| Movie DescriptionRock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) releases an album and an accompanying single about problems in Africa called "African Child." The song and music video are banned and called "the worst thing to happen to Africa since apartheid" by NME. The single ruins Aldous' career, and as a result he starts drinking and doing drugs excessively once again. His girlfriend Jackie Q (Rose Byrne), with whom he had a son named Naples, also leaves him, taking custody of Naples.
Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) is a driven, idealistic young college graduate who works as a low-level talent scout at Pinnacle Records. He lives with his girlfriend Daphne (Elisabeth Moss), a doctor in her internship, but they do not get to see each other often due to her heavy work schedule. Pinnacle Records has lost a lot of money, so the head of the company, Sergio Roma (Sean "Diddy" Combs), asks for ideas. Green proposes to have Aldous Snow play at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles for the tenth anniversary of a particularly famous performance there.
While preparing to fly to Los Angeles, Aldous forces Aaron to smuggle drugs in his rectum. During their travels and time in London and New York, Aaron learns that Aldous has become miserable and lonely, as he misses his son and has not talked to his father in several years. Aaron shares his relationship troubles, and Aldous encourages him to enjoy his time in Los Angeles. Giving advice to Aldous, Aaron suggests he visits Jackie Q and his father and so the two make a stop in Las Vegas the night prior to the show to see Aldous's father. Sergio also arrives, wanting to help oversee the final proceedings. Aaron tells Aldous and his father that he has been raped, so they encourage him to smoke a "Geoffrey", a joint which is filled with many different drugs. Aaron starts believing he is having a heart attack, but the others are too high to help him. Aldous has a fight with his father; Sergio jumps in, and their tussle ends up setting the hotel room on fire. Aldous attempts to help Aaron with an adrenaline shot to the heart and they run out of the hotel, chased by Sergio.
Aldous and Aaron are driven to Los Angeles, where Snow visits Jackie Q. She has been sleeping with Metallica's drummer, Lars Ulrich (and is apparently engaged to him), and confesses to Aldous that Naples is not actually his biological son. This depresses him even further. During this time, Aldous pop some more pills; this enabling causes Aaron to quit in disgust. However, Aaron sees how happy Aldous is performing and lets him continue while he himself goes home and reconciles with his girlfriend. Months later in Seattle (where Aaron and his girlfriend have moved), a healthier Aldous Snow has returned to fame with a single produced by Aaron based on events from their night in Las Vegas. |
