History YMMV / RockItsYourDecision

** Jeff loses all his friends as the movie progress and while this movie wants to use it to show how Jeff is to be admire for sticking to his beliefs, it really instead can be use to show how when you just attack people for enjoying something you don't like, no sane person will tolerate what you are doing. If Jeff simply just respected his friends opinions instead of attacking their viewpoints, they would have done the same for him.

** Reverend Owen at one point tells Jeff's mom how Jeff could easily use bible quotes as a argument for why Soap Operas are as bad as rock and roll. While the movie wants to use this as a point to show that Jeff's mom is a hypocrite, the thing is both rock and roll and soap operas are harmless enjoyable forms of entertainment. If anything Owen making that claim just instead shows how easily some one can use a bible quote to condemn anything they dislike as a means of justification no matter how silly it might be as a argument.

** Reverend Owen at one point tells Jeff's mom how Jeff could easily use Bible quotes as a argument for why Soap Operas are as bad as Rock and Roll. While the movie wants to use this as a point to show that Jeff's mom is a Hypocrite, the thing is both Rock and Roll and Soap Operas are harmless enjoyable actives. If anything Owen making that claim just instead shows how easily some one can use a bible quote to condemn anything they dislike even if it makes little sense.

** Later, Jeff gets angry with Marty for playing rock music at a party he was hosting in his own house. Yet we're expected to take Jeff's side earlier when he refuses to let Melissa listen to a rock station when he's giving her a ride in his car. Marty even rightfully tells Jeff that if it bothers him that much, he should just leave instead of complaining and ruining everyone else's good time.
* UnintentionallySympathetic: Jeff's best friend Marty, who repeatedly shoots down Jeff's misinformed comments against rock music and is openly critical of Jeff's growing intolerance of those who listen to it. It's clear the film intended to paint him in a negative light for defending himself, and yet he comes off as one of the few people with any common sense in the wake of Jeff's constant ravings.

** Later, Jeff gets angry with Marty for playing rock music at a party he was hosting in his own house. Yet we're expected to take Jeff's side earlier when he refuses to let Melissa listen to a rock station when he's giving her a ride in his car.

** One could also read Jeff's hate filled speech in the end where he completely misses the point of the songs he list off, as a example of how hateful people with their mind made up can easily misinterpret the meaning of anything to fit their bias agenda.

** **One could also read Jeff's hate filled speech in the end where he completely misses the point of the songs he list off, as a example of how hateful people with their mind made up can easily misinterpret the meaning of anything to fit their bias agenda.
** ** Reverend Owen at one point tells Jeff's mom how Jeff could easily use Bible quotes as a argument for why Soap Operas are as bad as Rock and Roll. While the movie wants to use this as a point to show that Jeff's mom is a Hypocrite, the thing is both Rock and Roll and Soap Operas are harmless enjoyable actives. If anything Owen making that claim just instead shows how easily some one can use a bible quote to condemn anything they dislike even if it makes little sense.

** **One could also read Jeff's hate filled speech in the end where he completely misses the point of the songs he list off, as a example of how hateful people with their mind made up can easily misinterpret the meaning of a song to fit their agenda.

** Jeff [[PoliticallyIncorrectHero citing rock musicians known to be homosexual as evidence of the alleged evils]] of rock. Nowadays such a view would get Jeff labelled a bigot, probably even within his church. In the early 80's, there was still quite a bit of rampant homophobia among rank-and-file Americans, even the non-religious, with many viewing the AIDS epidemic as proof that homosexuals were dangerous, but even then, it was a view that was starting to change. When reviewing the film for what was then ''[[WebVideo/TVHeaven DVD-R Hell]]'', Creator/BradJones went right into TranquilFury mode and effectively ended the main review segment right then and there.
--->'''Brad Jones:''' Kid... ''go fuck yourself''. Your decision is to not listen to rock music, fine. ''My'' decision is that I don't have to listen to any more of what you have to say, because as soon as you bring your homophobic beliefs into this one-sided conversation, ''I am '''done''' with you''.

