Empire Records (1995)

Such a bad movie that it has forced me to log back into IMDb after an absence of eight years to review it!This movie is like a time capsule of 90's clichés, and every generic Generation-X character was incredibly annoying. This movie wants so hard to be Malllrats or High Fidelity (yes, I know that movie was a couple of years later) and fails miserably. Even the way they sing in that whiny pop-punk voice irritates me.Also, why the hell does the guy get away with stealing the money? In fairness, the movie may be a victim of its age as its now 21 years old, but I can't ever imagined having watched it back in the day and thought it was worth it.

Why do movie studios hate you? A question you might ask yourself after and more than likely during a viewing of this bag of turds, Empire Records. This movie was made so as to justify the drilling of a peephole into Liv Tyler's dressing room. Added to that a malicious automated soundtrack of synthetic music-substitute. A committee of marketing executives and corporate lawyers fabricated a script using the latest in writing based computational programs. This script was not written, no ink touched flesh nor flesh touched paper, no intimacy, a program is initiated in the Script-motron 500 and in mere minutes Empire Records screenplay was drafted. If after the apocalypse this movie is all that remains of the human race then we will have deserved to burn.

Empire Records is directed by Allan Moyle and written by Carol Heikkinen. It stars, Anthony LaPaglia, Maxwell Caulfield, Debi Mazar, Johnny Whitworth, Liv Tyler, Renée Zellweger, Rory Cochrane, Robin Tunney & Ethan Embry. Plot centre's on one day at independent record store Empire Records. With the store under imminent threat of a take over by a corporate chain, this is no ordinary day. For on the day that the store will be visited by a fading pop star, they are forced to confront their personal issues, and maybe, just maybe, learn something about the people they work with.The film was a box office failure and was met with mostly negative reviews from the professional critics. Coming as it does from the director of critical/cult darling Pump Up the Volume, many were expecting a better and more hard edged picture than what they got. It also had to compete with certain 80's favourites brought to the cinematic world by John Hughes. While coming fast on the heels of the immensely popular Clerks (94) didn't help its cause either. Was it a case of bad timing? Is the film really just poor? And or, as mooted at the time: a career killer for those involved? Personally I think it's a film that needs revisiting now some 15 odd years after its release. In fact time has actually been kind to it and it now appears to have a good solid cult following. So unless you are judging it against the superior, record shop set, High Fidelity, you may find it's a film that's hard to dislike.Some of the complaints against it are fair, with the main one about it not having fully developed characters being as true as day is a day. While calling it one long stitched together music video has some substance when taking it at face value. Yet what is there is worthy of a second glance, they are interesting characters, and their respective hang-ups and pressures are evident enough for us to hang our hats on; even if it's set up to be accompanied by still more hipster indie rock music. There's also been much guff written about the film as regards calling it a teen angst film. Yes it is, but have these reviewers forgotten about the adults in the movie? LaPaglia's store owner, the father figure, trying to remain cool as his charges come under threat. Or Mazar, needing a wake up call from her job/career ignorance; and the big one, the delightful Caulfield (splendid bit of casting) as fading pop singer Rex Manning, imposter? Indeed. It's all relative as to why Empire Records deserves more than a once only viewing. As for the music, it does indeed rock, with each track carefully selected to be at one with the scene it accompanies. My favourite? AC/DC-If You Want Blood, a ball busting track for a vibrant and kicking scene.As for it being a career killing movie? The ladies of the piece have done rather well for themselves, Zellweger, Tunney and Tyler have made their marks in the industry, while Mazar has never been without work prior or post Empire Records. The guys haven't hit the heights of Zellweger and Tyler, which in the case of the excellent Rory Cochrane is not only a surprise, but also sad. Cochrane's Lucas is the key character and the glue in the middle of it all, always on hand with a dry quip or some philosophy, he's also supremely cool. Cochrane can be seen in serious mode leading 2006 thriller Right at Your Door. LaPaglia has always worked since 95, playing a number of different supporting characters, and Embry has appeared in big release's such as Vacancy and Eagle Eye. Caulfield has turned into the go to guy for TV shows and Whitworth, who quit acting for a while, pops up from time to time in minor roles such as in 3:10 To Yuma and The Rainmaker. So, not a career killer then.Stick it to the Man, Baby, Empire Records is a vibrant and funny movie. 7.5/10

Empire Records is one of my all time favorite films. I watched it as a young teenager and I related to it quite a bit. There were some pretty funny comedic moments in the film and the music of the soundtrack gave a unique vibe to the movie. The best part about this film is that I am still able to watch it as an adult and I still enjoy the film as well as the music.The theme of Empire Records is the struggle of man against the greed of the corporate machine. Empire Records is an independent music store that is very lax with its employees, offers many different genres of music, and in general offers a very artistic environment for its customers. The owners of Empire wish to sell out and make Empire into a chain store. Joe, played by Anthony Lapaglia, is the store manager who takes an employee named Lucas, played by Rory Cochrane, under his wing. Together with the other misfits that work at Empire, they try to figure out a plan to save Empire from turning into a dreaded Music Town while dealing with their own personal problems on one very eventful day at the store.Other important issues that are addressed in this film include depression, Debra (played by Robin Tunney) cuts all of her hair off and tries to slit her wrist, drug addiction, Corey (played by Liv Tyler) is the perfect student who occasionally takes speed to help her stay awake to study, and risky sexual behavior, Gina (played by Renee Zellweger) thinks she will feel better about herself and find love by sleeping around.Two techniques used in this movie to demonstrate the theme were sound and lighting. The soundtrack of the film is very diverse and alternative which can be compared to the environment of Empire Records. Empire is not your typical music store and the music they play there is not always the most well known. The lighting of Empire can be considered dim and a little hazy at times, which compared to the harsh fluorescent lighting found at a chain store, gives Empire Records an even more unique feel. Another film that can be compared to Empire Records based on a similar theme is Office Space. In Office Space the employees (all from different walks of life) of a company are also trying to fight the corporate greed of their boss. Office Space is another one of my favorite movies. I think the reason I relate to these movies so much is because all of these employees band together to do something I probably never could, fight the greed of the corporate machine.