I mentioned here how lousy Be Cool is as a movie. I want to reiterate here how uningaging, and uninspiring its version of the music industry is. Don’t get me wrong, I believe the music industry is a dog eat dog world where little favours work and big favourites get the rewards. Payola, back handers, etc – I’ll accept that. Organised crime cannot be far away. But really, is everyone still hung up on Aerosmith?
The celeb music cameos in the film are Aerosmith (playing a surprisingly small venue for them) and the Black Eyed Peas (playing in a piano bar!). The rap contingent including Andre 3000’s comic foil we never get to hear. Basically the film, about music, is scared of music. Look at its soundtrack.
Nothing more so than in its climatic scenes starring Christina Milian as Linda Moon, r’n’b superstar. She wins an MTV award for best song, and best video. Despite the video being a very boring straight performance, with a man burning to death in the background. And despite the song being dull as ditchwater. For Be Cool to convince, the song itself would have to potentially be a hit. Instead it is a dull r’n’b standard with even duller guitar licks. Your star is Christina Milian: come on, she shits out better records than this. For Be Cool to convince as a music satire, its music has to convince. Instead it embarrasses.