Downfalls High

> "*In a world where everybody wants millions of dollars and likes on the internet, there was a boy who gave up everything because all he wanted was her.*"
> ― In the opening lines of the video
>
>

***Downfalls High*** is a musical film written and directed by Colson Baker and Derek Smith, based on MGK's fifth studio album, *Tickets to My Downfall*. It was filmed over the span of four days and premiered live on January 15, 2021, over his Facebook at 9 P.M. ET. It was later released to his YouTube channel on January 18, 2021. It stars Chase Hudson and Sydney Sweeney, including appearances from Iann Dior, Omer Fedi, Trippie Redd, and Blackbear. It won in the 2020 Clio Music Winners.

## Summary

When reserved and lonely teenager Fenix meets popular high school girl Scarlett, the two form a bond that shapes the rest of his life.*IMDB*

## Plot

Fenix James (Chase Hudson) is a senior at Downfalls High School, considered a social outcast. When he gets noticed by popular girl Scarlett (Sydney Sweeney), the two form a romance that has its ups and downs. One day Scarlett buys Fenix an electric guitar as a gift. After giving it to him, that night, she gets into a fatal car crash. Fenix decides to form a band with his best friend Jimmy (Jimmy Bennett) in tribute to Scarlett, called the Pink Switchblade, appropriately named after the item she'd always carry on her. When Jimmy uploads one of their demo songs to the internet, they go viral and become a successful band. Suddenly the people who used to bully Fenix become nicer to him. Despite this all, Fenix grieves and later finds out that Scarlett was pregnant when she died. At his high school graduation, in a moment of despair, Fenix severs his ear off with Scarlett's switchblade, and is sent to a psychiatric hospital.

## Background

After his performance at the American Music Awards, Machine Gun Kelly announced of the upcoming film. He made an official statement on November 22, 2020, over social media with its trailer video. In an interview, MGK revealed that he and Mod Sun joked about creating a musical film and making it "pop-punk *Grease*". MGK said it was "essentially 14 music videos we've woven in between our narrative of this boy whose name is Fenix."

In an interview with *NME*, executive producer Andrew Sandler said, "We wanted the whole project to reflect that nostalgic feeling of what it felt like to watch those [classic] music videos. [...] It feels like there's a musical renaissance with artists like Mod Sun, jxdn, Nessa Barrett and even Chase, who has a music career of his own (under the name Lil Huddy) all doing cool things. We wanted this film to capture that lightning in the bottle.'" Inspirations for the film included *Grease 2* and *Kids*. Sandler added, "Fenix doesn't get a happy ending but we didn't want to make a sad movie. We wanted it to feel real and, in the end, we're just seeing life as it happens. Our main character doesn't meet someone new and learn to love again. Instead, he doesn't get over his loss but through that pain, he's able to find his passion and live out his musical dreams. I feel like this is really a first of its kind. We purposefully didn't have a happy ending and we deliberately didn't do what you'd typically expect a coming-of-age film to do."

## Cast

* Chase Hudson as Fenix James
* Sydney Sweeney as Scarlet
* Jaden Hossler as Jock
* Jimmy Bennett as Jimmy
* Caroline Miner Smith as Jimmy's girlfriend
* Landon Barker as Jimmy's friend
* Maggie Lindemann as Tiffany

## Soundtrack

1. "Title Track"
2. "Kiss Kiss"
3. "Drunk Face"
4. "Bloody Valentine"
5. "Forget Me Too"
6. "All I Know"
7. "Lonely"
8. "WWIII"
9. "Hangover Cure"
10. "Concert for Aliens"
11. "My Ex's Best Friend"
12. "Split a Pill"
13. "Jawbreaker"
14. "Nothing Inside"
15. "Banyan Tree"
16. "Play This When I'm Gone"
17. "Body Bag"

## Gallery

### Videos

Machine Gun Kelly - Downfalls High (Trailer)Machine Gun Kelly - Downfalls High (Trailer 2)Machine Gun Kelly - Downfalls High (Trailer 3)
## References

1. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly (@machinegunkelly)". *Facebook*. January 15, 2021.
2. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly - Downfalls High". *YouTube*. January 18, 2021.
3. ↑ "2020 Clio Music Winners"
4. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly (@machinegunkelly)". *Twitter*. November 22, 2020.
5. ↑ "Machine Gun Kelly Says Upcoming 'Downfalls High' Film Is A "Pop Punk Grease" Musical, Inspired By 'Grease 2'". December 4, 2020.
6. ↑ Shutler, Ali (February 22, 2021). "Machine Gun Kelly's 'Downfalls High': 'Grease 2', 'Kids' and the key pop cultural influences".

## External links

* Official website
* Official link
* Downfalls High on Internet Movie Database
* Downfalls High on Facebook
* Downfalls High on YouTube