It’s hard to keep in touch with teenage trends as the generation becomes savvier with technology and no less moody. Influences from all directions bombard them in their quest to be edgier, and in 2009 what sets the cool kids apart are apparently names with silent letters. Oh, and you can’t forget the decade’s indie influence either. So when these two combine with High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens, a battle of the bands competition and quirky sidekicks you get Bandslam. It’s not the musical everyone might be expecting and there’s not as much cheese either, but it’s fun without too much camp.

There are similarities to many recent teen musicals that anyone with a filmic sense could rattle off but it does well enough to shake off the pop tag and capitalise on some serious cred. While a tad pathetic and sad, Will (Gaelan Connell) writes letters to David Bowie about his life and we learn that a fresh start with mum Karen (Lisa Kudrow) will help him after being bullied. He’s a muso, but not of the singing kind, and as he befriends Charlotte (Aly Michalka) by chance and Sa5m (Hudgens) by force his creative freedom becomes him. Todd Graff’s second feature seems to reflect part of the 00’s trend with its use of indie music and the ‘old is new’ theme. Velvet Underground and The Who are among those frequently mentioned and Will’s extended musical knowledge is actually inspiring. Influential (but now-closed) New York club CBGB’s isn’t just referred to – Graff actually takes his characters there and for viewers he creates a real sense of awe regardless of prior knowledge.

While Bandslam talks indie and punk to a new generation (consisting mostly of those too young to take much away from this), it also presents a less than perfect world where no-one is who they appear to be. More so, the ‘weird’ kid is posed as an interesting character that’s noticed by his peers. But here is where it falls back on generic ideas, with backstabbing and unrequited love the major cards played – there’s always going to be a bully who can’t keep things to himself and friends who struggle with their position in the lowlight. Graff, also co-screenwriter, handles the story in such a way that creates more cringe than laughs, but watching it reminds you that when it comes to teenagers sometimes it’s not so far from the truth. Although only in America could something like a Battle of the Bands create such a huge response among high schools… for Will’s band I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On (a lot goes into the name) their Bandslam opponents present heavy competition. These include real-life indie bands The Daze and The Burning Hotels, whose cameos represent not just the Texan location but the explosion of alternative popularity. What Graff tries to do here is not repeat their sound for Will’s crew, but their Bandslam entry ends up being a mixture of reggae/ska, while other entrants present different music still. While showing diverse musical tastes it sits uncomfortably with the rest of the film.

Mixed reactions aren’t limited to the musical switch. Hudgens tries to break the HSM mould, but sticking to the role of a teenager who can sing doesn’t seem like much of a stretch and it shows as her singing voice and emo outfit don’t match. Thankfully she isn’t the saccharine sweet thing that jeopardised the HSM films, nor does she command centre stage. That falls to Michalka, who as Charlotte is interesting and multi-layered. Kudrow as Will’s mum has an interesting best friend-type role, while Connell as the main man isn’t the frog who becomes a prince but handles awkwardness well. Graff succeeds in getting a part-comical story across, while visually the montage using camera/phone technology implies the now-familiar life view from a teenager’s eyes.

Verdict:

Bandslam offers a decent music lesson among the teenage angst. There’s not as much cheese here but be wary of your thresh4old (the 4 is silent).

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