Almost Famous (2000)

The tour-bus movie. In 1973, a 15-year-old aspiring rock writer lands an assignment from Rolling Stone to go on the road with Stillwater, a rising fictional band fronted by Billy Crudup's guitarist and Jason Lee's insecure singer, and he watches the band strain over who is the star. Cameron Crowe's most personal film sees a band at the stage after the garage: real crowds, real money and the first serious fights over billing and egos. The concert scenes and the group singalong on the bus capture why people keep playing through all the misery. Stillwater's songs are convincing early-1970s rock, solid rather than stunning, which suits a band forever one step away from the big time.