Patti Cake$ - Movie Review

Patti Cake$

Movie Review by Ryan Davidson

Score: 5/10

I had some expectations for this movie. That isn't unfair, since it was a selection at both Sundance and SXSW. I was definitely disappointed by Patti Cake$. My biggest complaint was easily the music. In a film where music is a central theme, the quality of music can have a huge impact on the quality of the film. The attempt at hip hop here was, to me, atrocious. I really enjoy hip hop, and this was just awful. Now, I understand that is a very personal taste, so if you do see this and enjoy the music, then you will most likely enjoy the film much more. The acting is fine, nothing spectacular. They took a bit of a chance with a character who basically is a worshipper of satan, and it paid off maybe 50% of the time. This character was odd, and didn't really fit in with the hip hop influences of the film, but did help to further the arc of our main character. My main issue with this character is that he is a huge pushover in multiple parts of this movie. No spoilers, but with a character that has such strong beliefs and opinions, he often gives them up with the slightest bit of convincing. I enjoyed the authenticity of the film. It is very small and very low budget, but fairly well directed. You get this feeling of reality when watching the film which makes it that much more convincing as a story. Overall I am not sure that this movie knew what it needed to be. I enjoyed some of the progression of our main character, but there wasn't enough substance for me beyond that. There were definitely moments of this film that were really creative and enjoyable, but I think this movie is going to be forgettable in the end.