Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes right now rate this movie 39% - what the hell is wrong with the world? Those guys did such an awesome job telling their stories, and chose the perfect cast. It's entertaining from beginning to end. Party like a rockstar, kick a little - The Dirt.
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ashleylovesnascar22 November 2019
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gjrburbchic23 March 2019I went into this with extremely low expectations and was more than pleasantly surprised. The casting is near perfect. Machine Gun Kelly knocked it out of the park as Tommy Lee. Being a huge Crue fan in the 80's none of the material in this film is new to me and yes I was very aware of inconsistencies that were presumably done for theatrical and story telling purposes. None of that bothers me. To me, this is the right kind of awesomely cheesy. I'm impressed with the actors in this film. They inhabited the personas of Vince, Mick, Nikki, and Tommy really well. And I think that was the idea. Lastly, I've always resonated most with Nikki and seeing his childhood trauma depicted on the big screen was deeply moving. It's truly a miracle that guy is alive and well.
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Chrispearce25 October 2019An entertaining biopic, well acted and written. I enjoyed the film even though I know nothing about the band.
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cardsrock14 April 2019For a film depicting some of the craziest people and moments in the history of rock and roll, it sure does play it safe. The Dirt is a pretty formulaic rock biopic about the notorious Motley Crue. As a fan of the band, I was definitely interested in seeing their debauchery detailed on film. While there is some fun to be had enjoying the music and craziness, the movie just doesn't go far enough in covering their absurd exploits. There's too much condensed into too small of a window. Machine Gun Kelly is perfectly cast as Tommy Lee and the rest of the cast is decent. I wish that the filmmakers put a little more effort into realistically showcasing the story of such an infamous band.
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jonorato-6349023 March 2019I've watched it twice already and I can see this will be a movie I can rewatch a bunch n still enjoy. Do I wish it was longer? Yes. Do I wish they included 'Wildside" on the soundtrack? Yes. Will I buy this on blue ray when released?? Absolutely!!! - if you've read the book it will of course make the movie better (as they left many parts of the book out for better or worse) but I watched with some friends who didn't read the book (n aren't Crüe fans to the extent that I am) and they loved it. People will likely nip pick it to shreds but it was so fun and dark and sad and heavy - a little music lite for me in that I wish they featured so many more of their songs but the movie was really great and I'm glad they did this movie with reverence as it could have so easily been campy and cheesy and it's wasn't at all to me - I LOVED IT!!
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kjproulx22 March 2019Biopics revolving around classic bands have definitely become a fad these days, even though they have been around for decades. The Dirt is the latest in the long line of musical biopics and this time it's hitting Netflix. As Mötley Crüe isn't exactly one of the greatest bands of all time to many people, their music has absolutely resonated with many listeners. Not knowing anything about the lives of these four men before going in, I'm pleasantly surprised that this story had a lot more to offer than the average biopic. Still, it does follow the tired formula, but that's okay, because it's done quite well here.
Following Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, Tommy Lee, and Mick Mars as they form an unlikely group of misfits, this band quickly shoots to superstardom, which ultimately leads to a life of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. This premise has been done to death through the years, so the only thing to truly keep you interested in movies like this is the content itself. From car accidents to overdosing, this is a film that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Sadly, the material presented throughout the majority of the film is quite unlikeable, to say the least.
You can't help but be disgusted by the actions of most of these men, but the music and shocking turn of events is why you watch movies like this, so for that reason, it all blends together quite well. Still, many viewers will be turned off by this film in the first five minutes, guaranteed. If you're in for a wild ride with sometimes disturbing imagery, bordering on pornography or actual footage of heroin overdosing, then I think you'll enjoy the movie for what it is. When watching this film, it became clear to me why this film never hit theatres, but that's not because it was bad by any means.
Although Vince (the lead singer) is played up as the most unlikeable character throughout the majority of the film, Daniel Webber gave a terrific performance. I would love to see his career explode more than it already has, because I believe he has some real dramatic talent, just waiting to be showcased. On top of that, Iran Rheon is the most likeable actor here and Douglas Booth as Nikki Sixx was great as well. Surprisingly, the breakout performance here is actually from Machine Gun Kelly (Colson Baker). I never would have expected that, but his devotion to this character was a joy to watch.
In the end, The Dirt is absolutely defined by its title, because this is a film that showcases the grit and griminess of the rock n' roll underworld. That aspect alone will turn viewers off, but it's a very well-made movie nonetheless. This is by no means one of the better biopics out there, but it's an enjoy film and better than a lot of the content Netflix has been making, in terms of feature films. To fans of Mötley Crüe or fans of a good biopic in general, I would recommend checking this one out. It's fairly standard fare with some surprisingly elements throughout. -
maccas-5636722 March 2019"The Dirt" Drinking Game: take a shot of Jack Daniels whenever you hear the words "dude", "man" or "chicks". Take a shot for each bare breast you see. Check yourself into rehab 1.5 hours later.
