Review of Empire Records

To say this film brilliantly captures the vibe of the mid 90s is an understatement. It's also a very relevant and fond farewell to independent music, and all things independent, or at least relatively independent. It's easy to get lured into thinking about the plot regarding saving a specific physical music store, but it's an obvious metaphor towards saving something so much greater than that. The death of independent music and culture was well underway, crushed by corporate monopolization. But, for this film to be made 1yr prior to Clinton's 1996 Telecommunications Act is remarkable and only adds to it's legacy and cultural relevance. I particularly liked the final scene when the two guys are talking critically about a band, and the artistic motivation for pursuing a solo career...that's how it was back then. The rich & popular artists were still very connected to their writing...and that sophisticated spirit flowed down to the streets where common citizens would talk about art. I'm estimating American Pie would not have been made if this film didn't exist?