Groove

I've never been to a rave before, so I can't say anything about how realistic this film is.

I've also never used drugs before, but I really liked the way drug use was portrayed in the movie... One of the characters mentions that when it comes to drugs, it's best to be "baked not fried," which I interpreted as "using not abusing." The parallel threads we see evolve throughout the film observe people who don't use drugs at all, others who use them, and others who abuse them... All but the last case end up decidedly happy and content. But the film also remains very open minded and non-judgemental about the abusers; it refuses to condemn them, but rather it simply shows the results of what they do and allows the audience to form an opinion of these people on their own.

Another interesting theme I noticed was the fact that although raves are a great experience, there might be more to life than having a good time... One of the ravers explains how she has spent her entire life going to raves and has enjoyed herself, but somehow feels unsatisfied about what she's doing with her life. The idea that people must face fear in their lives in order to be content is presented, but a conclusion is never made, once again allowing the audience to use the film as "food for thought" and figure it out on their own terms.

The soundtrack to the film is great, as are the visuals... The movie has a very energetic feel to it that really made me want to be at a rave, even though I might not end up liking it.

If you want an interesting slice of American filmmaking and generational portraits from the 1950's, 70's, and 90's, I suggest consecutively viewing American Graffiti, Dazed and Confused, and this film. All of these films are done in a fairly similar style (following multiple story threads at the same time, being non-judgemental about the characters) and have a very feel-good atmosphere about them while still portraying the atmosphere, lifestyle, and challenges of a generation in a very interesting and entertaining way.

Greg Harrison apparently thought he was making a pseudo-documentary of the San Francisco rave scene. According to all the dismissive reviews from die-hard ravers, Harrison has failed in this aspiration. In failing though, Harrison has succeeded in creating a small movie which works on many levels. Groove has humor. It has moments of dramatic tension. It shows drug abuse for what it is without being preachy or judgmental. The music is awesome. The cinematography alone is worth your time. And then, just when you have enough elements to make up an okay niche movie about the rave scene, Groove adds "The Nod," a mini concept piece which transcends the genre and adds a second climax, an intellectual one, after the first musical/spiritual/dramatic climax. Groove is filled with the kind of self-revelatory scenes which give the viewer a sense of truth and the truth always hurts.

This film was verrrry well done. To those that say it wasn't...I guess you have never owned a club where raves took place. I did.

I bought this movie in a stack of films and it only cost me 99 cents. Well shock the pants off me.

What I thought would be a lame party and just a bunch of stoners walking around talking trash was certainly an enlightenment.

GROOVE is EXACTLY what a rave is about...and how would I know? I know because I hosted them myself...packed to the hilt in Vancouver B.C. at PLANET X...and you could guess what the X stood for.

Anywayz, this is very well done in terms of casting, lighting performance, music, tone and everything.

The scene that struck me most is when Ernie says this...and this is classic to me.

Guy: Why do you do this to yourself? Don't even get paid, risk getting arrested, for what? Ernie: You don't know? Guy: No. Ernie: The Nod. Guy: The Nod? Ernie: Happens to me at least once every party. Some guy comes up to me and says "Thank you for making this happen... I needed this. This really meant something to me." And they nod... and I nod back. Guy: ... That's it? Ernie: That's it.

That little piece of dialogue is everything...it's what made me want to run the rave at PLANET X, even thought I was't making big bucks...to me it was the NOD...

So I know exactly where Ernie was coming from...and I felt the director Greg Harrison was getting to.

Watch Groove and relive your youth before it slips away from you in your daily 9-5 and rush hour traffic.

I only wish I was at the club...because it was so intense and so real...and made me so jealous that I was only watching it on my TV screen.

With a $500000 budget, this is tops.

Once again, everybody...extras and all cast included...an awesome job and one very satisfied viewer...certainly worth my time.

This movie was pretty good, but it had some parts that I did not like. For instance, another comment, below me, said that a rave is not a time to reflect, and I agree. While it is a time to turn lose, and be yourself, you do not go through a whole, "as drunks call it, a moment of enlightenment"-pulp fiction. When you are rolling, you feel more like touching and feeling, like Colin, rather than talking and expressing. However, a good aspect is that the drugs played a big part in reluctant first-time ravers. It allowed them to leave their inhabitions at the door. Also, if you want a deeper film about the rave scene, check out "Be77er living through circuitry." It is a documentry with great music, visuals, and insight. For those who like fiction, and scripts, see this.

8/10

I thought that this movie did a very good job of realistically portraying the all-night party atmosphere. I only wish they had parties that cheap with free water around here. Although the actual character acting wasn't all that great and the script was a tad thin, I thought that all the actors did a spectacular job of acting like they were high! I actually thought they were really wiggin in a few scenes. This writer/director has obviously had some experience with this lifestyle because that's the closest thing to any rave that I've ever seen on-screen.