From this moment forward, I'm going to completely forget that the original Broadway production existed. That's not to say that this rendition of Fame was better or worse, but I do believe that comparing them is not fair. You have to remember that there is nearly a 30-year difference between the media, which grants a large difference between what can and what will change. With that being said, I feel as if this movie actually did a decent job in doing what it was should - bringing an entertaining moving and showing what recalling happens in an art school.
The plot as much goes in the same boat as sever that we have seen before. We watch the lives of several students as the go from bumbling and hopeful applicants in a prestigious arts school in New York City, to prospering and proud graduates. Yet it's not all fun and games, as each of the selected ten students have their own trials and tribulations in their friends of dance, music, and acting. Along the way, their teachers who add their own flavor and advice will guide them. These little gems by people like Kelsey Grammar and Charles S. Dunton layer on an impressive and applaud-worthy amount of attention and detail to what these kids should be learning. They fully immerse themselves into the role of molding their minds into what they need to be.
For delivering the story of each of the characters, director Kevin Tancharoen did an interesting and stuck it to the parts that were only worth telling. When I say that, He doesn't show you each of their love loves, or what their careers are - in fact he barely gives them enough face time to know who they are - but sticks to what's enough to give them their motivation and drive. The passion of each character is what makes this movie and that's what pushes this movie along past it's four "years." However when done in this fashion, you do run into the issue of what I mentioned just a moment ago; not knowing who is who. It wasn't until the end of them move where I could clearly recognize anyone, let alone remember anyone's name clearly.
I did say that I wouldn't compare this to the Broadway original, but considering that this was on Broadway, it's safe to assume that the music was left as well. One has to realize that you are watching a movie about NYC preps in arts school. Yet most of the musical numbers were not spontaneous or over-excessive (though the first main number did nearly break that second one). The majority had a purpose and flowed with the plot, which is always a plus, in the aftermath of the High School Musical trilogy.
Yet the highlight of this little aural romp was the fact that overall, there was no true happy ending. Sure, people got what they needed, but not in the way that they expected it. It was true in the way that real life would finish out for kids. It's a little bit of reality wedged into a lot of fantastical imagery and melody.
The movie overall is good. Could things have been done better? Yes, yet that can be said with almost any movie. This is, however, a movie that you have to want to watch, much like Rent or West Side Story. If you walk into those and you are either not prepared or they are not what you enjoy, then you are going to be disappointed and will not experience the full potential you were meant to get.
The plot as much goes in the same boat as sever that we have seen before. We watch the lives of several students as the go from bumbling and hopeful applicants in a prestigious arts school in New York City, to prospering and proud graduates. Yet it's not all fun and games, as each of the selected ten students have their own trials and tribulations in their friends of dance, music, and acting. Along the way, their teachers who add their own flavor and advice will guide them. These little gems by people like Kelsey Grammar and Charles S. Dunton layer on an impressive and applaud-worthy amount of attention and detail to what these kids should be learning. They fully immerse themselves into the role of molding their minds into what they need to be.
For delivering the story of each of the characters, director Kevin Tancharoen did an interesting and stuck it to the parts that were only worth telling. When I say that, He doesn't show you each of their love loves, or what their careers are - in fact he barely gives them enough face time to know who they are - but sticks to what's enough to give them their motivation and drive. The passion of each character is what makes this movie and that's what pushes this movie along past it's four "years." However when done in this fashion, you do run into the issue of what I mentioned just a moment ago; not knowing who is who. It wasn't until the end of them move where I could clearly recognize anyone, let alone remember anyone's name clearly.
I did say that I wouldn't compare this to the Broadway original, but considering that this was on Broadway, it's safe to assume that the music was left as well. One has to realize that you are watching a movie about NYC preps in arts school. Yet most of the musical numbers were not spontaneous or over-excessive (though the first main number did nearly break that second one). The majority had a purpose and flowed with the plot, which is always a plus, in the aftermath of the High School Musical trilogy.
Yet the highlight of this little aural romp was the fact that overall, there was no true happy ending. Sure, people got what they needed, but not in the way that they expected it. It was true in the way that real life would finish out for kids. It's a little bit of reality wedged into a lot of fantastical imagery and melody.
The movie overall is good. Could things have been done better? Yes, yet that can be said with almost any movie. This is, however, a movie that you have to want to watch, much like Rent or West Side Story. If you walk into those and you are either not prepared or they are not what you enjoy, then you are going to be disappointed and will not experience the full potential you were meant to get.