Powder

i am giving this movie a three star because the songs by "the grams" are very good. and that is the only thing that is keeping this - over one and one-half hour long movie - afloat. otherwise it would sink into a peak bog and no one would remember it.

some of the characters act and look like they were taken from the cast of arch-villains in a 'batman' movie! and the plot covers everything from drug addiction, envy, lust, depression, bullying, suicide, child abuse, etc. and on and on.

if the producers/director had just focused on the emotional need for Keva to address his personal emotional and physical bruising via his father through creating his music and the incidental forming of a most successful rock band, (which he never intended) i believe this would have been a grand flick. but as it is - it is just a jumble of ideas tossed together to appeal to the teen/tween set. and in doing that the movie is just a mess.

After reading a couple of harsh reviews in the Sunday papers I was in two minds whether to risk going to see this. But as I really enjoyed Sampson's previous adaptation, AWAYDAYS, I thought it was worth the risk.

I shouldn't have worried. It's a great ride! I don't know what you would call this film, it's not a comedy, a straight drama, nor a musical. It's somewhere in that genre triangle and has got a really unique feel to it.

The story revolves around a Thom Yorke-like singer called Keva who is basically trying to sort his head out to be able to deliver a tune that's been burning him up since the year dot. Stopping him getting this clarity is a manic bunch of music industry types including the amazing Al Weaver as Helmet, who plays Keva's arch rival as an almost pantomime arch villain. There's real dark drama here as Keva faces some demons from his early family life. I certainly did not expect to be choked with emotion from this. I can't remember that in the book! But to be honest the real refreshing thing here is that Keva's band, The Grams and their songs...are brilliant! You absolutely forget that they are not a real band.. It's totally weird seeing the festival footage and reminding yourself that this isn't a rockumentary.

It's as mad as a box of frogs and as moving as the dead mum scene in Bambi. Go figure!