A 2003 film starring Gina Gershon as an aging punk musician in Los Angeles. Also stars Drea de Matteo, Lori Petty and Marc Blucas.
Tropes:
- Abusive Parents: Sally's. Jacki's dad was also a piece of shit.
- Actually Pretty Funny: When Tracy says Nick peed his pants when she shot him and starts laughing, Jacki cracks up, too.
- Alcohol-Induced Idiocy: Often the case when Tracy messes up.
- All Drummers Are Animals: See Big Brother Worship below. Sally herself is described as the result "if Shirley Temple and Keith Moon had a love child," while her brother's nickname IS Animal.
- All Girls Like Ponies: Jacki always wanted a pony as a little kid, even pretending her bike was a pony and naming it Lucky.
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Almost a literal version of the trope, when Jacki describes Animal as "a convicted murder virgin without a driver's license."
- Beauty Is Never Tarnished: Sally and Tracy both get a beating, but look pretty good for it.
- Berserk Button : Jacki's age. For Animal, when anyone tries to hurt Sally.
- Big Brother Worship: Sally began playing drums because of her brother, Animal (named for the Muppet).
- Big Damn Kiss: Jacki and Animal finally get one near the end.
- Boyish Short Hair: Faith's hair is much shorter than any of her bandmates'.
- Break the Cutie: Poor Sally is the youngest and nicest of the group but is raped on at least two occasions and loses her girlfriend in a traffic accident.
- Brief Accent Imitation: Jacki does this to tease their manager.
- Bury Your Gays: Faith dies in a car accident. Averted in that Sally and the bisexual Jackie are fine.
- Calling Your Bathroom Breaks: Both Jacki and Tracy do this, the latter averting Nobody Poops.
- Daddy's Girl: Implied with Tracy, who's a "trust fund baby" and still calls her father "Daddy" when she wants money, despite being over 30.
- Drugs Are Bad: Tracy could be the poster child.
- Excrement Statement: Jacki's response to the terrible contract her manager offers the band.
- Functional Addict : Tracy, who slowly descends into an Addled Addict.
- Greasy Spoon: They have their big business meeting in a diner, which is much less glam than Jacki imagined. note
- Interrupted Intimacy: Jacki's girlfriend Jessica dumps her for taking a phone call while they're having sex.
- It's All About Me: Discussed, when Tracy points this out.It's always about you, Jacki, right now we're talking about your opinion of me.We're talking about my concern for you.
- Knight Templar Big Brother: Animal beats his stepfather to death for raping his sister Sally. Later, after Nick rapes Sally, Animal has to be stopped from covering his mouth and nose with duct tape to smother him.
- Lingerie Scene: Subverted. Rather than being just Fanservice, the love scene between Nick and Tracy has Nick in Goofy Print Underwear (striped briefs) and Tracy in a black bra with plaid boxers. They're high and giggling the whole time, too.
- Look Both Ways: Faith chasing some thieves, runs out into the street.
- Lonely at the Top: Mentioned and quickly inverted with "Bitter Pill."
- Mirror Monologue: Jacki does this, but in voiceover.
- Nature Adores a Virgin: Jacki dismisses Animal's attempts to ask her out. Then she finds out he's a virgin, having spent ten years in prison. He was only 17 when he went in.He's a convicted murderer virgin, without a driver's license. Why am I finding this sexy?
- Older Than They Look/Hollywood Old: Examined and played straight. Jacki is 40 and "chasing a teenager's dream" of being a rock star. Some of the drama hinges on her being older than her bandmates and depressed because she never made it as a rock star. However, Gina Gershon (who was 40 at the time of filming) looks better than a lot of 25 year olds.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Animal's real name is never revealed.
- Parental Neglect: Sally and Animal's mother wasn't much better than their stepdad, passed out while their stepdad was molesting Sally, and Animal beat him to death for it.
- The Power of Rock: As therapy, as a means of dealing with violence, as a way to build a family. Rock is some pretty powerful stuff.
- Rape as Drama: Tracy's boyfriend's rape fantasies and his assault on Sally. Also the basis for their Protest Song "Every Six Minutes."
- Rape Discretion Shot: When Nick descends on Sally after he beats her up. Jacki finds her on the floor.
- The Rock Star: Subverted. Jacki went to LA to pursue her dream and never made it.
- Romanticized Abuse: An in-universe example with Nick's rape fantasy. Tracy's "fantasy" of killing anyone who tries isn't much better.
- Riot Grrrl: Mentioned in a discussion between Faith and Jacki.
- Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll: Lots of all three.
- Shirtless Scene: Animal gets one, revealing he's a Tattooed Crook.
- Shout-Out: Plenty, to the LA punk scene and other stars such as Tina Turner.
- Staging an Intervention: Subverted. After Tracy's already started various twelve-step programs, Jacki wants to break up the band. Both Sally and Tracy lecture her, to the point where Jacki asks if this is an intervention.
- Team Mom: Jacki, of a tattooed and slightly self-absorbed sort.
- Unkempt Beauty: Tracy.
- Vomit Discretion Shot: Averted. Tracy loses her lunch outside the club. Jacki doesn't have much sympathy for her.
