I don't hate rap, but let's just say the only rap song I know goes "Now this is a story all about how / My life got flipped turned upside down..."
Patti Cake$ is a quintessential underdog story, but I give it major points for being possibly the only true underdog story out there. This is because, rather than pulling the Hollywood stunt of using a glamorous moviestar in the lead and uglying her down for the first half only to enact a--surprise!--transformation to glamorous moviestar at the end, Patti Cake$ doesn't pander to that cheap device. It's the story of a very unglamorous girl who's trying to break into the rap scene even though she can't even afford the 'b' in 'bling', let alone wear it.
What makes this story particularly interesting is that it's not just a chronicle of her attempts at cracking the music biz, but it's equally about her struggles with a sinking life, stuck in one of those faceless Jersey towns within sight of NYC but feeling like a million miles away. She is the youngest in a tri-generational home where the grandmother is bedridden, the mother is an alcoholic, and she, Patti, seems to be the sole bread earner. And thus it's an interesting portrayal of a family life that got flipped turned upside down.
Just as much as I enjoyed the storyline about her musical aspirations, I loved the storyline about her family: the love-hate relationship with her alcoholic mother (herself a failed rockstar who released one album but got pregnant with Patti, thus ending her own career and harboring a lifetime of resentment) and the grandmother, EXPERTLY played by the legendary Cathy Moriarty (from "Raging Bull"), who is a tough old hag with a really soft heart who encourages Patti's dreams and keeps her sane.
The tri-generational cross section (tough but kind grandmother, utter failure of a mom, young kid growing up confused) reminded me a lot of the excellent film Chocolat. If you liked that one, you'll love Patti Cake$ even if you're not a rap fan.
Which leads me to the rap part. The songs are really catchy with sly lyrics and great delivery by Patti, played by Australian actress Danielle Macdonald who had to take a 2-month crash course for the role, essentially training how to rap in dirty Jersey style. The film actually gave me a newfound appreciation for rap, the unique style, rhythm & rhyme scheme of each rapper as well as the impressive production that goes into making good beats. It's not just about a bunch of juvenile delinquents loitering at the gas station making noise with their mouths (although that scene does happen), but it's an art form like any other. And the song that ties it all up at the end does a great job of bridging the generational/musical gap between rap fans and classic rock fans.
The last bit I'll mention is about a great theme that runs under the surface of this flick. And that is: chasing dreams (both positive and negative connotations). Throughout the film we see Patti slipping into alternate realities as she imagines her fantasy success. These scenes are done with a wonderful, vivid, surrealistic style of cinematography which contrasts well against the gritty Jersey reality that make up the rest of the story. The question being presented is whether it's better to keep it real or to chase potentially false prophets.
If you like a good underdog story that's more than the predictable Hollywood trope, then this is the flick for you. I... would... rate this flick around 7 or 8. And I yelled to the cabbie 'yo homes smell ya later'
