James DeBello as "Trip"

Director Adam Rifkin isn't afraid to tweak the beaks of uptight parents, religious zealots, hall monitors and every authority figure in between as he twists his tale of four over-adrenalinized adolescents, hell bent on seeing Kiss, their heavy metal heroes, in concert no matter what the cost to their biker wallets, personal dignity or their mother's Volvo.

A lackluster ad campaign that makes the movie look like an extended episode of That 70s Show does no justice to the film's rock'n'roll fantasy factor. Detroit Rock City has all the makings of an instant cult classic. The settings, language and action all reek with the authentic funk of spilled bong water on an overdue term paper. From the teenage band Mystery's basement rehearsal/party room in Cleveland to the concert action in Detroit, each scene's "not sorry, glad I did it" spirit overcomes a rolling-paper-thin story line, through gloriously inexcusable behavior, long-legged large-chested co-stars and the hardest rock soundtrack since Howard Stern's Private Parts. Klassic Kuts by Thin Lizzy, AC/DC, Blue Oyster Cult, The Ramones and, of course, Kiss are played throughout the picture and aide and abet the fastest paced editing this side of NFL films.

Natasha Lyonne and Sam Huntington

Co-producer and Kiss bassist Gene Simmons has fared mega-times better this go round than with the band's previous attempt at film making, the unintentionally hilarious Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park television movie of 1978. Perhaps to cut down on acting lessons or to save more money for vintage muscle cars and on-stage explosions, Kiss only appears on screen at the end of the movie. This is in contrast to The Phantom where much Kiss dialogue had to be dubbed in by actors afterwards to mask certain members inability to speak coherently or even on cue.

Wisely, the acting in Detroit Rock City is left to people who do it for a living. Slim-Jim-thin Edward Furlong shines out as the stage-fright-struck singer, Hawk, who overcomes his affliction by doing a Chippendales-styled striptease in hopes of winning cash for Kiss tickets. Sam Huntington, James DeBello, and Giuseppe Andrews also excel as Jam, Trip, and Lex – Hawk's partners in petty crime and headbanging times. Shannon Tweed and Natasha Lyonne, as Amanda and Christine, are easy as ever on the eyes and there's even a cameo by everyone's favorite porn piggy Ron Jeremy as the strip club's emcee.

To say more would be to overly intellectualize what is essentially an extremely well-thought-out no brainer. Detroit Rock City – it's only rock 'n' roll and I liked it, loved it, yes I did!