GLEE: THE 3D MOVIE
Starring Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer and Kevin McHale
Directed by Kevin Tancharoen
Running time 90 min
MPAA Rating PG
Selig Film Rating Matinee
Glee is not just a TV program but a phenomenon. Only two seasons on, it has become a generation defining show. Set in high school, the story line is about a bunch of kids who just wanna sing in the newly reformed glee club. They are stopped by the evil cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch). The more she tries to destroy them, the stronger they become. But the film is also about relationships, with love triangles, break-ups, young love spouting and individuals finding their true identity.
It is also about songs. The episodes go back in the archives of pop music as well as current pop mega-hits to showcase not only the talents of the cast but to drive the plot along. It is both a show about music and a musical TV show.
To cash in on the show, there have been Glee tours and now a 3D movie. The show opens with the cast singing their first big hit “Don’t Stop Believing” made famous by Journey. The actors all come out in jeans and Polo style shirts, very non-descript more to emphasize a unity of cast. .
The strange thing about the movie is that the actors are playing their characters. Instead of Lea Michele, we have her playing Rachel. There are backstage moments, with the cast having their hair done and talking about how much it is to be on tour. Along for the ride are the actors who play the competing school, the all-male singers the Warblers.
Lea Michele is without question the strongest vocal artist every time she is on stage. There are a few moments when she takes a Broadway standard and makes it her own. We get Brittany covers with heavy (and erotic) dancing. There are such modern pop standards as “Safety Dance” and “P.Y.T.” The males of the cast rock out to “Fat Bottomed Girls” giving it the macho swagger and not the tongue-in -cheek delivery.
Young Chris Colfer just stops the show with his rendition of “I Wanna Hold your Hand” done as a ballad.
But it is not just a concert film. There are interviews done outside the venue where “Gleeks” rant and rave about which character is closest to their hearts. The film focuses on a few different fans. We get the story of a Cheerio style cheerleader who is also a dwarf. She hopes to be asked to the prom by the football star. There is a young man who tells his sad story of being pushed out of the closet and finding a common connection with the character of Kurt. One young woman works out her mental anxieties with making fans with other gleeks. The cutest is a little Asian boy who mimics all the moves and singing an episode, right down to the matching tie and jacket
Glee: The 3D Movie is made for the fans and it will not disappoint them. But, for those who are not a part of this world, it is still a wonderful little concert film. One last thing, after the slushy credits there is a single number originated by Queen. Don’t miss it.
