"Fake it until you make it." That's the thought that crosses my mind about the new film Patti Cake$. The movie seemed to be faking it at times, too. Writer/Director Geremy Jasper does not appear to have much work to his credit. Certainly nothing I have ever heard of. Jasper hails from New Jersey. His other films seem to have a music connection, so it is no surprise that Patti Cake$ is a music-inspired film set in New Jersey. No stretch there. In a nutshell, working class girl with dysfunctional family rises above her limitations to chase her rap artist dreams.
The cast was as little known to me as the director, which is not uncommon for an Indie film. However, there was one familiar face. Cathy Moriarty, who was nominated for an Oscar for her work in Raging Bull. She appeared in a supporting role in this film as well. Danielle McDonald, Bridgette Everette and Mamoudou Athie all have a very small pool of credits. Siddharth Dhananjay is a newcomer. Surprisingly, this cast had chemistry. It was weird, but it worked. An oddball set of characters who had a decent amount of depth. The performances were pretty good.
The writing, not so much. The story was okay. But the pacing was sluggish and painful. The dialogue was often muted or lost entirely. The concept was a bit hackneyed. Overall, just a mediocre concept for a film. The casting was probably the bright spot for me. The music was okay, but nothing special. The climactic score was the best and actually had a decent balance of quality and relevance to the film. The music was interwoven with the story and this number was the one that most adequately demonstrated that quality. It might even have been moving had the story been more gripping. The ending was satisfying, although a bit weak.
I often wonder who is voting at IMDb. This film is currently enjoying a generous 7.3 rating with an indication that it was higher before. I think it is fair to give this film 6.5/10. My primary gauge being whether I liked it or not. Modestly, yes, I liked it. The acting was solid, the music tolerable and the story mildly interesting. It was also sluggish and predictable. Better writing and better sound would have helped this film. In the end, I would still give it a recommendation...but wait for it on video.
