Fame is a 2009 American musical film which is a loose remake of the 1980 film of the same title. It was directed by Kevin Tancharoen and written by Allison Burnett. It was released on September 25, 2009 in the USA, Canada and the UK.
Plot
Auditions
The film opens with students auditioning for admittance. Those admitted include:
Several of the teachers are also introduced:
Freshman year
Students learn on the first day of classes that their teachers expect them to know everything. In dance class, Ms. Kraft is worried about Kevin's dancing, but is easily impressed by Alice. In acting class, Jenny feels uncomfortable to let loose and be crazy like everyone else. In music class, Mr. Cranston gives Victor pointers, while Denise plays the music perfectly on the piano. In the lunchroom, everyone practices their major and they all get up and dance ("This Is My Life"), and Denise and Malik escape the madness and they talk to each other, Denise saying the her parents thinks that the school was 'people sitting around, practicing cello all day', and that they would die if they saw this, Malik reveals that his mom doesn't even know that he is going to the school. Just before Freshman year ends, it shows Malik at his apartment, his mom finding his report card, making in clear that he goes to P.A. She is angry, and asks who even told him that he was special, but he still continued to go to the school. The year closes after she goes to work and leaves Malik standing alone.
Sophomore year
As the new school year begins, it shows the dancers all practicing in a circle, but once it is Kevin's turn, he is out-shined and is forced to go back in his original spot. And Victor is having trouble sticking to the right music, and adds his own spin on whatever he is playing, which doesn't sit well with Mr. Cranston. Malik, in theater class, talks about his dead sister, Ayana, which causes Mr. Dowd to ask questions that he refuses to answer, then leaves, stating that he's gonna be famous, no matter what anyone else says. Denise is playing her classical piano, but then starts to sing, thinking that she's alone, but then, when she is finished, the bell rings. She leaves, but then you see that Malik was watching the whole time. He brings her to Victor and convinces her to sing for the album that they were producing, which she agrees to, as long as her strict father doesn't find out. There is a Halloween party, where Malik plays the song while being D.J., but says the vocals are 'anonymous', making Denise's face fall, which confuses Malik. Marco asks Jenny out on a date, (though, not for the first time), and she asks why he keeps trying. But then agrees to go with him to dinner at his dad's resturaunt. They go, and she convinces him to play a song and sing on the piano, he does ("Try"), and she ends up giving his a money tip. The sophomore year portion of the movie end with them kissing.
Junior year
Joy, who now has a casting agent, is annoyed. She has another audition, but does not think it's a good idea to go, because the other girls against her always seem to get the part. And Neil, says that he is meeting with a producer for a short, independent film he wrote and and hopes to direct himself. Marco and Jenny go to a party, where Jenny sees a boy name Andy Matthews, a former P.A. student who is now a professionsal actor, and known to be a player. He tells her that he could have her meet with his agent, and Jenny, naive as she is, gives him her number. Andy passes Marco, who saw her giving him her number, and leaves, causing Jenny to come out after him. They have a minor fight, but she says that she will never talk to Andy again, and Marco and Jenny go back to her house. Victor, Malik and Denise meet with a man from a record company, who says that their demo is interesting, and he will play it at the next meeting and get back to them. Victor and Malik are overjoyed, but Denise is still a bit hesitant. Joy tells Jenny and Neil that she got a part-time acting job on Seaseme Street, and is very excited about it. Ms. Rowan, the voice teacher, takes some kids to a kareoke barm were she actually ends up singing, as well. Jenny goes to meet Andy, despite what she said to Marco, and he tries to come onto her, she stops him, and angrily leaves. But she tells Marco, and he asks if he tried anything on her while she stayed silent. He says that he knew this would happen, she intergects, saying that it would be okay if he just wanted to flirt, but that just makes him angrier, and says that if fame was really that important to her, that he hopes she gets the job. He then leaves, her sobbing his name on a rooftop. Neil tries to get his aquitment for the movie, but when he tries to find his producer, he is gone, along with the $5,000 Neil gave him.
Senior year
Kevin has a meeting with Ms. Kraft, the dance teacher, and she says that he will never become a professional dancer, which causes him to attempt suicide (but is stopped). Victor is told by his girlfriend, Alice, a dancer whom he is in love with, is going on a world tour. He asks if she will visit him, but she says that after P.A. couples usually go their seperate ways. He leaves her, heartbroken. Joy drops out of school before graduation, because of working on Seaseme Street full-time now. And Malik talks with Mr. Dowd about his father. At Victor, Malik and Denise's Hip-Hop concert, her parents show up, but she goes on, anyway. The kids from school are there and Marco, with many of his classmatesm is there to watch, but he sees Jenny come in and says that he has to go. Jenny stops him from leaving, saying that she was thinking a lot about him, and that it kills her that she hurt him. He reveals that he can't stop thinking about her, either, but that they should just talk about it later, which she unsurely agrees to. But later, during the concert, he puts his arms around her and they smile at each other. When Denise leaves with her parents, her dad says that he is pulling her out of P.A., even though she is about to graduate, but her mom stops him and says that is Denise wants to sing, she should sing. Kevin tells Joy that he is moving back to Ohio, and that he is going to be the best damn dance teacher there's ever been.
Graduation
Before graduation, Jenny does a speech abotu success to the graduating class, saying that she felt it when she was in the school. During the graduation preformance, everyone does something, whether or not it's music, singing, dancing, ect. (Hold Your Dream) But Denise is the main singer, who you can hear over everyone else. There are still hints of Marco and Jenny moments during the preformance, like stealing glances, along with other people. But it leaves a fairly open ending, with all of the characters it follows graduating. (All but Joy and Alice.)
Cast
The main cast is featured on the official website.[2]
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was released to stores and digital outlets (such as iTunes) on August 25, 2009. It features a blend of American standards and new pieces written specifically for the movie. Included from the original movie are the piano ballad Out Here On My Own and the title theme (both sung by Irene Cara in the original film).
Track listing
[3]
- "Welcome to P.A." - Raney Shockne
- "Fame" - Naturi Naughton
- "Big Things" - Anjulie
- "Ordinary People" - Asher Book
- "This Is My Life" - Hopsin, Ak'Sent, Tynisha Keli & Donte "Burger" Winston
- "Out Here on My Own" - Naturi Naughton
- "Street Hustlin'" - Raney Shockne feat. Stella Moon
- "You'll Find a Way" (Switch & Sinden Remix) - Santigold
- "Can't Hide from Love" - Naturi Naughton & Collins Pennie
- "Black & Gold" - Sam Sparro
- "Back to Back" - Collins Pennie feat Ashleigh Haney
- "I Put a Spell on You" - Raney Shockne feat. Eddie Wakes
- "Get On the Floor" - Naturi Naughton & Collins Pennie
- "Try" - Asher Book
- "You Took Advantage of Me" - Megan Mullally
- "Too Many Women" (Damon Elliott Remix) - Rachael Sage
- "Someone to Watch Over Me" - Asher Book
- "You Made Me Love You" - Raney Shockne feat. Oren Waters
- "Hold Your Dream" - Kay Panabaker, Asher Book & Naturi Naughton
Charts
Reception
Critical
The film has received generally mixed to negative reviews, with the rating of 28% based on 87 reviews on the website Rotten Tomatoes[5] and a 41 on Metacritic. Rotten Tomatoes stated that the film is "ultmately undone with incomplete characterizations".
Box office
The film opened at #3 behind Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (which was in its second weekend) and the newly released Surrogates with approximately $10,011,682.[6]
References
External links
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Fame franchise |
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