Groove (2000)

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Groove is another Generation X Rave-based movies. It's about an all-night rave at some abandoned warehouse. There is no real story, other than focusing in on some of the little tidbits of several of the attendees. I never really saw a movie that depicts the rave culture the way that it should be--the love and invigoration of the underground music pounding in your ears to the flash of a some pretty colored lights. You and about thirty other people jumping on the floor with nothing else on your mind but having a good time. Unfortunately, movies like Groove tend to undermine that aspect, instead concentrating on some of the most idiotic characters imaginable. Albeit the music is hot (finally not cheesy pop raves like the movie Human Traffic had), but the character themselves are highly annoying mirror images of actual rave personalities, giving you a glipmse at a culture that has produced something quite as oblivious and ridiculous as hippies were in the 60s and 70s. That's a bitterly annoying aspect of this film, people sitting around buzzed, talking about their hallucinations of absolute euphoria and being one with the universe. And in the end, after sizing up their lives so far and talking about how disappointed they are with it, they don't change anything. Aside from the vigilance of this part of the underground culture, the movie emphasizes (far too much) absolute nonsense. I think if the characters were much goofier and more willing to have fun, instead of being just a bunch of tired burnouts, then this movie could've been a lot better to watch.By the way, if it's the generation x rave movies you like to watch, give "Human Traffic," a try. It's about a bunch of friends in Britian who shake off their tired work week at a weekend of raves. It's funnier, but then again, you do wind up running into that "one with the universe" bull again.

I watched this movie because of a trailer I watched on HBO. Never heard of it before, but it seemed interesting.Point is, I loved it to the point of even recording it and recommending it to my friends. I was in the rave scene during the mid 90's, when the likes of Scooter, Faithless, Robert Miles, Mark 'Oh and many others were at their peak.I truly enjoyed this movie and felt I was there the whole night. This movie is definitely not meant for anyone, much less for those who still don't understand what indie films are about. This was certainly not Arakki or Aranofsky, but I have to commend director Greg Harrison for this piece of work.This movie starts with the sound of a modem connecting to the internet... sooooo 1998! It was funny. Then you see all these fast stories about weirdos and their lives.The plot was definitely secondary in this movie. I could not care less about Leyla, or Colin, or whoever... But I guess that wasn't exactly the point.Although the party was somewhat different from what I used to go to, its structure was basically the same: Clandestine party, where you need maps and bribe a few guys to know exactly where you're going; the different levels of music throughout the night, from slow-beat clubhouse to orgasmic trance; the amount of drugs, the doped people, the escape from it all.There were pointless scenes, like those gay guys trying to get to the party (there was already a gay moment between Colin and that masseuse guy.. poor Harmony!). I recognized Rachel True, the gorgeous girl from "The Craft", I had no idea she was on this.I agree with the one who commented that John Digweed would never play in a party like this.. Actually I laughed when he made his cameo... So what was next? Tiesto? Johan Gielen? Paul Oakenfold?This movie was also a reflect of how these parties were about 5-10 years ago. Yes, the electronic scene has become much more commercial, specially in Holland and Belgium. I guess that it's not so special to me anymore, now that virtually everyone has discovered it.And yes, once the party got busted, there's no way they would have gotten away with starting it again!When the party is over, the movie is over, leaving the viewer with the SAME FEELING most ravers had when leaving... "Now what?" After an amazing night of "everything", you have to realize that it's all over and life must goes on... at least for most of us.

This film reproduce the feeling of underground parties, in a Hollywood way. So it is a bit naive, happy-ending type, but definitely makes you re-feel the good memories of partying, or gives you an impression if you never experienced it. It shows lot of the ideas behind party-culture, some based on hippy culture (PeaceLoveUnityRespect, rejecting money, pre-made life vs. conscious life, acceptance, etc.) The music and how they used it in the film is also great. John Digweed is very cool, but the other party-scenes also. The film also shows the bad part of party-life (losing time, you dreams about yourself are nicer according to what you can really be). It shows the paranoid parts too, although if you have not felt yourself, maybe you will not realize it, or it will not mean a lot for you. Somehow the whole thing is an utopia what is in every party-people's mind, I do not know, if I ever experienced it as a whole, or it is only a dream. But it is definiately a platonic idea, if you know what it means (it lives inside everybody without experienced it ever).

Film follows the events that take place within 24 hours at an underground rave in San Francisco on a Saturday night. Of course this rave is different because a whole bunch of the characters will find their lives changed forever. Entertaining, but unmemorable effort made on a shoestring budget features a few nice directorial touches and moves along nicely, despite very familiar material. Rated R.