* CriticalResearchFailure: At the end of the movie, Jeff cites a list of "Satanic" rock songs to prove his point that rock is evil. However, it's quite clear the creators of the film only looked at popular classic rock song titles and didn't actually listen to them or look at their lyrics.
** Music/{{Santana}}'s "Evil Ways", a song where the first lyric is "You've got to ''change'' your evil ways", and "Soul Sacrifice", an instrumental song.
** Music/JeffersonStarship's "Dance With The Dragon", which is about the Year of the Dragon from the Chinese zodiac, not Satan as a metaphorical dragon.
** Music/{{The Rolling Stones|Band}}' "Sympathy For The Devil", which is [[UnreliableNarrator written from Satan's perspective]], and has him claiming responsibility for various atrocities throughout history, and "Dancing with Mr. D", which is about death and not the devil.
** Music/{{ACDC}}'s "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be", a song with a metaphorical title about a self-absorbed man tormented by the woman he hooks up with.
** Earlier in the film, Jeff showed an album to Marty and claimed that most of the song titles or lyrics have to do with sex. The album in question? ''(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)'' by Music/LynyrdSkynyrd, in which none of the songs are about sex.

* [[StrawmanPolitical Strawman Religious]]: Marty (and Melissa to a degree) is "wrong" by virtue of not really being into all that church stuff. Marty even openly states that he only goes to church because his dad makes him, so we're supposed to discount everything he says as the ramblings of a "lost" person. The truth is, Marty is the only character in the film to remain true to his principles throughout (not counting a look near the end that may indicate a change of heart) and the only one who offers reasonable retorts to Jeff's uninformed ramblings. Literally the only thing Jeff can say about Marty's sensible replies that not everyone who listens to rock listens to the darker Satanic stuff is "I think you're wrong". Of course we later learn Jeff thinks ''all'' music, even "mild" pop, is dark and Satanic.

** Jeff citing rock musicians known to be homosexual as evidence of the alleged evils of rock. Nowadays such a view would get Jeff labelled a bigot, probably even within his church. In the early 80's, there was still quite a bit of rampant homophobia among rank-and-file Americans, even the non-religious, with many viewing the AIDS epidemic as proof that homosexuals were dangerous, but even then, it was a view that was starting to change. When reviewing the film for what was then ''[[WebVideo/TVHeaven DVD-R Hell]]'', Creator/BradJones went right into TranquilFury mode and effectively ended the main review segment right then and there.
--->'''Brad Jones:''' Kid, ''go fuck yourself''. Your decision is to not listen to rock music, fine; ''my'' decision is that I don't have to listen to any more of what you have to say, because as soon as you bring your homophobic beliefs into this one-sided conversation, ''I am '''done''' with you''.

* IdiotPlot: It's a film about how one man's paranoid parents go to absurd lengths to keep him away from music they interpret as quote-unquote "evil", with the main character eventually giving into these paranoid delusions without raising a single question about what he's being told by his mentors or considering anything that would challenge the ideas he's being force-fed. The film then proceeds to present its wildly skewed and borderline bigoted "understanding" of the medium as evidence to the audience of why it should be avoided, all while painting its main character who goes so far as to make ''homophobic'' remarks in a positive light.

* [[StrawmanPolitical Strawman Religious]] Marty (and Melissa to a degree) is "wrong" by virtue of not really being into all that church stuff. Marty even openly states that he only goes to church because his dad makes him, so we're supposed to discount everything he says as the ramblings of a "lost" person. The truth is, Marty is the only character in the film to remain true to his principles throughout (not counting a look near the end that may indicate a change of heart) and the only one who offers reasonable retorts to Jeff's uninformed ramblings. Literally the only thing Jeff can say about Marty's sensible replies that not everyone who listens to rock listens to the darker Satanic stuff is "I think you're wrong". Of course we later learn Jeff thinks ''all'' music, even "mild" pop, is dark and Satanic.

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* AlternateAesopInterpretation: Stay away from [[TheFundamentalist fundamentalist Christianity]], or else you'll end up becoming a bigoted jerk and losing all your friends in the process.

-->'''Brad Jones:''' Kid, ''go fuck yourself''. Your decision is to not listen to rock music, fine; ''my'' decision is that I don't have to listen to any more of what you have to say, because as soon as you bring your homophobic beliefs into this one-sided conversation, ''I am '''done''' with you''.

** Music/TheRollingStones' "Sympathy For The Devil", which is [[UnreliableNarrator written from Satan's perspective]], and has him claiming responsibility for various atrocities throughout history, and "Dancing with Mr. D", which is about death and not the devil.

* DawsonCasting: We likely won't ever know how old the actors are, but Jeff looks easily 25 or older, while Marty and Melissa look like they're in their 30's.

