Evengyny Thanks for the memories!

Kidskycom It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Tayyab Torres Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Chelsamander This movie wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It told the story of CBGB's & Hilly Kristal pretty well in a nutshell. I didn't fully understand before just how much that man stuck his neck out for the sake of art & music. He made a huge impact on punk and the music scene in New York and things would definitely not be the same if he hadn't done what he did!The casting of most of the bands/lip syncing to the songs was really cheesy though, the 'performances' were painful to watch. This movie is good for a basic view of what went down at CBGB's but for anyone who's really looking to learn about the bands/shenanigans that went down in that scene "Please Kill Me" by Legs McNeil is a must read!6.5/10

Samhuinn In CBGB (2013), Alan Rickman plays Hilly Kristal, the manager of music club CBGB that famously provided a stage for unorthodox American punk and new wave bands such as the Ramones, Television and The Police. With the help of old friends, his mother's money and his estranged but intelligent daughter, Kristal helped 1970s youth find its voice in music.The main problem of the film is the structuring of the plot. Initially proposed as a story-within-story, the framework of the origins of Punk Magazine is quickly discarded to tell the tale of Hilly Kristal. The remnants of the cartoonish framework amount to little more than annotated scene transitions that can be described as disruptive more than original or even whimsical. This stylistic flaw could have been overlooked if the main story about Kristal had been engaging, but this is not the case. Portrayed as a failed businessman more than a music industry icon, what should have been his visionary idealism and love for music can only be seen as disillusioned incompetence and greed. These flaws, combined with the character's hard-headedness and disregard of advice, make it very difficult to sympathize with Kristal. Come the miraculous happy ending of the film, in which all personal and financial troubles are resolved without much explanation, the viewer cannot help but feel cheated.(AREA 555 on Wordpress)

bimbowes Regardless of the inaccuracies, the music is great and the film provides a small glimpse into the scene at the Bowery club. Alan Rickman is wonderfully droll and captures the spirit of Hilly. Nice seeing a few old rockers pop up in cameos. Would have been nice to see more character development and have the bands that helped kick off the club and the punk scene be portrayed more than cardboard cut-outs. You can practically smell the stale beer and pee. I would suggest reading Legs McNeil's, "Please Kill Me" to supplement the film's account of the mid 70's NY music scene. Some casting was spot on, but the Lou Reed scene was pathetic and the actor was horrible. I like Justin Bartha, as well, but Stiv Bators was hardly adorable. The wigs were ridiculous too.

Jimmi Accardi I saw it on the big screen, and it was good! The film comes with a great soundtrack and lots of laughs too. The theater audience around me seemed to be enjoying the film. I was there at CBGB during this time period, and my band The Laughing Dogs played there. One of our songs is in the soundtrack. I am glad that this movie was made and I appreciate that the movie preserves the history of the place and of Hilly Kristal. Hilly provided opportunities to a lot of bands and a place for bands to play their original music. Many bands got signed with record labels after performing at CBGB. I found the sets and characters looked like the real thing, as if I was back there. I have written a more thorough review on my website.