Wow. I am surprised at how tough the reviews are as well as how low the score is for "Feel the Noise" on IMDb. In fact, it's rated so low that it can be found on the website's Bottom 100 list! Owch!! However, after seeing it, I just felt that a lot of people are being really, really rough on this little film. Now perhaps my perspective is different from most--after all, I'm a 45 year-old White guy--hardly the typical viewer for this reggaeton/rap movie!! However, I saw some things about the film that I liked--though I'll also admit it had a few shortcomings.
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons I enjoyed the film is that I've been to Puerto Rico a couple times--the last time being just a few months ago. A lot of the scenes in the film were very familiar because I saw the same places when I visited. It's funny, but the basketball court and cemetery near the two old forts in San Juan really are NOT that close to the neighborhood in which the family lives--but I can understand a bit of artistic license. I also liked hearing the music. While I am FAR from a reggaeton fan, I sure heard a lot of that music and it was nice to hear it again--it's hard to hate that infectious beat.
The story is about a young punk from New York that nearly gets himself killed for hanging with the wrong crowd. Overstaying his welcome, his mother sends him to his estranged father in Puerto Rico to live--at least until the heat dies down--otherwise, he might be a dead man. Once in his new home, he forms a quick relationship with his step-brother and they find a common bond through their love of music. Eventually, they create their own demo tape--a fusion of reggaeton and rap. The two guys and their lady friend eventually are discovered by a record producer and things look great. But a few problems develop along the way--the girl's ex-boyfriend is nuts and the producer is not quite as nice a guy as he seems. Will they make it or die trying? The film is not especially deep. The main characters could use a bit more depth and likability. However, the story is fast-moving and never boring and the music very nice. I particularly liked the ending at the Puerto Rican Day parade in New York. Light and enjoyable fluff.
By the way, I was unfortunate enough to have seen this on VH-1. There were tons of commercials and I think they cut the heck out of it, so perhaps the version I watched was a bit different and had a different flow than most others saw--though this wouldn't account for THAT big a difference in scores.
By the way, this is about the third or fourth film from the Bottom 100 I have seen that's about Black culture with Black actors that made the list but seemed MUCH better to me--too good for this infamous list. A couple other films I felt were unfairly maligned were "I Can Do Bad All By Myself" and "Phat Girlz". All three were decent entertainment. Sure, they had a few faults...but not anything THAT significant.
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons I enjoyed the film is that I've been to Puerto Rico a couple times--the last time being just a few months ago. A lot of the scenes in the film were very familiar because I saw the same places when I visited. It's funny, but the basketball court and cemetery near the two old forts in San Juan really are NOT that close to the neighborhood in which the family lives--but I can understand a bit of artistic license. I also liked hearing the music. While I am FAR from a reggaeton fan, I sure heard a lot of that music and it was nice to hear it again--it's hard to hate that infectious beat.
The story is about a young punk from New York that nearly gets himself killed for hanging with the wrong crowd. Overstaying his welcome, his mother sends him to his estranged father in Puerto Rico to live--at least until the heat dies down--otherwise, he might be a dead man. Once in his new home, he forms a quick relationship with his step-brother and they find a common bond through their love of music. Eventually, they create their own demo tape--a fusion of reggaeton and rap. The two guys and their lady friend eventually are discovered by a record producer and things look great. But a few problems develop along the way--the girl's ex-boyfriend is nuts and the producer is not quite as nice a guy as he seems. Will they make it or die trying? The film is not especially deep. The main characters could use a bit more depth and likability. However, the story is fast-moving and never boring and the music very nice. I particularly liked the ending at the Puerto Rican Day parade in New York. Light and enjoyable fluff.
By the way, I was unfortunate enough to have seen this on VH-1. There were tons of commercials and I think they cut the heck out of it, so perhaps the version I watched was a bit different and had a different flow than most others saw--though this wouldn't account for THAT big a difference in scores.
By the way, this is about the third or fourth film from the Bottom 100 I have seen that's about Black culture with Black actors that made the list but seemed MUCH better to me--too good for this infamous list. A couple other films I felt were unfairly maligned were "I Can Do Bad All By Myself" and "Phat Girlz". All three were decent entertainment. Sure, they had a few faults...but not anything THAT significant.