Empire Records (1995) Review

Ok, so, this one’s been on my “watch list” for some time. On a random very late Saturday night, I decided to give it a go, and at the beginning I wasn’t sure where it was going. I wasn’t planning on writing a review, but here I sit at the keyboard to write a review of the 1995 film, Empire Records. Man, this film really shows its age, and time period, but goddamn, does it in the very best of ways. Anyone remember local music stores? I worked in one my senior year of high school. It wasn’t anything like this, though. Part musical, maybe, and part comedy, but really good. Empire Records gets a spot on the revered and respected fourth shelf. “The man” wants to do a corporate takeover of the local music store, and one employee sets the scene for the next 24 hours in an attempt to “stick it” to “the man.”

Allan Moyle sat in the director’s chair. Arnon Milchan, Michael Nathanson, Alan Riche, and Tony Ludwig joined forces to produce. Carol Heikkinen wrote the screenplay. Regency Enterprises handled production with distribution by Warner Bros. Empire Records hit theaters on September 22, 1995. The cast is a lot of unknown for the time, and even now. No, that’s not The Dukes of Hazzard’s John Schneider. I swore it was until I watched the credits. So, of the know more famous people, we have a few among the cast. Goodfellas alum, Debi Mazar, and even with a different hairstyle and color, one can’t mistake her. Our “main character,” if there is one, was in a few films around this time, one Rory Cochrane. Would you believe Renee Zellweger? Yes, that’s Liv Tyler on hand as well.

Empire Records has a great pace and vibe. If you remember, then you know how it was, and what it looked like. As the “old folks” did of the 60s and 70s, I guess I’m old now too, and I do of the 90s. Speaking of 90, that’s the length, 90 minutes. The perfect length for a film. Especially one like this. Every “white hat” brings a different take, a different character. Maybe they’re the “stereotypical” ones, but they all make it work. A feel-good, light-hearted film with a really cool soundtrack. I highly recommend it, especially for those of us who remember, even though I was only 12 when it came out.