‘Bandslam’ offers more heart and soul than typical teen fare
‘Bandslam’ starring Gaelan Connell, Alyson Michalka and Vanessa
Hudgens
”
Bandslam
”
is a teen comedy with a little more bite than most, and a whole
lot more heart and soul. Todd Graff directed the movie and cowrote
it with Josh A. Cagan, and they created a movie with teens that
have a bit more depth than those in most movies. Though music plays
a key role in the plot, this is not another
”
High School Musical.
”
‘Bandslam’ offers more heart and soul than typical teen fare
‘Bandslam’ starring Gaelan Connell, Alyson Michalka and Vanessa Hudgens
“Bandslam” is a teen comedy with a little more bite than most, and a whole lot more heart and soul. Todd Graff directed the movie and cowrote it with Josh A. Cagan, and they created a movie with teens that have a bit more depth than those in most movies. Though music plays a key role in the plot, this is not another “High School Musical.”
Will Burton, played by newcomer Gaelan Connell, is an outcast at his Cleaveland high school. He just doesn’t seem to fit in, and he turns to a one-sided pen pal relationship with his musical ideal David Bowie. Throughout the movie, viewers get insight into what Will is thinking when he starts his e-mails, “Dear David Bowie…” Because no one seems to like him at school he focuses on his love of music and indie bands to comfort him. His room is covered in posters of bands – U2, David Bowie, the Clash.
Will’s life changes when his mother Karen (Lisa Kudrow) takes a job in New Jersey. Unlike most kids who would hate to move in the middle of their high school career, Will welcomes the chance to escape his old school where the kids haunt him with the nickname Dewey.
He has his doubts that things will really be different at his new school, but to his surprise Charlotte Banks (Alyson Michalka) notices him on the first day of school. She is a beautiful, blonde senior ex-cheerleader who recruits Will to help out after school at a daycare and to help her with her band. While football is the big deal at some high schools, in this movie Bandslam – a high school battle of the bands – is the talk of the town. Each high school in the state sends a band, and Martin Van Buren High School has Ben Wheatley and the Glory Dogs as its hopeful.
After going to practice with Charlotte’s band, which includes Bug (Charlie Saxton) and Omar (Tim Jo), Will gives them his honest take of their band – and it needs help. Will, who says his dad works as a sideman for famous bands such as the Who, is invited by Charlotte to manage the band. He has to recruit new members and prepare them for Bandslam.
In the middle of all this, he is supposed to be working on a long-term class project for his human studies class that is worth 50 percent of the grade. His partner is Sa5m (Vanessa Hudgens) – the five is silent – a girl who has a penchant for wearing dark clothes, talking with no inflection in her voice and reading books rather than interacting with others. The class project is to show who their partner really is. They decide to share with each other their least favorite place – they both agree that the mall takes that prize – and their most favorite place in the world.
Will, however, has trouble concentrating on the project when he gets wrapped up in the band. He has to recruit a drummer, a keyboardist and other members. He has to scout out the competition. And he has his mom worrying about him since he has started coming and going without telling her where he will be, and spending all his free time with an older girl.
The thing that Graff and Cagan do that makes the movie work the best is that they slowly reveal a little bit about the characters throughout the movie. Will, Charlotte and Sa5m may be teenagers, but they have a depth to them that most characters in teen movies lack. Will isn’t just a nerdy kid who was picked on at his old school. Charlotte is not just a blonde ex-cheerleader. And Sa5m has a reason for paying more attention to books than the people around her.
Some of the best laughs of the film, and most emotional moments, come from Lisa Kudrow as Will’s protective and supportive mom. Karen feels responsible for some of the hard moments Will has had to endure, and when he makes a connection with a group of friends at his new school, she wants him to be happy even as she worries that he might get hurt.
The movie is tame enough for the Disney crowd – and even has a couple actresses who got their start in Disney movies or shows – but it has enough edge to be interesting to anyone who has been watching Fox’s teen musical show “Glee.”
