...This critique does contain spoilers...
I wouldn't go so far as to say that this movie was a total failure, but it was pretty bad. Following in the footsteps of films like Groove, which to one degree or another focuses on rave culture, recreational drug use and dance music, this movie had the potential to go above and beyond the stereotypical counterculture film because it takes a much different angle. Creating music out of real-life sounds and rhythms is by no means new, but it is a fairly unique idea and the actual composition of electronic music is not something any other film in this genre has really examined (at least from what I've seen). The cinematography is pretty good, the acting isn't horrible and the plot is interesting. Unfortunately this movie is so focused on mixing drama and emotionally-charged plot twists into the formula that it loses touch with the message it is trying to provide; or, at least, the message is overshadowed by the writers trying too hard to make the movie dramatic and it falls flat on its face. What's sad is the plot could have been much more coherent and resonating if only a few bad choices weren't made.
For one thing, how did Tommy go from never having mixed live electronic music to being some kind of DJ prodigy in the course of a few days or weeks? I'm sorry, but it just doesn't work that way, even with previous music experience (I know a couple of DJ's who took years to get to that point). Two: what is the point of having the sister and the girlfriend die (and possibly the third death of the sister's unborn baby)? This is hyperbolized, soap opera nonsense. The love triangle thing with the drug dealer guy also pretty dumb. Three: how is Tommy even capable of functioning after these two (or three) supposedly significant deaths let alone able to get up on stage and spin an awesome music set for the second time in his life? Of course, that's not all that's wrong with this movie and I would go into more detail, but I just don't feel like writing a thesis on plot trajectory vs. theme and character development and all that nonsense. Bottom line: it's somewhat entertaining, but nothing extraordinary like some people here seem to think.
I wouldn't go so far as to say that this movie was a total failure, but it was pretty bad. Following in the footsteps of films like Groove, which to one degree or another focuses on rave culture, recreational drug use and dance music, this movie had the potential to go above and beyond the stereotypical counterculture film because it takes a much different angle. Creating music out of real-life sounds and rhythms is by no means new, but it is a fairly unique idea and the actual composition of electronic music is not something any other film in this genre has really examined (at least from what I've seen). The cinematography is pretty good, the acting isn't horrible and the plot is interesting. Unfortunately this movie is so focused on mixing drama and emotionally-charged plot twists into the formula that it loses touch with the message it is trying to provide; or, at least, the message is overshadowed by the writers trying too hard to make the movie dramatic and it falls flat on its face. What's sad is the plot could have been much more coherent and resonating if only a few bad choices weren't made.
For one thing, how did Tommy go from never having mixed live electronic music to being some kind of DJ prodigy in the course of a few days or weeks? I'm sorry, but it just doesn't work that way, even with previous music experience (I know a couple of DJ's who took years to get to that point). Two: what is the point of having the sister and the girlfriend die (and possibly the third death of the sister's unborn baby)? This is hyperbolized, soap opera nonsense. The love triangle thing with the drug dealer guy also pretty dumb. Three: how is Tommy even capable of functioning after these two (or three) supposedly significant deaths let alone able to get up on stage and spin an awesome music set for the second time in his life? Of course, that's not all that's wrong with this movie and I would go into more detail, but I just don't feel like writing a thesis on plot trajectory vs. theme and character development and all that nonsense. Bottom line: it's somewhat entertaining, but nothing extraordinary like some people here seem to think.