Empire Records: Review

20th May 2015

Some Like It Not

Having heard the recent “The Craft” reboot news, I figured I’d give some of the other 90’s teen movies and see if they stood the test of time. Long after our beloved John Hughes strayed from the path of 80’s greatness and was churning out rent payers like “Curly Sue” and “Dennis”, there were others ready to claim his mantle. Allan Moyle had previously directed Christian Slater starring teen angst sleeper “Pump Up The Volume” and was clearly looking to lighten the decor up a bit with this cracking bit of nonsense. Within the first 5 Minutes, our hero – Lucas, has taken the day’s takings from his Record Shop workplace and in an attempt to save it from Corporate takeover, goes to Atlantic City:

High Roller: That’s an 18,000 dollar bet, you sure you know what you’re doin kid?
Lucas: I know this, that if I win this roll I will save the place that I work from being sold, and the jobs of my friends that work there. Thus striking a blow at all that is evil and making this world a better place to be in.
Lady at Craps Table: Huh?
Lucas: …And I’ll buy you guys a drink.

He loses it all and the Empire Records workforce have to raise the money by the end of the business day as well as contend with mock funerals, teen love, Celebrity appearances, Rooftop performances and shoplifters.

That’s it, pretty bare bones but for all it lacks in emotional and storytelling heft it more than makes up for in humour and charm. The soundtrack alone is worth sitting through and is one of the most overlooked of the 90’s but seeing the cast (Liv Tyler,Renèe Zellweger, Rory Cochrane and SLIN favourite Ethan Embry mostly in mind here) looking so bloody Young is a somewhat bittersweet practise.

Great as a nostalgic look back but still not entirely sure whether it’s really that great or whether modern teen flicks are just arse……….nope, I’m all in, it’s a bloody master stroke of 90’s nonsense. Post script: “The Craft” really hasn’t aged well. Arse biscuits.

4.5/5

Pops.

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