The Idolmaker

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The Idolmaker

PG,

1980,

1h 59m,

Musical

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Watchlist

88%

8 Reviews

Tomatometer

84%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Music producer and songwriter Vincent Vaccari believes that it takes good looks, not talent, to become a teen idol in the 1950s America. So when he discovers handsome-faced Tomaso, he sweet-talks him into losing his saxophone and instead becoming a singer. Soon after, Tomaso is transformed into the newest pop star -- Tommy Dee. But when Vaccari takes on a second protégé, Caesare, the rivalry between the two egotistical performers spirals out of control.

Joseph Gelmis

Newsday

Oct 10, 2023

2.5/4

There's no one with whom to sympathize and there's no accumulation of honest emotion by film's end. Nonetheless, in the style of a live-action comic book, The Idolmaker is colorful and brash and vulgar entertainment much of the time.

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Noel Murray

The Dissolve

Aug 27, 2013

3/5

The movie's two main aims -- to blow the lid off the music business and to exalt some of the unsung heroes of American pop culture -- are somewhat contradictory, and haven't been worked into a polished narrative.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Oct 23, 2004

3/4

At the core of The Idolmaker, making it a better film than it might otherwise have been, is the hungry, lonely ego of the movie's hero, Vince Vacarri.

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Lawrence O'Toole

Maclean's Magazine

Jul 19, 2019

Part of the reason why The Idolmaker is as compelling as it is comes from Ray Sharkey's performance as Vinnie.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Jul 31, 2011

B-

Taylor Hackford showed his skills as a commercial director with his very first picture.

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Andy Klein

Los Angeles CityBeat

Apr 7, 2005

3/5

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Han S

Sep 1, 2018

The Idolmaker is an okay film. It is about the life of rock promoter/producer Bob Marcucci. Ray Sharkey and Peter Gallagher give decent performances. The script is a little slow in places. Taylor Hackford did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the drama and music.

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Taylor Hackford

Director

Ray Sharkey

Vinnie Vacarri

Tovah Feldshuh

Brenda Roberts

Peter Gallagher

Caesare

Paul Land

Tommy Dee

Joe Pantoliano

Gino Pilato

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Synopsis

Music producer and songwriter Vincent Vaccari believes that it takes good looks, not talent, to become a teen idol in the 1950s America. So when he discovers handsome-faced Tomaso, he sweet-talks him into losing his saxophone and instead becoming a singer. Soon after, Tomaso is transformed into the newest pop star -- Tommy Dee. But when Vaccari takes on a second protégé, Caesare, the rivalry between the two egotistical performers spirals out of control.

Director: Taylor Hackford
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Koch Company, Kirkwood
Rating: PG
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 14, 1980, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 14, 2018
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Surround

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