Pat Healy and Kene Holliday in "Great World of Sound"
(Credit: Magnolia)
- Running time:
- 106 minutes
- Rated:
- R
- Cast:
- John Baker -
- Shank
- Michael Harding -
- Fred
- Pat Healy -
- Martin
- Rebecca Mader -
- Pam
- Tricia Paoluccio -
- Gloria
- Director:
- Craig Zobel
- Genre:
- Comedy
- Official Movie Web Site:
- http://www.greatworldofsound.com/
- Movie Trailer:
- View Trailer
- Overall User Rating:
-
(1 rating)
Big question: Can this low-budget dramedy expose the dark side of the music industry that can't be seen just by turning on MTV?
Catch it: The execs may be predictably sleazy, but everyone else in this "World" feels conflicted and real. Healy's quietly simmering performance allows Martin to enjoy the brief flashes of discovery when it seems like the next big star could be right in front of him, and the much more enduring moments when conscience prevents him from liking himself.
Skip it: If you think Martin is wrong to advise an aspiring rapper that Ganja isn't a marketable stage name. Clearly something like current chart-topper Soulja Boy is much more meaningful!
Bottom line: Co-writer/director Craig Zobel shows too many wannabe stars, but the constant stream of potential talent lends itself to the repetitive nature of the business—where the pleasure of the music takes a backseat to the quest for signatures and dollar signs. Best of all, the movie leaves room for tough choices, with characters who learn more about what they're made of than about what it takes to turn a musician from a needle in a haystack into a national sensation.
Bonus: Creepy exec Shank (John Baker) advises his staff to massage their clients with metaphors to convince them to sign. How about we skip the metaphors and get right to the massage?
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