Just as the name suggests, My Liner Notes takes from the nostalgic art form of an LP’s liner notes, which can be found within the inner sleeves and inserts of dusty records and cassette tapes. The personal essays found on this blog contain anecdotal and factual material which celebrate the visceral and emotional connection we all share with music. These analytical, humorous, and often poignant opinion-editorials are always delivered with the kind of brutal honesty you can only expect from a music nerd.
This Movie Is Broken
Review: This Movie Is Broken
Bruce McDonald’s This Movie Is Broken could not have a more fitting name.
The half concert film, half fictional rock romance is a sometimes jarring, often disjointed look at youth, rock n’ roll, sex, love and relationships (in that order), recreational drugs and binge drinking.
The film centers around last July’s free Broken Social Scene show in Toronto, which was moved from Toronto Island to Harbourfront Centre due to possible noise interference stemming from the Molson Indy that was being held at the time across the island.
It’s July 2009 and the city is one giant boiling cesspool, having already endured two weeks of a month-long garbage strike.
Bruno (Greg Calderone) has been in love with Caroline (Georgina Reilly) since they were toddlers. The two finally hook up when Caroline is back in town from Paris, where she is doing her graduate studies in anthropology.
The morning after their night of passion, Bruno’s friend Blake claims that Bruno can get backstage passes to the show in an effort to help his buddy impress Caroline before she leaves for Paris.
The film jumps back and forth between the couple hanging out at Toronto hotspots (Aunties and Uncles, The Drake Hotel, Trinity Bellwoods Park, Chinatown) and footage from the already legendary Harbourfront show, which featured all members of BSS including Feist, Amy Milan, Emily Haines and Jason Collett.
This Movie Is Broken is quite possibly the perfect companion piece to the music of Broken Social Scene; that is, it’s one great big beautiful mess. The film is at its strongest when it’s at its most flawed and vulnerable moments.
Not to mention, the film has a surprise twist near the end that will probably be more of a mind-fuck than The Sixth Sense, The Usual Suspects and Seven combined.
This Movie Is Broken ultimately captures the energy, excitement and emotional connection of the concert-going experience, and in particular, sharing live music with a significant other.
The film opens in limited theatres in Toronto and Vancouver on June 25th.
I’ll admit it: I’m a sucker for films that celebrate the joys of connecting with other people through music. Even the particularly dreadful ones (Pirate Radio, Across the Universe) I’ll enjoy on some level.
For instance, the sickingly sentimental Pirate Radio was almost worth the two hours of my life I gave up for one of the final scenes where a stoner radio DJ risks drowning inside a sinking ship (spoiler alert!) because he stubbornly refuses to leave behind his prized record collection.
In 2006 I was excited to see acclaimed filmmaker Michael Winterbottom’s 9 Songs, a film that centered around the tumultuous love affair of two young music nerds living in London, as they hop from show to show.
Combining live concert footage with provocative sexual scenes, the film was pretty much just scene upon scene of hardcore porn and concert performances filmed with a shakey camera. And all of that would be forgiveable if the film wasn’t an utter bore.
Then in 2008, I saw Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film follows two young music fans in New York City as they spend all night trying to find the location of a secret show from their favourite band.
Despite the fact that the film’s two leads and the source material (it was adapted from the young adult novel of the same name) showed promise, the film was a total disappointment.
Now, another film is set to tell the now familiar story of a young couple going to a show and falling in love. Only this time, I’m pretty sure it can’t go wrong.
This Movie Is Broken is the half concert film, half fictional love story of two 20-something’s spending one incredible last night together as they try to find their way into an outdoor Broken Social Scene bash.
Directed by Bruce McDonald (Hard Core Logo) and written by Don McKellar (Last Night, Blindness), the film premiered to great reviews at SXSW back in March, so here’s hoping it won’t disappoint.
Here’s the studio’s synopsis of the film:
Unbelievable! Bruno (Greg Calderone) wakes up in bed next to Caroline (Georgina Reilly), his long time crush. But tomorrow she’s off for school in France, and maybe she only granted this miracle as a parting gift for her long time friend. So tonight — tonight is Bruno’s last chance. And tonight, as it happens, Broken Social Scene, her favourite band, is throwing a big outdoor bash. Maybe if Bruno, with the help of his best pal Blake (Kerr Hewitt), can score tickets and give Caroline a night to remember, he can keep this miracle alive.
This Movie Is Broken will be released on June 25th in Canada, but before that, the film will premiere as part of the film component of NXNE 2010, held June 14 to 20.
Sorry Americans, no word yet on when the film will be released in your backyard. Consider this payback for the fact that we can’t access Hulu in Canada.
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