Plot Summary

Bette Midler plays The Rose, a female rock star strikingly similar to Janis Joplin. This movie follows her career during her last tour, as she's determined to return to her hometown in Florida. Although a success, she's exhausted and lonely, but is forced to continue working by her gruff and greedy manager. Though loud and brassy, she is an insecure alcoholic and former drug user, who seems to crave approval in her life. She begins a romance with a limo driver, who is actually an A.W.O.L. Sergeant from the Army. Her musician lifestyle of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll", along with the constant touring, leads her to an inevitable breakdown.—R. John Berggren