As a film-maker, Cameron Crowe has always had his finger on the pulse of popular culture in general and music in particular. From his background as a teenage music journalist which he chronicled in Almost Famous, music has always played an important part in his work and none more so then today's film, Singles.
Viewed purely as a historical document, Singles is a great chronicle of the Seattle scene of the early '90s and the alternative music scene that would explode into the public consciousness, producing some of the biggest and best bands of the last 20 years like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and Pearl Jam. Indeed Pearl Jam appear as Matt Dillon's band Citizen Dick complete with Eddie Vedder on drums. There are cameos from some of the band members and the film is packed with a great soundtrack, acting almost as an extra character and perfectly setting the scene for the storyline. By the time of the film's release in 1992, the producers could no longer afford to put Nirvana on the soundtrack because grunge was the biggest thing in the world.
Apartment Block used in Singles
The story revolves around the lives and loves of a group of friends who live in the same apartment building in Seattle. Campbell Scott is Steve, a sensitive soul who works in traffic management and falls in love with Linda, ably played by Kyra Sedgwick. The pair meet at an Alice in Chains concert and fall in love but not without a few bumps along the way. Bridget Fonda, who plays ditsy blondes better then anyone, plays Janet a ditsy blonde who falls head over heels for Cliff, a layabout rocker played with great charm by Matt Dillon. Indeed Dillon steals the film with some of the best comedic moments. The scene in particular where he installs a new stereo in Janet's car is hilarious.
The tale is told in a fragmented episodic format jumping from vignette to vignette with each of the character's taking a turn narrating their own tale with humour used well to avoid delving too deep into the pain of break-ups because lets face it, there are more then enough doomed romance films out there. This format is suited to the fragmented nature of young love, with people hopping from relationship to relationship.
As usual with Cameron Crowe, great care is taken with the characters and by the end of the film; you do feel like you know them well. The film is a 100 minute glimpse into their lives and it feels like time well spent. The film is warm and yet honest and while the trials and tribulations of a group twentysomethings is not an original idea, its well done. That's not something that can be said of so many so called romantic comedies.
Offering a great snapshot of Seattle, its music and cafe culture and telling a heart-warming story along the way, this is another fine film from Cameron Crowe and well worth seeking out on DVD.
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