Empty

Rating: 3/10 (18 June 2010)

Empty music, empty movie, empty Euro-lives
There's something precious and decadent about hiring real professional musicians to portray aspiring street musicians. OF COURSE they are going to succeed. No lip synching required.
It's not a bad movie, just petty and irritating. And the music, though heartfelt and technically proficient, is very bad. If you like this music, first check to see if you have a pulse; second, check to see if you really want to go on living. It is distilled essence of depression and futility. Blues is sad, but it celebrates life, perseverance. This stuff just curls up and whines.
I love small intimate movies, and really wanted to like this one. But the director didn't allow his characters to be real people -- they don't even have names. They are types, ethnic abstractions with musical talent. It should be a big hit in the retro tribal world of identity politics. Bah humbug.
One element I did like: The young folks don't rebel against the old folks. Instead the old folks have to prod the young sloughers to get out and live.