Ah, another minor Tivo pickup that was too tempting to just delete. Though I probably should have, there are other movies on the disc worth watching. Still, a movie about a rock band coming together from the mid-’90s can’t be too bad. And it was recorded off IFC, not the Family Channel, so it gets a few points for indie cred.
The actors are alright, though no names that would be recognized from other films or television. Maybe Kevin Corrigan, who plays the stoner lead guitarist Wynn (who fishes when under stress), and has been a regular on Grounded for Life. Doug MacMillan, who plays the zenmaster road manager Linus, is the lead singer in a band called The Connells in real life. Anyway, our story mainly revolves around Tony Ridge (moderately well-played by Lee Holmes) and Charlie Flagg (Matthew Hennessey, no other credits I could find).
Tony is a reclusive guitarist and songwriter who’s never let anyone hear his music until he gets fired and runs into drummer Charlie. Even as they add Wynn and a bass player, rehearsing in Charlie’s mom’s garage, Tony insists on playing in a closet so the others cannot actually see him. But everyone thinks his indie pop-rock tunes are great and they play a couple of gigs–with Tony faced away from the audience. Hooking up with Linus, the Circus Monkeys get a nasty old van and head out on the road. Leaving North Carolina, the group swings through the South and attract the attention of a stereotypical rip off the artist record company. Finally, before a last gig in Mississippi, the object of Tony’s affection and all his songs meets up with the band. Ann, of course, falls for Charlie and this leads to a fight and eventually a quick trip to a small town jail. When the boys get back home to play a showcase gig for the record company, integrity is kept intact and we fade out to the Monkeys playing anyway.
Written and directed by John Schultz (who also directed this year’s Lil Romeo showpiece Like Mike), Bandwagon never really creates enough tension to sustain 95 minutes of screen time. There are some interesting ideas, like a running conflict between the bass player and a hick pot dealer, but too many cliches (the record company execs, the zenmaster) and too much filler. Not enough done to create visual excitement, either, and the music is only good. This was Schultz’s first film, so no big deal, but he allegedly is directing a new Ripley film (though no Matt Damon) and that one will get much less slack from me.
Not recommended and, you know, I didn’t intend to write nearly this much on such a small movie.
BillSaysThis 