This was a 'rite of passage', growing up film and one that I would recommend seeing.  The director, Russell Crowe did this film as a dramatization of his own experience growing up and writing for the Rolling Stones magazine.  There's some pretty good rock music, and a fair rendition of the 1960-70 music-drug scene.  It's dressed up for general consumption, i.e. nothing really ugly-bad happens even with all the drugs, sex and rock-n-roll.

William Miller played by Patrick Fugit was cast in the protagonist role. He did a great job of portraying the contrast between perseverance and shyness.  The interviews on the DVD were worth watching.