Meryl Streep rocks out as the title character in Ricki and the Flash. Streep plays Ricki Randazzo, a rock star who abandons her life for fame and then returns to right the ship.
Streep spent six months practicing the guitar for the role and even the vocals are her own. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the film’s director, Johnathan Demme, recalls Streep’s reaction when he remarked on how enthusiastic she was about learning the electric guitar: “She said, ‘Why?! Because I’m a woman? I was obsessed with electric guitar from the time I was five years old!”
Rick Springfield plays Ricki’s love interest in the film and the two reportedly had great chemistry from the get go.
As Ricki, she covers such famous artists as Tom Petty, Pink, and Lady GaGa.
The soundtrack was released on August 7th along with an edgy cover of Lady GaGa’s “Bad Romance” on YouTube.
Streep definitely brings some grit to the song. Some reviews claim it is better than the original. It certainly is grittier. She tapped into her inner rock star for the vocals and guitar work for sure — think Joan Jett, Chrissie Hynde, and/or Lita Ford AS One of Hollywood’s most talented actresses turns rock star.
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