“Staff Picks” is a deeper look into movies that we love here at Video CULTure. Each edition of this column will focus on a single film that we think you should check out, either for the first time or for a long-overdue revisit
By Patrick Bartlett (Twitter: @alleywaykrew)
When I was a young film geek and sadly the internet wasn’t as ubiquitous as it has become, in order to find out about films, I had to pore over any and all entertainment magazines I could get my hands on but I also had to depend on the recommendations of those I believed to be much cooler than I. One such example is my beloved “Empire Records”. My friend Amber’s mom owned and operated one of the local video stores and very occasionally, Amber would turn me onto something cool that I hadn’t heard of, like “Empire Records.” As much as I love genre films, there always has been and likely always will be a very special spot in my heart for teen films, coming of age films, etc. “Empire Records” is one of my favorites. I think about this film a lot and I generally watch it at least once a year. I also tried to pay what Amber did for me forward as much as possible, showing it or recommending it to whoever was remotely receptive. When I was a kid, like any other movie, it was a window into another world. Nowadays, watching again, “Empire Records” still absolutely is that to me but it’s also something much more. Much like Hughes’ “The Breakfast Club” or Linklater’s “Dazed & Confused”, it’s a chance to tap into thoughts and feelings that don’t occur as much in my life as much anymore. In some ways, it’s nice to have moved on from a lot of that but it’s just as nice to be able to be able to travel to a completely different time and place in a way that you mainly only get from films.
“Empire Records” is about a day in the life of a crew of the titular record store. It’s a tumultuous day however because Rory Cochrane’s character of Lucas has discovered that their beloved store is going to be absorbed into a corporate chain, radically changing the lives of his coworkers and himself. Desperate, he takes it upon himself to take the night drop money destined for the bank and try to gamble it to win more in Atlantic City. Shockingly, it does work at first…until it doesn’t…and he promptly loses all of it. From there, there’s a ticking clock on when the store owner will find out and the chain reaction of change will come for everyone to different extents. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s “Rex Manning Day” at the store. A semi-famous former TV star and aging singer is visiting to sign autographs and such for similarly aging adoring fans. On top of even that, you have Robin Tunney’s character of Deb, who has attempted suicide the night before. You have Johnny Whitworth’s A.J., aspiring artist, planning to declare his love for Liv Tyler’s character of Corey before the afternoon. Corey, however, is trying to give her virginity to Rex Manning, at the urging of her best friend Gina (played by Renee Zellweger). It goes without saying but there’s a lot going on here.
It might go without saying but it’s the people I’ve mentioned and those I haven’t, like Ethan Embry’s Mark, are primarily the reason “Empire Records” works as well as it does. Sure, with the exception of Liv Tyler and Renee Zellweger, none of the cast really went on to be huge stars. Having said that, there is not a single weak link in this cast. No performance is being phoned in and every character and every arc is made to feel important on some level or another. I have to say though: the whole cast is ultimately anchored by Anthony LaPaglia. He’s brilliant here. The reason that I’ve been a fan of that man most of my life all comes back to this film. There’s something really interesting to LaPaglia’s performance as Joe that manages to feel paternal while also managing to not feel very far off from being a peer to the younger characters. It’s a great, almost enigmatic performance. I’ve watched the movie countless times over my life and I still can’t completely nail down that guy and his place in the situation. The rest of the cast absolutely rises to the occasion though. Even though as I said, many of them didn’t turn into stars, there’s something special and uniquely interesting about everyone. Whether it’s the somehow grounded spacey quality by Whitworth’s A.J. or the quiet charisma of Cochrane’s Lucas or even the adorably nerdy comedy stuff by Embry’s Mark…everyone has come to play and embodies their role like their life depends on it. There’s an irresistible energy that’s bound to the film as a byproduct.
Probably as much credit should also be given to Allan Moyle, the director. Between this and his work immediately previous (another childhood favorite), “Pump Up The Volume”, Moyle isn’t approaching films featuring primarily young casts with any sort of condescension. That’s why this stuff has stuck around. These people, their problems, and their lives as a whole are treated seriously and with the utmost respect. As a result, you end up with a movie that may have been critically panned and lost gobs of money but is still profoundly important to people not only decades later, but in completely different places in their lives than they probably were upon their initial viewing. It doesn’t hurt that it’s a film about the real importance of art. Sure, the movie’s focused on music but you could change the setting and the message about art’s importance would still be clear. That might actually be the most interesting thing about the film. There’s nothing necessarily flashy or incredibly innovative necessarily in the actual technical filmmaking aspects of “Empire Records” but that really doesn’t matter. The clear confidence of a director letting the actors bring their characters to life and just shaping the overall narrative around them suggests that Moyle should have had a much more prolific career. However, there’s something to be said for having had made two legitimate classics.
I guess by this point in my life, where I’m closer to the age of the adult characters than the teens and twentysomethings…I should be over teen films, coming of age films, etc. I’m not though. I don’t believe I ever will be. When I was the target audience, it was a window into the lives of fictional peers. Now that I’m not, it’s a window into an entire different time in my life. A window into entirely different thoughts and feelings. That’s why I will never truly understand the critical backlash against movies like this. As long as it’s not a crass cash-in attempt, all that matters is the characters and the story. That should be the approach to judgment on any film. Just because a film is focused on young people and what they’re going through doesn’t somehow make said film without value. Watching something like “Empire Records”, it’s like time travel. In a way, every time you turn a film like this one on and it’s good, it’s a chance to be transported back to more fun times. In that respect, there’s nothing to hate in a film like this. It’s a vibe as much as anything else. Things are fleeting- just try to have a good time.
To find out where this film is available to stream, click here: Just Watch