Shaft

Groove is a film that just can't win.

It is the story of a rave. The entire film takes place in one night, as we follow the intertwined paths of several of the party's attendees. They get high, they hook-up, they dance, they spin, they get busted, they party til the break of dawn. Not terribly interesting stuff. But through this bare-bones plot, we explore the culture of the underground rave scene. You see, the movie is not really about the characters--it's about the event itself.

Why can't this film win? Veteran ravers will not like it because it presents a generic view of their culture, and is held to the constraints of the filmic medium. The complete sensory experience is lacking. Rave newbies will be frustrated because the film portrays an outlaw scene which they will never have a chance to truly experience, due to the underground rave scene's rapid replacement by the mainstream. The average American consumer might be entertained, but only if they buy into the film's basic premise--that a rave is a wonderful thing.

Fortunately, writer-director Greg Harrison makes it easy--even for the skeptical--to agree that it's a pretty cool party. In fact, one of the central characters is a skeptic. But after David (Hamish Linklater) gets into the vibe, meets the super-hot Leyla (Lola Glaudini) and does some Ecstasy, he finds his life changed by a new awareness of himself. Meanwhile the colorful lights and nonstop soundtrack provide the audience with their own vicarious rave experience. It may not be completely accurate, but at least it's entertaining.

That said, I think this is an important film that will resurface in 15-20 years as a historical document. The next generation of young revelers will look back at Groove as an inspiring nostalgic trip to a time they were too young to be a part of. Much as today's hipsters watch 1982's Wild Style to relive the fledgling hip-hop scene--or the previous generation watched footage of Woodstock--our children will watch Groove...and wish they were there.

I'm sure there will be a lot of criticism of this film, particularly from those who participated in the underground. It's not realistic, it's bland, it's taking advantage of our culture, etc. But realize that Groove is not meant for you. No film can capture the experience of you who were there. In fact, a movie can't capture ANYTHING with complete accuracy. Nothing can beat the thrill of being there.

But this movie is not for you who were there. It's for everybody else. It's for the kids in the year 2015 who think the 1990s were a really lame decade, and why would anyone ever dress like that? Maybe Groove will give them an idea of what it was all about.