Rock the Kasbah Movie Poster Image

Rock the Kasbah

age 16+
(i)

 

Slapdash, edgy Bill Murray comedy has few laughs.
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  • Review Date: October 23, 2015
  • Rated: R
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Release Year: 2015
  • Running Time: 100 minutes

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What parents need to know

Positive messages

It's important to stand up for yourself and be happy -- though that can fly in the face of longstanding traditions that may be worth respecting.

Positive role models

Salima risks her life to follow her dream ... although that dream is merely to be famous/on television. She shows bravery in standing up for herself and for her right to be happy (heroic in the eyes of Western viewers), but her actions fly in the face of longstanding traditions, which the film doesn't really account for.

Violence

General chaos in Afghanistan: burning vehicles, shooting, explosions. Main character shot in the shoulder, with blood spurt, bleeding wound. A car carrying the main character explodes and flips upside down. Character tells of being head-butted and bleeding.

Sex

A secondary character is a prostitute. Very strong sexual innuendo/sex talk. The main character is seen "the morning after," tied to a bed wearing a wig and makeup.

Language

Strong, frequent language includes "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," "a--hole," "hell," and "goddamn," plus a middle-finger gesture.

Consumerism

The TV show Afghan Star is referred to as a version of American Idol. A character wears a Levi's t-shirt.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Characters drink fairly frequently. Some minor drunkenness. A character takes a "Mexican quaalude" and becomes comically high. Mention of hashish. Mention of someone being "on crack."

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Rock the Kasbah is a comedy about a burned-out talent agent (Bill Murray) and an Afghani singer who dreams of going on television. Expect vert strong language, with "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," and "a--hole" used frequently. And although no nudity or sex are actually shown, innuendo and sex talk are very strong, sex is suggested, and a secondary character is a prostitute. Violence in the Afghan setting includes shooting and explosions; one character gets a bloody shoulder wound. Characters drink frequently, with minor drunkenness (played for laughs); one takes a "Mexican quaalude" and becomes comically high, and there are mentions of hashish and crack. This isn't one of Murray's stronger efforts, but his fans will still likely want to see it.

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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?

QUALITY

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.

Families can talk 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

Theatrical release date:October 23, 2015
DVD release date:February 2, 2016
Cast:Bill Murray, Kate Hudson, Leem Lubany
Director:Barry Levinson
Studio:Open Road Films
Genre:Comedy
Run time:100 minutes
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:language including sexual references, some drug use and brief violence

This review of Rock the Kasbah was written by

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

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  • Very Good: Engaging; good learning approach.
  • Good: Pretty engaging; good learning approach.
  • Fair: Somewhat engaging; OK learning approach.
  • Not for Learning: Not recommended for learning.
  • Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.

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Teen, 17 years old Written byironkid21 February 12, 2016
age 15+
This film bombed pretty hard in theaters. Heck, even coming from someone like me who checks what all the movies that are coming out are, I barely knew anything about it other than it was coming out and it had Bill Murray. Advertising wise, the only things I remember seeing of it was a preview when I saw "Ted 2" and Kate Hudson talking about it on the Today show. As for the film, it's okay. The first half did kinda worry me a little bit because of Zooey Deshanel's character who vomits when she sees Afghanistan people on an airplane. The film actually started to acknowledge that her character was kinda racist so I got over that pretty quick. If your expecting Rock the Kasbah to be a straightforward comedy because of it's cast, look much further. While it has comedic elements, it's much more of a dramedy. I actually was pretty moved by it's dramatic core, which kicks in about an hour into the film, where an Afghanistan young woman wants to sing on a show but both her family and culture don't approve. Also the storyline about Bill Murray and his family. I felt very happy with the closure for both of those stories. And the comic relief is really good too from Danny McBride and Bruce Willis, both of which before watching I was totally oblivious starred in the film. The blend of the wackiness and dramatic aspects may bother some viewers but I didn't mind it. Overall, it's nothing I'd watch again but I'd say it's definitely worth watching.
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