The Wall Street Journal
Friday, August 18, 2000

At Any Cost
7-9pm EDT on VH1

This TV movie (which first aired Wednesday) plays all the familiar chords in its saga of a contemporary fictional rock band's move from Austin, Texas to L.A. and a shot at the big time.

But let's face it, how true to life could such a journey be without the requisite stops at drug addiction, abortion, infidelity, greed and all the rest? At least this variation on the popular theme boasts a gritty-or is it grunge?-sensibility that never glamourizes sin, and a thoroughly convincing young cast that includes Eddie Mills ("Wasteland"), Glenn Quinn ("Roseanne" and "Angel"), Maureen Flannigan ("7^th Heaven"), James Franco ("Freaks and Geeks") and Cyia Batten ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine").

And what about the music? The original songs, written and produced by Rod Taylor and Spencer Proffer and sung by Mr. Mills, might even make you go out and buy the soundtrack CD.