Pitch Perfect

Rating: Null/10 (10 February 2004)

Empire Records is a gem among teen flicks for two reasons: cast and direction.
First the cast - a real ensemble of actors with real credits and, in the case of the youngsters, real futures. It took about five movies each before Liv Tyler or Renee Zellweger gave as much as they give in Empire! Robin Tunney doesn't just appear in the movie with a shaved head - she cuts her hair on screen. (You realize they had exactly one take.) The kids interact believably and movingly. LaPaglia and Cochrane are the anchors. By the time the movie is over, you have a real sense of who Joe is, and if you're older than a teen, you probably know someone like him.

The direction (and some of the writing) is deft. Two or three things are usually happening at once, and are timed to peak in satisfying sequence.
All of this sounds normal for a good quality grownup movie, but it is *so exceptional* for a "teen flick." That's why Empire Records is a gem.
This movie would make a great double bill with High Fidelity.