Great Balls of Fire

I admit without hesitation that while I have a relatively good overview of the world of film, television, and theater, music is essentially terra incognita for me. Years ago, I shocked my colleague who innocently asked me which song by Frank Zappa I liked the most, I answered him just as innocently that I didn't know that gentleman at all. That ended it for him, and he looked at me with the utmost contempt. Similarly, until this day, I didn't know Jerry Lee Lewis, but I enjoyed Great Balls of Fire! all the more. The film exudes the excitement, temperament, and animality of classic rock 'n' roll, which broke the conventions of the time and outraged the moralists of that era. The film is catapulted into the four-star category by Dennis Quaid's excellent performance, possibly the role of a lifetime for him, and also by a very young Winona Ryder, who played the underage bride of the wild man. However, the screenplay doesn't strike me as particularly great, and from the otherwise very colorful life of Lee Lewis, it only focuses on a rather short episode with a tabloid feel to it. Overall impression: 80%. (21.12.2016)

Dennis Quaid didn't deliver a better performance anywhere else, and Winona Ryder has never been cuter and more vulnerable. They both carry this film, which is somewhat straightforward in its plot, and it's clear what to expect from it. Glory, downfall, and trouble. But it just has a fantastic sound and drive. Yeah, well, obviously I love rock 'n' roll. (30.03.2017)