Saturday, February 6, 2010

Fame

Released Year: 2009
Directed by Kevin Tancharoen

Casted by:
Naturi Naughton as Denise Dupree
Kay Panabaker as Jenny Garrison
Asher Book as Marco Ramone
Collins Pennie as Malik Washburn
Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as Joy Moy
Kherington Payne as Alice Ellerton
Walter Perez as Victor Taveras
Paul McGill as Kevin Barrett
Paul Lacono as Neil Baczynsky
Story:
In the freshman year, students learn on the first day of classes that their teachers expect them to know everything. In dance class, Ms. Kraft is worried about Kevin's dancing, but is easily impressed by Alice. In acting class, Jenny feels uncomfortable to let loose and be crazy like everyone else. In music class, Mr. Cranston gives Victor pointers, while Denise plays the music perfectly on the piano.

In the lunchroom, everyone practices their major and they all get up and dance ("This Is My Life"), while Denise and Malik escape the madness and they talk to each other, Denise saying that her parents thinks that the school is "people sitting around, practicing cello all day", and that they would die if they see this. Malik reveals that his mom doesn't even know that he is going to the school. Just before freshman year ends, it shows Malik at his apartment, his mom finding his report card, making it clear that he goes to P.A. She is angry and asks who even told him he was special, but he still continues to go to the school. The year closes after she goes to work and leaves Malik standing alone.

While in sophomore year As the new school year begins, it shows the dancers all practicing in a circle, but once it is Kevin's turn, he is out-shined and is forced to go back in his original spot. Victor is having trouble sticking to the right music, and adds his own spin on whatever he is playing, which doesn't sit well with Mr. Cranston. Malik, in theater class, talks about his dead sister, Ayanna, causing Mr. Dowd to ask questions that he refuses to answer. Malik then leaves, stating that he's going to be famous, no matter what anyone else says.

Denise is playing her classical piano, but then starts to sing, assuming she is alone. When the bell rings, she leaves, and it is revealed to the audience that Malik was watching the whole time. He brings her to Victor and convinces her to sing for the album that they are producing. She agrees to it, as long as her strict father doesn't find out. At a Halloween party, Malik plays the song, but says the vocals are "anonymous", upsetting Denise, which confuses Malik. Joy is in the park, and she gets up and does a rap, vomiting at the end of it. Neil captures this in his documentary and presents it to the class.

Marco asks Jenny out on a date (though not for the first time), and she asks why he keeps trying. However, she agrees to go with him to dinner at his dad's restaurant, where she convinces him to play a song and sing on the piano. He does ("Try"), and she gives him a money tip. The sophomore year portion of the movie ends with them kissing.

Junior year Joy, who now has a casting agent, is annoyed. She has another audition, but does not think it's a good idea to go, because the other girls against her always seem to get the part. Neil says that he is meeting with a producer for a short, independent film he wrote and hopes to direct himself. Marco and Jenny go to a party, where Jenny sees a boy name Andy Matthews, a former P.A. student who is now a professional actor and known player. He tells her that he can have her meet with his agent, and the naive Jenny gives him her number. Marco leaves, having seen the last part, and Jenny runs out after him. They have a minor fight, but she promises that she will never talk to Andy again, and they go back to her house.

Victor, Malik, and Denise meet with a man from a record company, who says that their demo is interesting, and he will play it at the next meeting and get back to them. Victor and Malik are overjoyed, but Denise is still hesitant. At the next meeting, the producer tells them that Denise is the reason he was interested in their music. He tries to persuade her to stay. Joy tells Jenny and Neil that she got a part-time acting job on Sesame Street and is very excited about it. Ms. Rowan, the voice teacher, takes some of the students to a karaoke bar where she ends up singing as well.

Jenny goes to meet Andy, who lures her by promising to have her meet with the casting director, on the set of his show, despite what she said to Marco. When she arrives, Andy tells her the director is out sick. He comes onto her, but she stops him and angrily leaves. She tells Marco, and he asks if Andy tried anything, saying that he knew this would happen. She interrupts, saying that if all he wanted to do was flirt, that would be okay. This just makes Marco angrier, and he says that if fame was really that important to her then he hopes she gets the job. He then leaves her sobbing his name on a rooftop. Neil tries to get his equipment for the movie, but when he tries to find his producer, he is discovered to be gone, along with the $5,000.

At their senior year Kevin has a meeting with Ms. Kraft, the dance teacher, because he asked her to write him a letter of recommendation. She says she can not write him the letter, because she believes he is not talented enough to become a professional dancer. This causes him to attempt suicide by stepping in front of a subway car. Joy and Jenny are there to stop him. Victor is told by his girlfriend, Alice, that she is going on a world tour next week. He asks if she will visit him, but she says that after P.A., couples usually go their separate ways. She leaves and he is heartbroken.

Joy drops out of school before graduation, because she is working on Sesame Street full-time now and her grades have suffered. Malik talks with Mr. Dowd about his father, which leads to Mr. Dowd telling him about breaking down his walls. Victor, Malik and Denise put on a hip-hop concert at a club and Denise's parents show up. She goes on anyway and wins over her mother during the performance. Marco, along with many of his classmates, is there to watch but when he sees Jenny come in, he says he has to go. Jenny stops him from leaving, saying that she's been thinking a lot about him, and that it kills her that she hurt him. He reveals that he can't stop thinking about her either, but that they should just talk about it later. Later, during the concert, he puts his arms around her and they smile at each other.

When Denise leaves with her parents, her dad says that he is pulling her out of P.A., even though she is about to graduate. Her mom stops him and says that if Denise wants to sing, she should sing.

Graduation. Before graduation, Jenny gives a speech about success to the graduating class, saying that she felt it when she was in the school. Kevin tells Joy that he is moving back to Iowa, and that he is going to be the best damn dance teacher there's ever been. During the graduation performance, everyone participates ("Hold Your Dream"), with Denise as the main singer. It ends with all the characters followed graduating (except Joy and Alice).
L² Scored: 8.5/10

L² Comment:
I took the description of this movie from a website. This movie is too good for me to write a review of it :) it took my breath away~ superb

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