"What's with today, today...." (Empire Records (DVD))

Member Name: Jayne

Product:	Empire Records (DVD)
Date:	28/10/00 (125 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots of humour, great cast, fantastic soundtrack

Disadvantages: The ending seems somewhat rushed

Released in 1995, "Empire Records" remains a rather underrated yet classic teen flick. Whereas Kevin Smith's "Clerks" focused on a day in the life of two convenience store clerks, "Empire Records" centres on a day in the life of a music store and it's troubled employees.

After Lucas (Rory Cochrane), one of the employees finds out that the store is failing and is to be sold to a leading music store chain "Music Town" he takes the days intake of the store and heads for Atlantic City in order to win the money which will save the store. Inevitably this idea fails, and the store is in even deeper trouble, as is Lucas with Empire's manager Joe (Anthony LaPaglia). Meanwhile we are introduced to Empire's other employee's, the academic and "daddy's girl" Corey (Liv Tyler), the slutty Gina (Renee Zellweger), A.J (Johnny Whitworth) who decides to tell Corey that he is in love with her, the rather insane Mark (Ethan Embry) who dreams of being in a band, and Debra (Robin Tunney) who has major issues with herself, and enters the store sporting a bandage on her wrist. These are just several of the many employees of Empire however. Although there are many small sub-plots in the film, the story focuses on how the employee's will raise the cash to save the store, which results in holding a huge party at the store after it closes.

Although it's just another typical day at Empire, it's also "Rex Manning Day", Rex Manning being a washed up has been singer (played by Maxwell Caulfield of "Grease 2" fame) who visits the store for a record signing event. Although most of the store despise Rex and ridicule him throughout the day, Corey has a crush on him and makes it her mission to lose her virginity to him. The Rex Manning scenes are particularly hilarious in this film, my favourite moment being when Rex meets his fans who are all either homosexuals or middle aged wom
en.

However although "Empire Records" is big on laughs, it also highlights the personal troubles that each character faces, from unrequited love, to drugs, to family problems, to suicide attempts. The day turns into one they'll never forget as they each air out what's troubling them. And the good thing about this is that at no point does the film lean towards the cheesy sentimental genre.

My personal favourite moments of the film include Lucas' chase after shoplifter Warren, who proves to be an amateur at crime (after Warren runs back into the shop again - Gina: "Isn't it customary for the shoplifter to leave the scene of the crime?), another humorous moment is when the employee's ridicule Rex's agent Jane (Debi Mazar) by telling her exactly what they think of him, and the scene where Joe finds out that Lucas has gambled the previous day's intake at Atlantic City (Joe: "What's the money doing in Atlantic City?" Lucas: "Recirculating".)

The film boasts an excellent cast with many largely unknown faces. Liv Tyler and Renee Zellweger put in good performances, although Rory Cochrane (who you may have seen in cult stoner flick "Dazed and Confused") in particular is excellent as the reckless Lucas. However Maxwell Caulfield gets some of the biggest laughs as the pretentious bad-hair styled singer.

Overall this film is a must-see, and one that is always watchable after several viewings. It also sports a great soundtrack (there is never a moment in the film where there isn’t a song playing in the background) with some very catchy and memorable songs. Watch this film and you will not be disappointed.

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