Rated PG for thematic material including teen drinking, a sexual situation and language.
Directed by Kevin Tancharoen
Starring Kay Panabaker, Walter Perez, Naturi Naughton, Asher Book, Kherington Payne, Collins Pennie, Paul McGill, Paul Iacono, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Bebe Neuwirth, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally, Debbie Allen
You know how Andy Warhol said everyone gets fifteen minutes of fame…I can’t tell you how much I wished this movie was fifteen minutes.
Fame 2009 is a modern update on Alan Parker’s 1980's version. The story of “Fame 2009” follows a group of students attending the renowned New York School of Performing Arts from audition through graduation as they discover their burgeoning talents and define their identities. Caught up in the intense atmosphere of a performing arts high school in New York, the student artists in the film confront both the tantalizing promise of success and the challenges of thriving in a highly competitive environment.
My movie going experience started like it normally does – standing in line at the box office. But this time I was alone and I was kicking myself that I didn't buy my ticket online. There is something unsettling about buying a ticket for a film that the 100 tween girls in front of me were going to see. To make matters worse, as the words “one for Fame” came out of my mouth a 10-year old kid behind me yells, “FAME SUCKS”. But I had a job to do, and darn it I was going to do it. I got some popcorn and found my seat…you know that middle seat in the middle row – Yeah I am a movie geek. I moved the first time because two women in their late 50’s came in wearing enough perfume to give me a headache. The second time was because a dozen girls sat in my row and took away my buffer zone. I wish I could say that that was where my misery ended…but then the movie began.
The film moves at break neck speed through four years of the students’ lives. It actually felt like four years worth of a TV series crammed into 107 minutes. We are introduced to way too many characters on audition day at the New York School of Performing Arts and as a result, none of them are ever fully developed. There are the singers, the dancers, musicians and actors. Each group has a recognizable actor as the teacher, but we leave knowing almost nothing about them.
Over the next ‘four years’ there are several singing and dancing routines. Without question they are the film’s highlights. The problems begin when the singing or dancing stops. Overplayed stories and overused clichés are all we get. Some students succeed, some fail, some are trying to impress their parents, and some are trying to escape their parents. There is not a single original idea in any of the stories.
While the cast can sing and dance, the acting is terrible. Even during the opening “audition day” scenes, the “actors” are awkward and clearly talentless…but they all go through to the next round…as if there were an actor’s quota they must fill.
Trust me, this version of “Fame” isn't going to live forever. Any rerun of the 80's TV show trumps this film hands down.
I know I’m not this film’s target audience, but I found it to be completely unentertaining. And judging from the lack of enthusiasm from all those tween and teen girls that packed the theater today…this could barely be a score of “skip it” at best… but I’m afraid that I'm going to have to score it “a coaster.” That's right. If you end up with a copy of this film on DVD, go ahead and set a cold drink on it!
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
This is a tough one because it comes with a PG rating, but plays more like a PG-13 film. The thematic material including teen drinking, sexual situations, a suicide attempt, some of the dance routines and language really surprised me. I would not want my 8 and 11 year olds to watch it.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
