Bon Jovi (Creative Commons)

 The director missed a golden opportunity to interview famous people and have them tell stories about losing their virginity or taking a cross-country road trip, all while listening to "Slippery When Wet," "New Jersey" or any of Bon Jovi’s many classic albums. 

Instead, the movie awkwardly begins with a Bon Jovi interview that seems out of place and a “sneak peak” at Bon Jovi’s latest video (yes, apparently there is still such a thing as music videos).

Now that that’s out of the way, chore number two will be to bring the new kids up to speed. 

First things first, for the readers who have no idea what the band Bon Jovi is all about, here it is in a nutshell: According to Wikipedia, Bon Jovi has “sold 120 million records worldwide, they have performed more than 2,600 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 34 million fans.”  That just about says it all. 

In 2010, with the music business idling in its current state of flux and ruin, it must be impossible for teenagers to even fathom a pop star with actual talent let alone what it meant to be a rock star in the 1980’s.

Britney and Beiber sell out the Staples Center.  Bands like Guns N’ Roses, Metallica and Bon Jovi sold out stadium after stadium and could bring big cities to a screeching halt.

Drummer Tico Torres and lead guitarist Richie Sambora are bonafide musicians who absolutely kick ass and the song-writing team of Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora (as well as writing partner and songwriting master, Desmond Child) is one of best of all time. 

That formula coupled with the band members good looks and amazing work ethic have enabled Bon Jovi to sit on top of the world for the last 25 years.

"Bon Jovi: The Circle Tour" captures what it's like to be one of the biggest bands in the world.  The film is not a documentary, but rather a victory lap of sorts, a documentation of their four triumphant shows at the New Meadowlands Stadium in early 2010.

Though far from their prime, Bon Jovi is an icon, a staple of Americana.  They are a symbol of the 1980’s, of New Jersey, of a time of optimism, nationalism and hedonism.  They seamlessly blended the uplifting feelings of gospel music and the overt sexuality of hard rock to blaze a trail unlike any other band of their time.   

Jon Bon Jovi began playing guitar and piano in his first band at the age of 13.  By the age of twenty-five, "Slippery When Wet" was #1 in eight countries and the band’s eight week run had set the record for most weeks for a hard rock album at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Bon Jovi has been assaulting the charts ever since.

Despite the movie’s horrible start, the band makes it all better. By the time the guys get through their “build-up” material, the audience is mesmerized. 

Bon Jovi fans and non-fans alike will surely respond to the energy of the band and of their music. 

Even the biggest metal heads who despised Bon Jovi in the 1980’s can’t help but have the hairs on the back of their necks stand up, when hearing the guitar intros for “I’ll Be There For You” and “Dead or Alive.”   

And if by the end of the film audiences find themselves wanting more Bon Jovi, well, that’s what you get for falling in love.

BON JOVI MUSTS: START HERE, DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $200

1. BAD MEDICINE – IF YOU DON’T KNOW THIS ONE, YOU’VE BEEN LIVING IN A CAVE (CAMEO=SAM KINISON)

2. DEAD OR ALIVE – THE BON JOVI ANTHEM

3. I’LL BE THERE FOR YOU – MIGHT JUST MAKE YOUR PARENTS CRY (depending on their age)

OTHER BON JOVI SONGS TO YOUTUBE:

1. LIVING IN SIN – THIS VIDEO SENT MANY BOYS HURLING TOWARDS MANHOOD.

2. BORN TO BE MY BABY – CLASSIC BON JOVI = A GUY + A GIRL

3. LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME – ONE OF THE LADIES’ FAVORITES=ONE OF THE GUYS' FAVORITES

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