Why do people like it?

The book was great to read, but the movie adaptation was just horrible. I guess the people who like this film are but a bunch of pretentious snobs who either think this is a very accurate portrayal of a world they've never seen with their own eyes, who think a decent film is a film that's shockingly disgusting or who like anything with a remote hint of being "alternative"/"art house". I can find no other explanation for it since I couldn't find anything redeeming about the film either...

I guess I liked it because like all the best satires it doesn't pull any punches.

Let's face it, there's something to offend everyone here - misogyny, homophobia, racism, paedophilia etc. etc. If you don't find at least half of the scenes in this film utterly repulsive then quite frankly there's something wrong with you.

Which is precisely the point this film is making. The music industry relies upon some pretty dysfunctional and amoral characters to make money - it glosses over their faults and glitches - their racist views, their wife-beating, their alcoholism, their drug-taking because these things get in the way of profit. But when that same industry has milked them for all it can exploit of them, it chews them up, spits them out and leaves their carcasses out on the roadside to die.

I found the mock-rock-doc style interviews with their corpses at the end hilarious and disturbing in equal measure.

It doesn't surprise me that this film isn't to everyone's taste because it's hardly subtle, but as a savage critique of the darker side of the music industry that everyone pretends isn't there I think it's particularly effective.

Overall, I just didn't like this movie, but it has its few strengths.

1) Film language

The director used unusual angles and composition. I remember a number of shots where an object or post occupied around half the frame. I think this is supposed to alienate the audience, which seems to be a device used frequently.

2) Other techniques used by the director

Creative opening credits using the actors' bodies. I liked the ending "interviews."

3) Cinematography's good

Lighting, color, grit

4) Metaphors

Inverted motion in the beginning and man standing upside down symbolize "moral inversion" according to one critic, whom I agree with.

However, these strengths are far outweighed by weaknesses that you and others have pointed out like shallow characterization and poor writing. I believe that the dialog is too didactic and some scenes had contrived moments and emotion. Sometimes, breaking the fourth wall did not help and was unwarranted.

I liked the gritty style, the characters, and most of all - the SOUNDTRACK. Amazing.

I just have to put this somewhere, and your thread is the victim: After seeing it again, I think this is one of the best movies I've seen.

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Cool. Interesting. Aesthetic. FUNNY. Everybody's got it's taste and that's ok.

Spain

for me it was like a weird surreal arthouse punk rock thriller....which makes it kind of unique - almost like watching a weird biopic of Sex Pistols Guru/manager Malcolm MacClaren