** Talk to your kids about concerns you have, especially about the media they consume, and listen to them when they explain their views on the subject rather than being an authoritarian or just pawning them off on someone else who might fill their heads with not so great ideas.
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Due to the nature of the film many see Jeff's story as less of a movement against sin, and more the story of a boy twisted by his controlling, fundamentalist elders into a bigoted {{Jerkass}}. From that point one can see Jeff as a DesignatedHero who forces his opinions on others, or a tragic JerkassWoobie whose perceptions on life were heavily warped, and ultimately ends up driving away everyone who cared about him.

{{Hypocrite}}: Jeff, ironically. While he's busy worrying that he's been a hypocrite for listening to rock (and calling others that), he becomes an even bigger one concerning how he treats his friends. He continues to say that he's not trying to shove anything down anyone's throat, but never stops ranting and raving about how evil the music is and how blind his friends are for listening to it. His final speech is nothing if not a long attempt to shove his views down other teens' throats. Then there's his complaint that Marty is playing rock music at a party held at ''Marty's'' house. Why does Jeff feel like he can dictate what's played there, especially since he earlier had shut down Melissa's attempts to play a rock station in his car on the grounds that "it's my car!".

** Alternately, since fundamentalist religion obliges people to be less tolerant of beliefs unlike their own then Jeff, from a fundamentalist perspective, doesn't become a Jerkass at all, but a WideEyedIdealist, and his insistence on forcing his views on other people is not twisted or Jerkass behaviour but Jeff giving his loved ones plenty of WhatTheHellHero, because BeingGoodSucks.[[note]]If, in the story, the other characters don't listen to Jeff and his warnings go unheeded, then this is genuinely a CluelessAesop, since all it goes to show is just that Jeff is rubbish at bringing other people around to his faith. If it were effective fundamentalist propaganda, his conviction would be such that everyone he calls out would not reject him but mysteriously come to agree with him, because such is the power of God. But, like most fundamentalists, the filmmakers seem to be willing to forget about [[http://biblehub.com/matthew/7-21.htm Matthew 7:21]][[/note]]

* ConfirmationBias: Jeff engages heavily in this, as does the film itself. It rarely lets the other side have a voice, and presents Jeff's arguments at the end in a format that doesn't allow for the other side to be explored. At no point is ChristianRock even discussed, nor does anyone ask Jeff if artists without overtly demonic, sexual or blasphemous lyrics are equally as wrong just for performing "rock music."
* CriticalResearchFailure: At the end of the movie, Jeff cites a list of "Satanic" rock songs to prove his point that rock is evil. However, its quite clear the creators of the film only looked at popular classic rock song titles and didn't actually listen to them or look at their lyrics.

** Jeff citing rock musicians known to be homosexual as evidence of the alleged evils of rock. Nowadays such a view would get Jeff labelled a bigot, probably even within church. In the early 80's, there was still quite a bit of rampant homophobia among rank-and-file Americans, even the non-religious, with many viewing the AIDS epidemic as proof that homosexuals were dangerous, but even then, it was a view that was starting to change. When reviewing the film for what was then ''[[WebVideo/TVHeaven DVD-R Hell]]'', Creator/BradJones went right into TranquilFury mode and effectively ended the main review segment right then and there.
-->'''Brad Jones''': Kid, ''go fuck yourself''. Your decision is to not listen to rock music, fine; ''my'' decision is that I don't have to listen to any more of what you have to say, because as soon as you bring your homophobic beliefs into this one-sided conversation, ''I am '''done''' with you''.

* EsotericHappyEnding: Jeff has renounced rock music and purified his soul, yet he's become an alienated religious fanatic with paranoid delusions about an artistic medium he once enjoyed.

** Jeff citing rock musicians known to be homosexual as evidence of the alleged evils of rock. While it would have already been an extreme view in the 1980s, nowadays such a view would get Jeff labelled a bigot or raise eyebrows. When reviewing the film for what was then ''[[WebVideo/TVHeaven DVD-R Hell]]'', Creator/BradJones went right into TranquilFury mode and effectively ended the main review segment right then and there.

** Jeff citing rock musicians known to be homosexual as evidence of the alleged evils of rock. While it would have already been an extreme view in the 1980s, nowadays such a view would get Jeff labelled a bigot or raise eyebrows.
-->'''Creator/BradJones''': Kid, ''go fuck yourself''. Your decision is to not listen to rock music, fine; ''my'' decision is that I don't have to listen to any more of what you have to say, because as soon as you bring your homophobic beliefs into this one-sided conversation, ''I am '''done''' with you''.

* AlternateAesopInterpretation: Stay away from [[TheFundamentalist fundamentalist Christianity]], or else you'll end up becoming a bigoted jerk.