I had been waiting to see this film for 12 years - ever since 17-year-old-me first read "The Dirt". It doesn't disappoint. In fact, it was way more enjoyable and fun than I thought it would be. It's cringeworthy, cheesy as hell and over-the-top - but then so is 80s rock. "The Dirt" seems self-aware of this though and doesn't take itself too seriously. It regularly breaks that fourth wall to hilarious effect.
It's basically a comedy with a side of debauchery, partying and drug addiction. Oh and there's occasionally some awesome music thrown in too. It follows the four band member narratives just like in the book - and it works. I came away with Mick Mars having become my new favourite member of Mötley Crüe. I feel they got the personalities dead-on.
Given the length of the book, this rollercoaster felt like it was over all too soon. Still, it was fun while it lasted - much like the career of Motley itself. Go into this with an open mind, don't take it too seriously and just enjoy the ride.
Most fun I've had watching a movie in ages. I'm off to go spin my copy of "Dr Feelgood" now! -
dragokin21 May 2023The best thing about The Dirt is the performance of Colson Baker AKA Machine Gun Kelly as Tommy Lee. He is trying to put his talents to good use and I hope we'll see more of him on screen.
If you're a fan of Mötley Crüe, The Dirt is exactly what you want to see. But if you're, like myself, untouched by their output, you might as well perceive The Dirt as, to paraphrase a sentence from the beginning of the movie, the adventures of a gang of idiots.
Mind you, they were all musically gifted and were successful in a line of work that is difficult and, more often than not, unrewarding. In fact, I must give the authors the credit for the honesty. Sex, drugs and Rock'n'roll is a hard road to tread. And a fraction of those who choose it end at the same level of success and fame as Mötley Crüe. -
erin_osullivan22 March 2019I watched this last night with my husband. I don't know much about Motley Crue having grown up a child of the 90s, but I certainly want to read The Dirt now I've seen the film. It's a little bit cheesy in some scenes, but overall is an enjoyable film detailing the debaucherous and crazy antics of the band. Worth a watch!
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megavahinko22 March 2019I know some die-hard fans are gonna whine about how not everything in the movie was accurate but hey, neither was Bohemian Rhapsody (.. and look how well that went!). If you want historic accuracy, read a book. The Dirt was an ENTERTAINING two hours and hell, I enjoyed it even though I'm not the biggest fan of the Crüe. And would watch it again.
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michaeltrivedi24 September 2019The Dirt. Oh what oh what could I say about The Dirt.
When I watched it for the first time, I thought this could be the greatest movie ever made. And that's really saying a lot in my book. The second time I watched it, I thought it is a mediocre movie at best.
I really enjoy rock star movies. There are far too many of them, but this one is really fun. I guess Motley Crue was a crazy party band back in the day, and this film builds on that and goes in all directions. It's an unpredictable movie. And Machine Gun Kelly is EXCELLENT as Tommy Lee.
I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND you watching this movie. Go watch it. Now. Stop reading. GO. NOW!
7 stars -
Tr-u-mpbilly29 March 2019If you weren't there, you may not get it. Great film.
Motley Crue defined the era from their start to their break-up. It wasn't grunge that killed rock-n-roll, it was the break-up of Motley Crue.
This was waaaay better than I expected. Watch it! -
cantbesuperman201022 March 2019Pros: it's a Motley Crüe movie. And let's be real we are all Crüeheads in our own right. I think the movie was pretty well done, Jeff Tremain did an excellent job. Mick was hilarious, while still being very Mars.
Cons: if you read the book, half the content is gone, no Japan arests, no Tommy drama with Pam, no real Vince drama. The end of the movie felt very rushed. Especially the meeting, there was NO DRAMA with getting Vince back in the band. And basically skipped over the entire time Corabi was in the band.
Overall, I really liked the movie, I'd recommend it to anyone. -
simeonbrown-5743323 March 2019I got the book several years ago (the 10th anniversary edition) and loved it. While I was never a massive Motley Crue fan I grew up listening to metal in that era and was well aware of their notoriety. The book is a warts and all expose of the bands antics and off them as people. It's a fantastic read.
And there's the first problem. The film is 1 hour 40minutes long. Three hours probably wouldn't be enough to do the story justice. It feels rushed and the timelines of certain events become jumbled. And that leads to the second problem.
Certain key things in the book are glossed over. The recording of one entire album is ommited (Girl's, Girl's Girl's). The subsequent tour in the film is covered by a brief look at the band on a flight. This is the tour where the wheels really fell off. The Japanese part of the tour was completely ommited and shouldn't have been as by this point Tommy and Nikki were totally out of control. It was shortly after this part of the tour that Nikki overdosed but that wasn't the first time. His fall into an absolutely chronic heroin addiction feels rushed.
The film doesn't really show how they changed as people enough either. Reading the book to go from liking Nikki to disliking him to kind of liking him again. Vince comes across as a self obsessed dick most of the time up until a personal tragedy. The film doesn't do enough to capture this but then doesn't have time to.
