Movie Notes: Empire Records
= 2 stars
Starring Liv Tyler, Renee Zellweger, Anthony LaPaglia
Directed by Allan Moyle
Synopsis
A record store is about to close its doors, and the hapless, music-loving employees must “deal.”
The Good
- Some unintentionally funny scenes — the screaming bitch-fest between Tyler and Zellweger, “Bridget” hurling diet pills at “Arwen.”
- For most of the flick, Tyler has a bare midriff and a skirt barely covering her long legs — essentially a musical interlewd in itself.
- Some fascination in seeing Zellweger in an early, raw role.
The Bad
- Unfocused direction and weak characters result in some extremely random sequences: the bald-headed girl has a mock funeral, the boss bangs on drums while everyone dances, and pot-brownie-guy imagines being in a GWAR video. The vignette-bouncing is very ADD; very teenager; sort of rock and roll, and very frustrating.
- For a movie about music, the soundtrack unforgivably forgettable. The one hit single is the appropriately “meh” Gin Blossoms’ Til I Hear I From You.
- The employees’ love for music could have been rally point toward saving the store, but the fan’s dedication isn’t explored as a unifying theme.
Conclusion
Empire Records might yet become a corny nostalgia trip decades from now, when record stores are a distant memory. But for now, the movie a testament to the convenience of downloading music from iTunes or Amazon — I wouldn’t dare set foot in a store like Empire Records run by these kooks.
IMDB: Empire Records
Wikipedia: Empire Records
Rotten Tomatoes: Empire Records
Sounds like a funny and a mixed kind of movie. Worth watching once atleast.
does anyone know who sings the song that goes snake snake one more button undone? liv tyler dances to it but its not on the soundtrack. or anything else i can find
Snakeface by Throwing Muses