy pathetically trying to prove how “crazy” he was (I heard the curious story long ago so I was prepared for it).
If you can handle that, this is one of the best band biopics in cinema; and more so if you favor Crüe’s music. The movie has a sense of humor and includes a little parody; it’s fun, dynamic, stirring and sometimes vile, but also dramatic and even moving, especially in the last act. A plus is that most of the characters have a story arc wherein they learn from their misdeeds and mature.
The flick was based on drummer Tommy Lee’s autobiography “The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band,” as well as the biographies of other band members & Co. So, while there’s an over-the-top feel here and there, the events really happened with minor alterations for dramatic effect.
The best way to rate a biopic is to compare it to others, including fictional ones loosely based on real-life characters, like “Rock Star” (2001) and “The Rose” (1979). As decent as those two are, “The Dirt” is all-around more entertaining. It’s also superior to “Walk the Line” (2005), the slanderous “The Doors” (1991), the underrated “The Perfect Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll” (2009), "Eddie and the Cruisers” (1983) and "The Runaways" (2010). I’d put it on par with “Coal Miner’s Daughter” (1980), but it’s very different because the style of music and subculture is so radically different. Content-wise, it’s closest to “Rock Star,” "The Runaways" and “The Perfect Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” but funner than the brooding latter.
Douglas Booth is convincing as Nikki Sixx, the band leader/bassist/composer and so is Machine Gun Kelly as the hyperactive, but genial Tommy Lee. Iwan Rheon is also effective as the more mature and subdued guitarist Mick Mars. Daniel Webber unfortunately lacks the looks of singer Vince Neil, but is otherwise effective.
THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour, 47 minutes and was shot in Los Angeles and New Orleans.
GRADE: A
