Freak Dance

Release date: 05.15.2012
Production date: 2010
Distributed by: Image Entertainment
Directed by: Matt Besser & Neil Mahoney
Starring: Michael Cassady, Megan Heyn, Amy Poehler, Matt Besser
Purchase From Amazon

The Movie:

Lemme start this reviewing by voicing my disdain for comedy troupes like the Upright Citizens Brigade, the parties responsible for 2010's Freak Dance. To me, they represent the biggest problem of modern comedy in that they have to be so irresolute in their belief that they're funny (in order to succeed in a very cutthroat business) that they think then that anything they touch is inherently comedic gold. So they don't sell the audience on trying to be funny - they put that burden arrogantly back onto the audience with a dictum similar to, “You bought the ticket/movie so clearly you WILL be entertained by anything we do.” It sends me into veritable fits of howling rage, I tell ya...

So, this movie ostensibly sets out as an intentionally-familiar story of young people following their dreams/hearts' desire in an homage fashion, calling out such films as Fame, Flashdance and Breakin'. But then the filmmakers here try and snag the Glee audience by making it a comedy with very few actual dance routines and a lot of songs - I mean, for a roughly :90 min. film there are 19 musical numbers. Nineteen!

And that staggering number is also to their detriment: That is, while the songs parody the Broadway format/formula they also bring actually very little to the developing the storyline beyond some very basic character beats. The songs are more distracting than anything else but perhaps that was intentional in order to hide the poor story and worse jokes, I dunno...But when they throw in an awful ripoff of the opening of The Warriors I finally had to yell at the screen. Why drag down even more far better films as the filmmakers flail about to find any cultural relevance or purpose?

Audio/Video/Extras:

Two deleted scenes that are - surprise! - musical numbers and an extended version of another are included to prolong this torturous experience. A series of PSA-style Dangers of Freak Dance clips are included featuring actors from the film and some of the more notable UCB performers. Again, prolonging the agony. The film's trailer is included which demonstrates the extent to which the filmmakers attempted to deceive anyone into thinking this film is actually funny as well. The director's commentary track could be used in a civil trial for anyone who saw this movie to get some compensation, I'd think, as it's very boring anecdotal and solely intended for true masochists to sit through the film all over again. Writer/Co-director Matt Besser's droning monotone doesn't help, either.

However, the production quality on this DVD from Image Entertainment is pretty stellar. The film itself is in 1.78:1 big ol' widescreen and is a very clean transfer that never falters. Dark strip club interiors and dusk exteriors are handled with equal aplomb. Likewise, the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is appropriately bass-heavy as many of the song and dance routines rely on techno-dance songs.

Summary:

Unless you are a severe UCB fan this movie has absolutely nothing to offer: Nothing to fans of comedy, or musicals or even those weird Step Up style of all-dance movies. Seriously. Sheesh.