the buddy holly story open on a shot of a yellow neon moon on the roof of a roller rink in 1956 lubbock and texas . a the credit start and the camera move down from the moon to the parking lot and into the roller rink and past the concession and across the rink to a small bandstand where a small band be do their sound check . it a track shot welles and scorcese would both appreciate . it cut to buddy holly bespectacled face peer down in rapt concentration a he grip the headphone and talk to a man put this band on the radio . a young gary busey play buddy holly and his performance be key . he have to somehow show the passion that holly have for his music to make the film work . this be a rock and roll story without line of coke chase with shot of heroin and a fifth of whiskey . this isn not about a man with several woman to choose between in a sex scandalize and brood abandon lusty tragedy . this be a film about a nice texas boy who respect his parent and go to church and have the same girlfriend for 5 year and fell in love with rock and roll . busey find that spark and ignite it and his passion be clear and infectious . he really play the guitar in the film and sings and it not overdubbed with holly recording . busey be a young guy in hollywood in the seventy and a struggle actor and as much or more so a struggle rock musician as well . thus and he give a great performance and because although he isn not buddy holly and he in a similar situation . his first song be the old le paul classic and mockingbird hill and he have the country twang to nail it . next a kid call out for some bop and and against his two band mate ( in reality the cricket be 3 guy and but the down size work fine for the film limit narrative ) he lead them wail into rock with ollie vee . the kid love it and the parent hate it . the dj at the roll rink tape it and it be later release in new york without buddy holly even know it be ever record . this lead to the funny scene in a film fill with humorous moment . an amped up disc jockey from buffalo call up buddy at home . the dj have be play that will be the day for 12 hour and be go for 24. the cop be bang on the station barricade door . holly be confused and but when the dust settle and he be quite thrilled . he tell the boy and and their meteoric rise begin . dan stroud a the drummer and charles martin smith a the bassist round out the band nicely and have good chemistry with each other . there be problem but not overblown drama thats find in most rock ( all . ) biopics . the movie doesn not manipulate you either . your emotion soar and but theyre not manipulate . when the cricket step onto the apollo stage in harlem and the first white group ever to play there and then rip into an electrically charge performance of oh boy and win the audience over and my rock and roll love as get choke up and cry . next and busey and the boy make it so easy sound funky and more soulful than i would have believe possible . anyone with even a cursory knowledge of buddy holly story will know where this movie will end . holly die in a plane crash with richie valens and the big bopper way too young . we and a the audience know that and yet the movie be so well write and direct and lovingly act that we forget it almost immediately . the movie isn not about his death and it about his life and his place in rock and roll history . the film end with his last performance and it a good fifteen minute of busey rock out possess by the ghost of buddy holly . i be happy to hear him end it on not fade away and my favorite of his song . the film freeze before the end credit with the information about the plane crash and but i hardly notice it . i be still think about how good that last song be .