Disco bunnies. Harmony and Colin (Firgens & Kirkwood) enjoy a touching moment before heaving back out on the dance floor...

Groove

dir-scr Greg Harrison
with Steve Van Wormer, Hamish Linklater, Denny Kirkwood, Lola Glaudini, Mackenzie Firgens, Vincent Riverside, Chris Ferreira, Bradley Ross, Jeff Witzke, Nick Offerman, Bing Ching, John Digweed
release US 9.Jun.00; UK 12.Jan.01
Sony 00/US 1h26 2 out of 5 stars
REVIEW BY RICH CLINE
This low-budget indie, set in the world of underground San Francisco raves, is startlingly lightweight for all the serious themes it touches on. But instead of examining the issues or the story's characters, it opts for a comic ensemble vibe: Let's have a party! Ernie (Van Wormer) sets up his illicit dance hall in an abandoned warehouse and gets the word out on the internet. Soon everyone's heading for the fun. The conservative David (Linklater) goes along with his brother Colin (Kirkwood) and his girlfriend Harmony (Firgens) ... and meets a kindred spirit (Glaudini). The party masseur (Mitchell) makes waves. A couple (Ross and Witzke) celebrating their anniversary have trouble finding the venue. A young DJ (Ching) finds his voice. A nosey cop (Offerman) threatens to undo everything. And so on.

None of the characters emerges as the film's centre, so the whole thing is left floundering, rather aimlessly, in search of purpose. But perhaps that's the point in a film about clubbers who just want to party on regardless. It's certainly a colourful film, the actors are all very watchable, and there are a number of good injections of humour, emotion, energy and drama. But it never means anything without something central in the script to focus on; it's completely superficial. We never latch onto or care about anyone, none of their "journeys" touches a nerve, and it lacks even a remote sense of grit or reality. Besides, isn't this film about a decade behind the times?

[18--themes, language, drugs] 8.Jan.01

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© 2001 by Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

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