Synopsis: Fame follows a group of students at the New York School of Performing Arts as they discover their talents and identities.
Release Date: September 25, 2009 MPAA Rating: PG-13
Genre(s): Musical
Film Review
Production
Fame focuses on a variety of students at the Performing Arts Academy and their desire to “make it” in their respective fields. The issue is that Fame cuts between each of these storylines so quickly it only gives you a brief look into what makes these characters click. There is such little development for each character that caring whether or not they “make it” is impossible for the viewer. Not to mention how Fame jumps around so quickly between school years that nothing is ever fully resolved.
The ending gives you an idea of where they may heading but the excitement you could have felt for them if the film had given you the chance is invisible. This can only be due to the bad movie-of-the-week acting and poorly written script that includes little if any backstory for any of the characters. It would have been better to just show people singing and dancing for almost two hours than to try and attempt to develop a plot or cohesive structure.
Musical Numbers
Granted, these teens can sing, dance, rap, play music, etc. It is not that they cannot perform but that the performances are so scattered throughout Fame they feel out of place and uncomfortable in the plot. The flow is disrupted most of the time a sequence is cut to during Fame. The standard formula for a musical, where the music (or dance) sequences add to the story and pushes it forward does not apply in Fame. It may hint at what is to come but it does not actually fit into getting you there. They appear as mere excuses to cut to something that does not involve giving the audience a more detailed look into the characters lives, thoughts and feelings.
Cast and Crew
- Director(s): Kevin Tancharoen
- Screenwriters: Richard S. Wright, Allison Burnett
- Cast: Naturi Naughton (Denise), Kay Panabaker (Jenny), Anna Maria Perez de Tagle (Joy), Kelsey Grammer (Joel Cranston), Megan Mullally (Fran Rowan), Charles S. Dutton (Alvin Dowd), Debbie Allen (Principal Simms)
- Editor(s): Myron I. Kerstein
- Cinematographer: Scott Kevan
- Production Designer(s): Paul Eads
- Country Of Origin: USA
