solafekxela Blog

The music industry is a tough business, especially if you possess no talent, marketing knowledge, or financial background.  It is easy to forget that there are many struggling musicians out there, when all most people here is the latest from Kanye or Shakira.  Of course, this assuming you’ve never watched an audition episode of American Idol.  Interestingly enough, much of Great World of Sound plays out just like one of those addicting episodes where one can watch people who think they’re really talented be injected with a small dose of reality courtesy of Simon Cowell.

The film, directed by Craig Zobel (who has done some brilliant work for Homestarrunner.com), follows Martin, played by a perfectly cast Pat Healy, and Clarence (Gene Holliday), as they begin jobs for the titular music production company.  The duo’s naiveté in the first week or two of employment is exceptionally amusing to watch, and the mockumentary style masterminded by Christopher Guest (Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show) amplifies the comedic impact.   The interracial banter of Martin and Clarence is remindful of that on Psych and Scrubs, but it never steals jokes directly from either of those shows, another remarkable feat.  

Just about every joke attempted is successful to some degree, and there are some moments that made ma laugh out loud, even though, in some cases, it was at the expense of characters who didn’t see anything humorous in their actions.  It is in these cases that Zobel is really able to craft sympathetic musicians who honestly believe, just like the many that line up to audition for American Idol, that they have a shot.  However, many of these artists are just too similar; there is not much diversity. They all come from similar socio-economic backgrounds, and the only thing really unique about each one is the type of performance they are trying to sell.  Countless times we are tortured by the dilemma of whether or not the possibility of maybe selling a record or two is worth the up-front investment.  Regardless, in these more serious portions of the film, it never becomes melodramatic or sappy.

Now I can’t say that this film really compares with any of Guest’s efforts or the comedic genius of The Office, but, fortunately, it doesn’t really try to.  Instead, Zobel has a clear and well-defined agenda - to expose the corruption of small producers like this one.  It’s fine, no big deal; the film isn’t too bogged down by this message. However, it is in Martin’s scenes at home that Zobel really loses touch with the originality of his film.  Each line delivered Rebecca Mader, playing Martin’s wife Pam, is airy and cliché.  Zobel has nothing new to offer here; instead he provides a subplot to an otherwise captivating story that is uninteresting and distracting.

So, in the end, any comedic brilliance is curtailed by some disingenuous B-plotting and lack of ambition. Still, one must consider the central purpose of a comedy, which is too obvious to even subject to writing, but should stay in the back of the mind of anyone who sits down to watch a film with like aspirations.  If such a film succeeds in this matter, then it is truly worth commending. However, preventing me from doing so in this case is the image that rest in the back of mind since about half way through Great World of Sound - Craig Zobel is sitting on his couch one night, large bowl of ice cream in hand, tuning in to the much overrated American Idol, and decides “Hey, everybody seems to love this show. And what is the best part of the show, Craig? The audition episodes, of course. How silly of you to ask. Here’s a thought: why don’t I turn this into a movie, craft some one-note characters, put them in a somewhat familiar environment, and let them play Paula Abdul for a while?” Genius.

Joe Swanberg’s latest mumblecore film examines the relationships of three men, Tim, Chris, and Alex, and their addiction to technology.  Swanberg is considered a forerunner of the mumblecore movement, a term given to films of the new millennium that are independent, usually shot digitally, and portray the lives of twenty-somethings through improvisation and non-professional acting. LOL of course fits that criteria, delving into how the men seek satisfaction in internet relationships, cell phones, and other technology.  As if the film’s title wasn’t indicative enough, it’s clearly a film for the twenty-first century, though certainly not for everybody.

Along with the staples of mumblecore films, Swanberg’s own flavor permeates the film. Artistic, uncomfortable, and somewhat gratuitous nudity attempts to put the audience directly in the mind of the helpless men.  Swanberg, also headlining the cast as Tim, joins C. Mason Wells and Kevin Bewersdorf as the film’s trio.  The digital, cinema-verité style of the film is complemented by these non-actors, creating scenes that are tonally perfect.  Many are quick  to criticize the mumblecore movement for realistically dull portrayals of often seemingly pathetic characters. Swanberg clearly avoids any such pitfalls with a compassion for all everyone on the screen, even if just another girl on the internet.
That said, there certainly are faults within the technique of this film in particular. Since it deals with so much online video content, the entire movie being filmed digitally de-emphasizes these portions. Additionally, the way the film is edited is certainly distracting, with several jump cuts just within one scene, or even one shot.  It breaks up the film and causes it to lose some grounding in reality, when all Swanberg was attempting to do was make it feel more like a documentary.  As for the cinematography, despite its simplicity, at times it feels like the issues and commentary are being forced. Several shots indiscreetly force us to look at women the way these men do, which causes discomfort and, instead, took me out of the mind of the characters.  It is this manipulation and heavy-handedness that diminish the impact of the film, along with the limited scope and somewhat obvious message, that is. 

Still, there is quite a lot to be said for young filmmakers like Swanberg who certainly take risks with subject matter, if not with budget and style.  If it is not the content that shocks, then certainly the way it is told will be refreshing to those bombarded from Jerry Bruckheimer movie coasters.  And if neither the subject nor the approach shock you, then at least the film is sure to leave you exposed and informed about the way these twenty-something truly live in the digital age.  The film is as realistic a depiction of modern communication as one can imagine, seeping with relevance and brevity.

It is because of the passion exhibited by Swanberg in LOL that my curiosity about the mumblecore movement is at least piqued.  Unlike the now stereotypically categorized indie dramedy a la Little Miss Sunshine, not a shred of contempt can be found; nor does Swanberg take pleasure in the struggles of others. I truly got the sense that Swanberg was almost too familiar with the world he portrays in the film; it frightened me to consider putting myself in his position. Whether or not I’m ready to sit down and watch another of Swanberg’s explicit tellings (Kissing on the Mouth, Hannah Takes the Stairs) is another story, so my excitement is certainly restrained.  LOL is an intriguing if not captivating entry for anyone looking to explore modern, emerging film techniques.