Parents' Guide to

Rock the Kasbah

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Slapdash, edgy Bill Murray comedy has few laughs.

Movie R 2015 100 minutes
Rock the Kasbah Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

Washed-up, burnt-out rock agent Richie Lanz (Bill Murray) has taken to scheming hopeful singers for small change. When he learns he can take his only client (Zooey Deschanel) to Afghanistan for a USO tour, he jumps at the opportunity. Unfortunately, she deserts him and takes his passport. Stranded, Richie falls in with a couple of sleazy arms dealers and ends up meeting a fearsome warlord. At night, he hears singing and finds the warlord's beautiful daughter, Salima (Leem Lubany), who's forbidden to do such things. Believing in fate, Richie enlists the aid of a local prostitute (Kate Hudson) and starts planning to get Salima on the nation's top talent show, Afghan Star -- even though it would bring shame to her family and perhaps even death.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Murray seems game in the role of Richie Lanz, using his familiar beloved bag of tricks, but the movie feels rather slapdash. The lazy, lax rhythms rarely tighten up enough to produce any laughs. As ROCK THE KASBAH begins, Murray's goofball performance recalls some of his slyest, funniest roles, but as it goes on, it regretfully begins to resemble his more forgettable ones (Larger Than Life, Garfield, etc.); he tries, but the flabby material doesn't support him.

Director Barry Levinson can easily get lost if he's making comedies that aren't set in his hometown of Baltimore, and he's very lost here. He doesn't quite know how to reconcile Richie's story with Salima. While Lubany is lovely, her singing isn't particularly memorable, which undermines the movie's claim of her as an amazing star. She's based on a real person, and the movie seems to want to be respectful to her story in addition to being funny, but everything falls through the cracks.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Rock the Kasbah's sexual content. How much is shown, and how much is suggested/talked about? Do you think all of the sexual content was necessary to the story?

  • How is violence used to suggest war-torn Afghanistan? How effective is it? Does it detract from the humor? Add to it?

  • What does it mean for Salima to win on Afghan Star? How is her victory different from that of a contestant on American Idol in the United States?

  • Is Richie Lanz likable, despite his many faults? Why or why not? What does he have in common with Murray's other characters?

Movie Details

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