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Three hosts of the 3 Guys and a Flick movie review podcast with movie-themed background.
🎙 Podcast Episode 118

Rock of Ages

Join the Guys as they crank it up for Adam Shankman’s 2012 jukebox musical starring Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Mary J. Blige, Malin Åkerman, and Bryan Cranston — a big, loud, hairspray-soaked love letter to 1980s arena rock.

Release Date June 15, 2012
Runtime 123 minutes
Director Adam Shankman
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3 Guys and a Flick — Episode 118

Rock of Ages (2012)

ⓘ Details

Movie TitleRock of Ages
Release DateJune 15, 2012
TaglineNothin’ but a good time.
Runtime123 minutes
DirectorAdam Shankman
Screenplay Written ByJustin Theroux, Chris D’Arienzo, and Allan Loeb
Based OnThe Broadway jukebox musical Rock of Ages by Chris D’Arienzo
Is It a Remake?No. It is a film adaptation of the stage musical.
BudgetApproximately $75 million
Box OfficeApprox. $38.5 million domestic / Approx. $59.4 million worldwide
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👥 Main Cast

Julianne HoughSherrie Christian
Diego BonetaDrew Boley
Tom CruiseStacee Jaxx
Alec BaldwinDennis Dupree
Russell BrandLonny Barnett
Catherine Zeta-JonesPatricia Whitmore
Paul GiamattiPaul Gill
Mary J. BligeJustice Charlier
Malin ÅkermanConstance Sack
Bryan CranstonMayor Mike Whitmore
Kevin NashStacee’s Bodyguard
Will ForteMTV VJ
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🏆 Awards

⭐ ALMA Award Winner — Favorite Movie Actor, Diego Boneta
⭐ Grammy Award Nominee — Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
⭐ Motion Picture Sound Editors Nominee — Music in a Musical Feature Film
⭐ No verified Academy Award nominations found.
⭐ No verified Golden Globe nominations found.
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📖 Short Plot Summary

In 1987 Los Angeles, small-town dreamer Sherrie Christian arrives on the Sunset Strip hoping to become a singer. She meets aspiring rocker Drew Boley at the Bourbon Room, a club fighting to survive pressure from city officials and financial collapse. As rock god Stacee Jaxx prepares for a major performance, love, ambition, scandals, and power ballads collide in a jukebox musical built around classic 1980s rock hits.
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❝ Key Quotes

“I’m a stripper at the Venus Club.” — Sherrie Christian
“I’m in a boy band.” — Drew Boley
“You win.” — Sherrie Christian
“I know what love is. Love is a battlefield.” — Stacee Jaxx
“Rock and roll is a way of life.” — Dennis Dupree
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💡 Trivia

Director

  • Rock of Ages was directed by Adam Shankman.
  • Shankman had previously directed the successful 2007 film adaptation of Hairspray.
  • The 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists the film as Episode 118 with Adam Shankman as director.

Cast / Casting

  • Tom Cruise plays fictional rock star Stacee Jaxx.
  • Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta play the young romantic leads, Sherrie and Drew.
  • Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Patricia Whitmore, a character created for the film version.
  • Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand play Bourbon Room operators Dennis Dupree and Lonny Barnett.

Soundtrack / Score

  • The movie features covers of songs by artists including Journey, Bon Jovi, Poison, Def Leppard, Foreigner, Twisted Sister, and Pat Benatar.
  • Adam Anders and Peer Åström worked on the film’s music and arrangements.
  • The soundtrack received a Grammy nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.

Location

  • The story is set on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles in 1987.
  • Principal photography took place in Florida, including Miami, Hollywood, and Fort Lauderdale, as well as Los Angeles.
  • The Bourbon Room setting is inspired by the Sunset Strip rock-club scene of the 1980s.

Behind-The-Scenes

  • The film is based on the Broadway jukebox musical by Chris D’Arienzo.
  • The screenplay was credited to Justin Theroux, Chris D’Arienzo, and Allan Loeb.
  • The film was released by Warner Bros. on June 15, 2012.
  • The film grossed approximately $59.4 million worldwide against an estimated $75 million budget.

Nostalgia

  • Rock of Ages leans heavily into 1980s glam metal, arena rock, leather, big hair, and power-ballad excess.
  • The movie’s soundtrack is built around familiar rock-radio staples rather than original songs.
  • Tom Cruise’s Stacee Jaxx performance is often remembered as the film’s biggest swing.

Easter Eggs

  • The Bourbon Room is a fictional venue modeled after the Sunset Strip’s rock-club mythology.
  • The movie includes multiple mashups of classic rock songs, mirroring the stage musical’s jukebox structure.
  • The film’s “boy band” joke contrasts Drew’s rock-star dreams with the changing pop landscape beyond the 1980s rock era.

Misc.

  • Rock of Ages was released in the United States on June 15, 2012.
  • The movie runs 123 minutes.
  • The film is rated PG-13.
  • Your 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists Don at 0.50, Ken at 1.50, Jon at 2.25, and the Overall Rating as 1.42.
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🔗 Sources Cited

3 Guys and a Flick — Ratings IMDb — Rock of Ages IMDb — Full Cast & Crew IMDb — Awards IMDb — Quotes Box Office Mojo — Rock of Ages The Numbers — Rock of Ages Rotten Tomatoes — Rock of Ages Wikipedia — Rock of Ages
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