Expelled from his last private school for trying to hang himself on school grounds, bullied emo kid Ethan enrolls in a public school and would seem intent on being left alone to do things like going to the bathroom to cry. Then he finds out there is an emo band at the school called Worst Day Ever and they are holding auditions. The state is holding their annual band competition which would have the band play in front of one of their idols, a school alumnus called Doug Skeleton. Worst Day Ever’s path is clear, win the competition and get signed. If only the school’s Christian youth group Hope Group had not signed up for the competition as well. Now the two groups must battle it out and the competition has yet to begin.
The lead singer of Hope Group is Trinity, a hopefully optimistic young girl played by Jordan Hare. In her earnest to reach out to Ethan, played by Benson Jack Anthony, and save him, the two youngsters fall for each other which sets up a Romeo and Juliet scenario. Meanwhile, WDE band member Roz tells Ethan that they must be the emo power couple in the school and must go out with each other. Hope Group leader Isaac and another youth group member Jamali may have something going on as well.
As far as its relevance to the Inside Out Film Festival one of the subplots of EMO involves Peter, the final member of Hope Group, and a closeted gay boy who administers his own shock therapy from his smart phone. His crush Josh encourages him to come out but Peter is reluctant because of pressures from Isaac, his family and his religion keep him bottled up. But it is probably one of the most rewarding relationships in the film for its conclusion at the end of film when the credits start to roll.
It is just one of the few character subplots that happens alongside the main relationship between Trinity and Ethan. Theirs is the real story of EMO; how it starts, how it stumbles under pressure from both of their peer groups, and how they come back together during the band competition at the end. Yes, it is that predictable, but it does not mean that it is not enjoyable nonetheless. It helps that Triffet’s leads are tremendous. From the droopy eyes of Ethan to the angelic innocence and naivety of Trinity both actors physically embody their roles whilst delivering the right amount of emotional commitment to their parts.
Neither group is the bad guy in a sense. Both have their faults and both of their leaders are impulsive and at times irrational. EMO shares jabs equally between the two peer groups, perhaps offending only the ardent Christian believers who have somehow found themselves in front of the screen when EMO plays, especially in the second half when WDE breaks into Hope Group's room and wreck the place. But I could see how some of the more progressive believers may pick up a positive thing or two from the film, perhaps even something as simple as adding a song like Jesus Would Have Been an Emo to their weekly Bible study worship set list.
Since this is a musical one has to talk about the songbook written by Triffet and his cohorts Charlotte Nicdao (who starred in the short film which inspired this feature) and Craig Pilkington. Not all of the songs are hits but there are some good ones like the aforementioned Jesus Could Have Been An Emo. Even the folksy Come to Church With Me from early on in the film was rattling in my head the next morning… as I went to church. Dangnabbit, Triffet! I will say that a movie like EMO The Musical is a film that could easily make the transition to the stage and be just as entertaining.
The key message of EMO The Musical is to be comfortable with who you are, be that identity found in music and culture, faith and spirituality, or sexuality and identity. It is all delivered under the guise of a cheerful and sometimes funny musical. This is light entertainment delivered with a healthy share of laughs between power pop ballads and anthems.
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