[authorbox authorid=”14″ title=”Well…that was surprising”]
There are a lot of people out there who’ll deride you for even buying a ticket to see We Are Your Friends, and I can’t emphasize this enough: Do not listen to them. Whatever you think of the mainstreaming of EDM, there’s no denying that this movie is not only important, but all too accurate. You’ll be forced to take a good hard look in the mirror, and it’s hard to argue that this isn’t exactly what our scene needs to be doing right now. You’d be doing yourself a massive disservice by missing out on this just because your friend who listens to underground nu-wave German techno-core told you not to.
[authorbox authorid=”966″ title=”We are…your friends?”]
We are your friends was a delightful surprise, to say the least. My expectations were low, at best, and within the first half-hour, all preconceived notions went right out the window. Like most people, I was anticipating a movie about a pretty DJ who bumbled his way to EDM stardom with a laptop and one good song (as the trailer lets on), but when I was treated to a shockingly self-aware commentary of the dance music scene aimed more toward the people in it than the casual observer. The cameos are spot on, and in place of popular big room bangers for 90 minutes, we were treated to a Prydz-esque symphony. Coming in expecting the worst, I was rewarded with a smart look at our scene that highlighted the good, the bad, and the ugly while still providing a good time.
[authorbox authorid=”1390″ title=”Proceed With Caution (But Still Proceed)”]
Warning: This film contains wild inaccuracies about EDM culture. No woman wakes up from a drug-fueled one-night-stand with a perfectly fresh face of makeup and angel’s glow. We Are Your Friends is really setting unrealistic expectations for women. Other than Emily Ratajkowski and some cheesy Hollywood sheen, I wasn’t appalled by much else. It did make me cringe to watch the almost constant drug use throughout the film, along with some other actions that are glorified in the party scene but can have serious repercussions, so I just hope viewers are picking up on the consequences that come with the high.
[authorbox authorid=”1381″ title=”Surprise, surprise.”]
“We Are Your Friends” is smart, honest, and had me dancing the whole time. Some situations may be exaggerated or unlikely, but overall seemed to be a pretty realistic portrayal of a DJ trying to get noticed. Cole is just a young kid making good connections, some bad decisions, and in the end finding out what’s really important. The cameos were hilarious and didn’t overshadow the story itself, and by the end of the film Cole really has grown as an artist beyond that “one track” mentality. I highly recommend it, because it wasn’t nearly the train-wreck we were all expecting.
Important things happen in Pacific Northwest nightlife, and DMNW will send you alerts!
