EMPIRE RECORDS

CAPSULE REVIEW –– Though I haven't given this film a very good rating, it's one of those flicks that I've seen over and over without rhyme or reason. I'm not really a fan of any of the actors and I'm way out of the demographic that's supposed to love this kind of garbage...and yet, I find myself strangely compelled to watch it. For a teen movie about a day in the life of a bunch of record store clerks, it's amusing and endearing and not as bad as one might expect. There are several different subplots that run the course of the film, nothing mind-altering or overly unique, but they all come together in that perfect cinematic way. Kind of like a sitcom, all troubles are solved by the end of the movie with several of the cast members dreams coming true. The cast is actually too good for this drivel with Tyler and Zellweger giving more than adequate performances, though their roles aren't really anything to write home about. Maybe I like this film, despite it's obvious problems, because it reminds me of my days working in a movie theater and the comeraderie that can only gel between people making minimum wage for dealing with the general public. The cast gives the film an energy that makes the bad dialogue and silly plot points seem more important and interesting. If you have nothing better to do, you may not mind a visit here.