Potential sleeper 'Drumline' is 'Remember the Titans' with tubas
By Jack Garner
Gannett News Service
 |
| DRUMLINE (Rated PG-13 with innuendo, profanity) Three Stars (Good)
An appealing formula picture about a young Harlem drummer who comes of age during his first year on a band scholarship at a Southern college. Nick Cannon and Orlando Jones co-star for director Charles Stone III. Fox, 118 minutes. |
Maybe that's why "Drumline" feels more like a sports movie than a music saga.
Think of a "Remember the Titans" with tubas or a "Rudy" with marching steps.
And truth be told, it's just as involving as those films, sentimentality and all.
Charles Stone III (the filmmaker behind the "Whassuup?" Budweiser commercials) sets "Drumline" amid the competitive, high-stepping marching bands of mostly black Southern colleges.
"Drumline" stars Nickelodeon's Nick Cannon as Devon Miles, a hot shot Harlem drummer who arrives at Atlanta A&T with a full scholarship to play for the school's prestigious marching band.
He comes under the baton of Dr. Lee, the strict, by-the-book band director (well played by Orlando Jones). Lee has no idea that his hot new recruit plays by ear — and can't read a note of music. This runs contrary to his attempts to create a unified band under his motto: "One band, one sound."
The formulaic, straightforward plot follows Miles as he faces the challenges of reading sheet music, falls in love with a fellow student, and learns to corral his cocky attitude and show respect for his bandmates.
Along the way, there's a lot of rousing marching band variations of Earth, Wind and Fire and other old-school soul tunes, accompanied by elaborate choreography, performed in the entertaining, fast-stepping style pioneered by Florida A&M.
With its young cast and an appealing balance of uplifting attitude and irreverent humor, "Drumline" has the potential to be a sleeper hit.
And now that I know how much work goes into those half-time band shows at football games, I won't be in such a hurry to leave my seat to chase down a beer.
Rated PG-13, with innuendo and profanity.
On the net:
