Director: Kevin Tancharoen
Cast: Kay Panabaker, Megan Mullally, Bebe Neuwirth
Screenwriter: Allison Burnett
Running Time: 107 min
Rating: PG
YOU WON'T WANT TO LIVE FOREVER AFTER WATCHING THIS!
Fame 2009 should serve as a warning to any studio attempting a remake, re-imagining or re-invention of a classic. Far from capturing the magic of the original we are instead presented with the biggest Turkey of the year so far.
The premise is similar to that of the 1980 film. A bunch of fresh face hopefuls are accepted into the prestigious New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Their professional and personal lives are tracked throughout their school experience as they seek fame and fortune in the big city.
The problem with Fame 2009 is not the fact that it fails to live up to it's predecessor. It's fault lays within the fact that it plays like a hastily put together, two hour MTV video trying to make a quick buck of the name of a beloved franchise.
The first fault with Fame 2009 is it's director. To date Kevin Tancharoen's most prestigious credits happen to be "The Search For The Next Pussycat Doll" and "Britney Spears Live From Miami". However adept Tancharoen may be at zooming a camera in on pop tarts behinds, he is painfully unqualified to helm a fifteen million dollar musical in which you have to deal with real actors. He manages to illicit even faker performances from his young cast than any contestant on one of his reality shows could have ever been capable of.
The casting in itself is a train wreck. These teenagers are supposed to be attending a talent school, yet not one among them seem to be particularly talented. As a matter of fact you can't help but wonder if the list of successful applicants was confused with the list of rejects and then no-one had the heart to tell them. None of the young cast possess the appeal or charisma to actually make their roles memorable. Not even the support of Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally or Bebe Neuwirth could elevate the quality of the film. They languish away in small, thankless roles which makes you wonder why they even bothered to waist their time.
Another major blunder is Allison Burnett's script. Whilst the original Fame broke ground by incorporating classic musical numbers with gritty subject matter, Fame 2009 comes across as something schlepped together by the Disney channel as a follow up to High School musical. The content seems insipid, with the highest source of tension being "I want to sing but my parents want me to play classical music!" Cue the violins. Character development is also so atrocious that by the end of the film you couldn't really care a less about anyone. Numerous sub plots are introduced at an alarming pace, yet not one of them are adequately explored or resolved. After spending over three years in the lives of these kids, their is no discernible growth or change in anyone. You'd even be hard pressed to remember their names.
The final nail in the coffin have to be the films musical numbers. You could expect the same quality from any High School production. It's not a good sign when you leave the cinema feeling you could have been a better choreographer when the closest you've come to a dance routine is the Macorina.
If your feeling nostalgic for leg warmers, sweat pants and the vocal styling of Irene Cara i suggest you bypass this offering and rent the original. Save your time, save your money and save yourself! ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE
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