Empire Records

Rating: 6/10 (31 July 2010)

From the title I expected this to be some sort of film charting the success of a music studio or something, it sounded like it, I had no idea it was going to be a teen movie, and a pretty good one at that. Basically Lucas (A Scanner Darkly's Rory Cochrane) is in charge of closing the Empire Records independent music store, and when he sees that the store could be taken over by another business, he decides to take the $9000 in the safe and gamble it in Atlantic City to win big and save the store, ultimately he loses it. The next day he returns to work to tell boss Joe Reaves (Lantana's Anthony LaPaglia) the bad news, and Joe punishes him to stay sat on the office sofa, and only to move if he comes up with a way to get the money back. This day happens to be the day that the store has invited pompous and fading pop singer Rex Manning (Maxwell Caulfield) to promote his new album and sign autographs. Each individual teen character, high school students and young adults working in the store, are having their own emotional problems, all coming out on this day. Overachieving student Corey Mason (The Lord of the Rings' Liv Tyler) heading for Harvard University discovers Rex isn't the lovable singer he seems to be. Lovesick A.J. (Johnny Whitworth) wants to tell Corey his feelings for her at a precise time, and when he does it's the wrong time. Gina (Renée Zellweger, a year before Jerry Maguire) is the free spirit who takes advantage of her chance to get with Rex, but it may not have been the best decision and everyone disapproves, don't worry, this will change. Debra (The Craft's Robin Tunney) entered the store immediately shaving her hair off, and continues most of the day being a hostile, antisocial and near suicidal person, burying herself in work, but she come out once in a while. Finally, Mark (Ethan Embry/Randall) is the geeky one who is willing to make a tit of himself on the live news right outside to spread the word that the store needs money to survive. There is also the frequent appearance of the shoplifter calling himself "Warren Beatty" (Brendan Sexton III) who starts out as a troublemaker, but everyone warms to him and are willing to forgive him, and even consider him for a job in the store. In the end, after a big alcohol and music filled party in the street and the store, they manage to raise enough money for Joe to pay manager Mitchell Beck (Ben Bode) at first for a deposit, but he allows him to buy the store for himself. Also starring Debi Mazar as Jane and Coyote Shivers as Berko. Besides the up and coming stars Tyler and a more overshadowing Zellweger appearing, Cochrane is really good as the sarcastic and near brooding at times teen, and Caulfield has his moments as the snobbish and despised disappearing pop star. What I really liked about this teen movie besides the great cast and "let's pull together" attitude was the soundtrack, including The Buggles' "Video Killed The Radio Star", Edwyn Collins' "A Girl Like You" and The Flying Lizards' ""Money (That's What I Want)", a good fun comedy drama. Good!