Lastly This is a film about one of the most debauched bands ever. Yes the film shows sex, groupies and drug taking, but it still felt sanitised. They left a lot of stuff out. Definitely a missed opportunity.
Overall it feels rushed. Credit for the portrayals of Sixx and Tommy though. If you know nothing of the band or very little then you'd probably like it. If you've read the book you might like me be a bit disappointed. It would have been better if it was twice as long. A shame I had been really looking forward to this. -
bryangary655 April 2019Must admit did not know a lot about Motley Crue before watching this film.
Got to say though their music was pretty good. As for the movie it appears to be a all warts and no filter description of the bands journey together
Some of it is a bit distasteful, but a lot of it is how you would expect a young rock and roll band to behave when they reach the top -
WpgJetsFan8022 March 2019Bit of a mess. Seemed like they wanted more shock value in the first half than actual story and music. I think we've seen it all when it comes to rockstars partying. This just was a poor telling of a great band from the 80s. Gave it 6 out of 10 simply because of the music.
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josephbotticella25 March 2019Could of been better with better actors. Pete Davidson has no right to be in this film. He was terrible and untalented.
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stuart-4234822 March 2019Great movie that takes you back in time and if you lived through that time then its a nostalgic trip. It's rude, loud and crude, but that's the Crue, so if you're offended then why the hell are you watching it. Sure some timelines are a little all over the place and there are a number of key Crue moments that are left out or glossed over. However at 1hr and 48mins it's to be expected. This is a movie that should have ran for a full 3 hours and really dragged you in, but instead it was nearly 2 hours of fast paced fun, debouchous, alcohol (and drug) fueled escapism, which is what the Crue are and were all about for many growing up. Throw in there the tissue moments as well as the self reflection and you've a movie that could easily see a sequel.
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Gordon-116 August 2019I confess that I don't know any of Motley Crue's songs, but I still find the from captivating. The characters are are unique and interesting, and they just draw you in. The performances are great, and I find myself looking the songs too. I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this film.
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El_Hefe6 January 2022I'm 38 and I was always into music more than the "average joe".
(Mostly into Punkrock, Indie and alternative.)
BUT I have to admit, I never listened to Mötley Crüe before I saw this movie.
I probably won't listen to them afterwards. Not because I think it's bad, it's just not my kinda music.
I really enjoyed the movie though. I actually didn't know what to expect.
Went in completely blind. I was pleased to see Iwan Rheon and Machine Gun Kelly in 2 Lead roles and enjoyed the crazy trip this movie was.
Mild Spoiler: For me personally as father of 2 little kids, it was a bit dissapointing to almost end the movie with the sad story of Vinces daughter. That kinda really destroyed the mood.
7,5/10. -
brett-7626024 March 2019If you like the band, you'll like the movie. Much better than I was expecting.
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If 'Bohemian Rhapsody' had an illegitimate child it would be 'The Dirt'. It's an enjoyable movie although lacking any sense of drama in the dramatic sequences. It was the equivalent of one of those bad TV movies about behind the scenes of a popular sitcom. Fans may recall the events and escapades of the band during their heyday and hopefully the music will gain the band a new following.
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jimmyjoe58322 March 2019I admit it, I never really liked this band. I am the same age as the guys in the band and grew up with a lot of the same experiences but I always thought their music was shallow and insignificant. I was a Clash guy, but.... THIS MOVIE ROCKS! I also admit my mates loved them and I was dragged into the big hair orbit on more than one occasion. This is a well told story about regrets,love, hedonism and music. About lost souls searching. about lost souls finding. All the performers were very capable and though I have not liked even one film previously done by this director, he did a very good job of capturing the energy and pacing of a rock n roll lifestyle. A fun ride but not for the squeamish.
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AudioFileZ22 March 2019This movie answered a question I never thought to ask: can you feel dirty, and riddled with guilt along with embarrassment, by watching something? I'd have to say yes after seeing "The Dirt". First, the positive. The actors cast as the members of Motley Crue do more than an admirable job playing their parts. They really seem like they could be the actual band never missing in scenes requiring playing their instruments and being over the edge in each member's unique personality. There's constant use of humor to soften the, well, dirt. Wisely the director knew this kind of depravity couldn't be shown without it. Then there's that part that hovers and it is an attempt to not candy coat the totally out of control way the band existed for over a decade. It's often vile. I am no prude yet it made me uncomfortable just watching often prompting a FFW in attempt not to be a sick voyeur.
Simply put this story, and film, isn't for general consumption. It's a version of Spinal Tap that is all too graphically real - with terrible tragedy because of being real. If there was a band that was worse in behavior it's impossible to imagine. And that, I guess, is where this film sits. I don't particularly like their music, but that wasn't the point. It's just what it is and the title certainly fits. -
badelle-8488923 March 2019Bad directing. Looked more like a cheap made for tv movie. The book was fantastic but the movie, not so much. They rush through important scenes and draw out the ones meant to shock. All in all this movie was a bit of a mess.