Groove (2000) / Drama

MPAA Rated: R for drug use, language and brief sexuality
Running Time: 86 min.

Cast: Lola Glaudini, Hamish Linklater, Denny Kirkwood, Mackenzie Firgens
Director:  Greg Harrison
Screenplay: Greg Harrison
Review published November 18, 2000

There's a monster rave going on in the city and the word is out among all the ravers to be there. That's really all the real plot of GROOVE, a celebration of the underground rave scene and the lifestyles of those who frequent them. There's the usual assortment of characters: the geek who lives in a shell and the cool but flawed girl who shows him his other self, the couple that has to deal with another's infidelity, the guy who might die of an overdose, along with kooky drug dealers, cops, and, as always in the party film, the couple who spend all night lost trying to find the place.

GROOVE features decent direction by first-time writer/director Greg Harrison, but where the film fails is on the freshness scale in the screenplay. While this may be the only film to truly showcase the current dance scene, it is so similar to those films that did the exact same thing before (THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY, 54, hell even 200 CIGARETTES) that it really is targeted for those into the music and scene than anyone looking for a good film. The film is short, a little over 80 minutes, and about half of that is showcasing the DJs and dancers, which means Harrison really doesn't have much to say other than "raving is cool". In short, this is a film for ravers only.

On a side note, congratulations to an old friend, Monty Luke for immortalizing himself in a film as "DJ #5". Albeit in a cameo role, it was an impressively delivered two lines.

Qwipster's rating:

©2000 Vince Leo