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Drumline
20th Century Fox Film Corporation
FILM:
MPAA RATING: PG-13 for innuendo and language
Starring
Nick Cannon,
Zoe Saldana,
Orlando Jones,
Leonard Roberts,
GQ,
J. Anthony Brown,
Jason Weaver,
and
Earl Poitier
A unique look at the world and culture of show-style marching bands ar America's black universities. (20th Century Fox)
| GENRE(S): |
Comedy
|
Drama
|
| WRITTEN BY: |
Tina Gordon Chism
Shawn Schepps (also story)
|
| DIRECTED BY: |
Charles Stone III
|
| RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: April 15, 2003
Video: April 15, 2003
Theatrical: December 13, 2002
|
| RUNNING TIME: |
119 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: |
USA |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
91
Entertainment Weekly
Owen Gleiberman
Does more than capture the excitement of marching bands; it gets their clockwork beauty as well.
88
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
The final drum-off (c'mon, you knew it would come down to that) resembles a combination of music, gymnastics and martial arts, and I don't think I've seen a more pulse-pounding scene this year.
80
Chicago Reader
Ted Shen
Exuberant music and precision choreography furnish the thrills in this thoroughly enjoyable saga.
80
Los Angeles Times
Kenneth Turan
Every holiday season needs a pleasant surprise, and this year it's Drumline. This entertaining and enthusiastically told tale shrewdly energizes its way-familiar plot line by setting it amid one of the greatest and least-known spectacles in American sports.
80
Film Threat
Marcus D. Russell
This film takes chances and is abundant with style, seeming to pick-up where "Brown Sugar" left off, introducing editing conventions not normally accustomed to African-American film.
80
Washington Post
Michael O'Sullivan
Shakes, rattles and rolls the house, building to a climax that makes you almost forget you're in a movie theater and not a football stadium at halftime.
78
Austin Chronicle
Kimberley Jones
Good, clean fun, with none of the icky aftertaste so common to “family friendly” ware, Drumline proves irresistible in more ways than one.
75
San Francisco Chronicle
Jonathan Curiel
These aren't the marching band songs of your father's or mother's generation but a musical expression that is modern and exciting to watch.
75
Chicago Sun-Times
Roger Ebert
Entertaining for what it does, and admirable for what it doesn't do. It gets us involved in band politics and strategy, gives us a lot of entertaining halftime music, and provides a portrait of a gifted young man who slowly learns to discipline himself and think of others. That's what it does. What it doesn't do is recycle all the tired old cliches.
75
ReelViews
James Berardinelli
Because the script is smart enough not to insult us and to develop a group of interesting characters, the act of watching the film is an entertaining experience rather than a tedious exercise.
75
New York Post
Lou Lumenick
It's a tribute to the sheer professionalism of this crossover charmer that it holds your interest for two solid hours.
75
Miami Herald
Connie Ogle
Everything in Drumline engages, from its likable cast to its breathtaking finale. Only the most jaded viewers won't be cheering by the end.
75
Boston Globe
Wesley Morris
A bonanza of pop uplift. It wraps the up-from-nothing drama of ''Flashdance'' in the sassy, interracial pep rallying of ''Bring It On'' and the military romance of ''An Officer and a Gentleman.''
75
Chicago Tribune
Mark Caro
That it's got a positive message may strike some as decidedly not "edgy" -- but they should be too busy stomping their feet to notice.
70
Variety
Joe Leydon
Brimming with heart and humor -- Drumline is a formulaic crowdpleaser set in the competitive world of university marching bands at predominantly black universities.
70
TV Guide
Ken Fox
Who knew marching bands could be so sexy?
70
The New York Times
Dana Stevens
If all this does not quite add up to a coherent movie, it does produce a bouncy, boisterous and charming one, which becomes downright thrilling when it shows the bands in action.
70
Salon.com
Charles Taylor
When the camera is floating up high, as the band practices its moves on the field, you can imagine Busby Berkeley watching somewhere, jealous that he never got his mitts on a marching band.
63
Philadelphia Inquirer
Carrie Rickey
The marching bands' duels are as fun as the cheerleader wars in "Bring It On."
63
New York Daily News
Elizabeth Weitzman
Bogged down by a lazy script and underwhelming performances. Fortunately, there's no hiding his jubilant passion for ritual and symmetry, which makes each perfectly choreographed band scene a genuine thrill to watch.
63
USA Today
Mike Clark
If it's conventional, it's also competent. Thanks to director Charles Stone III (of the famed "Whassuup?!" Budweiser spots), the clichés at least have a good beat.
58
Portland Oregonian
Kim Morgan
It's an odd, overly long picture, filled with too many pauses but dotted with just enough funky band sequences to keep you interested.
58
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Sean Axmaker
Along the way the film loses sight of the joy of music that supposedly pushes them all.
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Jennie Punter
Comes close to collapsing under the weight of drawn-out scenes and an earnest story that piles on minor themes and subplots, but the energy and visual kick of the band numbers saves the day.
50
Village Voice
Mark Holcomb
An exhilarating serving of movie fluff.
30
Dallas Observer
Luke Y. Thompson
If you were ever in marching band, you'll love this; if not, stay far away.
30
LA Weekly
Mark Olsen
It's like a musical with no big numbers, or an action film withholding the explosions.
20
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Nathan Rabin
Essentially "Bring It On" minus the effervescence, star power, energy, and brisk pace -- in other words, everything that made it bearable.
 The average user rating for this movie is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 26 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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