BandSlam (PG)

Music and building relationships are the themes of the new musical-romantic comedy Bandslam, the story of how a teenage boy goes from being nothing but a speck at school to a musical genius. When Will Burton (Connell), who claims to be David Bowie’s biggest fan, attracts the attention of two girls, former cheerleader Charlotte (Michalka) and outsider Sa5m (Hudgens), he cannot believe his luck. When it comes to the local music show, gifted singer songwriter Charlotte asks Will, who has a diverse knowledge of music, to manage her band and he makes its members better than she could ever have imagined.
 
Typically, if a film is going to include bands or singers, they are usually gorgeous individuals in their late teens or early twenties. In this case there are a few that fit that norm, but the majority are outsiders, individuals that don’t seem to fit in with any other social group but are welcomed into the band to put their talents as musicians to good use. It’s an approach calculated to encourage every teen to follow their dreams, in this case music, no matter what their social status.

After the huge success Vanessa Hudgens had in the three High School Musical films, Bandslam puts this young actress into a whole new light. The casting director could have made a very big decision and a big mistake and cast Hudgens as the lead role. This might well have pulled in all the High School Musical fans, but would jut have been piggy backing on a previous success. By casting another actress in the lead and having Hudgens sing just one song at the end of the film, the moment everyone is waiting for is kept back as something special. Her character here is also very different from her role as Gabriella in HSM – more akin to Wednesday in The Addams Family. She has a dark natured spirit about her, a gloomy attitude and a slow dreary voice, as a result of the character’s problem with her stutter.   Until she gets to sing that is, when her personality is turned inside out.
 
There are some funny moments in the movie, but most of is straightforward with the excitement coming from the musical atmosphere and an ending which sends tingles through the body. It may only be a movie, but the way in which the band in the film take the oft covered Bread song “Everything I Own” and put their own stamp on it is very impressive.   If released as a single, it has the potential to be a hit, while I would also expect the film’s soundtrack to do well too.   
 
Although aimed at the early to late teen market, Bandslam is likely to lift the hearts of everyone who sees it.