It's all pretty predictable yet despite the occasional lapses into cuteness, it has a lot more going for it than the standard teen movie.
Comment
08/14/09
Bandslam (2009)
80
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:87
Fresh:70
Rotten:17
Average Rating:6.4/10
Consensus: Bandslam is an intelligent teen film that avoids teen film cliches, in an entertaining package of music and coming-of-age drama.
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Genre: Musical & Performing Arts
US Box Office: $5,205,343
Synopsis: Disney Channel superstars Vanessa Anne Hudgens (High School Musical 1 & 2, High School Musical 3) and Alyson Michalka (Phil of the Future, pop duo Aly and AJ) join Gaelan Connell (Chocolat), Scott... [More]
Starring: Gaelan Connell, Vanessa Hudgens, Alyson Michalka, Lisa Kudrow
Director: Todd Graff
Reviews for Bandslam
Top CriticA tedious, predictable tale about following your dreams and being yourself.
08/14/09
Top CriticThe suprise packet of the film is Vanessa hudgens, cast against type as the Goth-ish girlfriend.
08/12/09
Top CriticThanks to co-writer/director Todd Graff, who made the quite terrific Camp a few years back, Bandslam avoids being as clichéd as it sounds, and actually adds some real emotion and realistic drama.
08/12/09
Top CriticThough not entirely naff, this teen film’s casting of Vanessa Hudgens is clearly an attempt to get High School Musical fans on board, but overall this is a charming effort.
08/12/09
Top CriticWith its combination of high energy music, a terrific young cast (with the relatively youthful Lisa Kudrow as a mum) and its well structured screenplay, Bandslam is an above average coming of age dramatic comedy
08/08/09
Top CriticWhat keeps Bandslam afloat is the way its sweet moments find weird ways of stepping into convention.
11/04/09
Though it wears out its welcome as it teeters rather than rocks toward the finish line, there is something inherently enticing in the old "let's put on a show" formula it utilizes.
08/26/09
The music is the movie's best feature, but even that's not much...
08/20/09
The barely hyped Bandslam must settle for simply being the best American movie this summer.
08/19/09
Click to read the article
08/19/09
Though predictable, it at least tries to put on a fresh face to a tiresome old feelgood story.
08/19/09
There is really just a lot to like here.
08/17/09
These are characters that make mistakes, they redeem themselves, and they grow throughout the course of the film.
08/17/09
Bandslam is a mix of the icky, the corny and the comic, but there’s no denying that it’s fun.
08/17/09
A witty, touching, cleverly plotted film with excellent music and it made me feel for the first time in years that I'd like to be an American teenager.
08/17/09
The characterisations are just a little unorthodox and the whole thing, despite a soggy middle during which nothing much happens, goes with an above average swing.
08/17/09
My 6 year old enjoyed it. I guess I would just like a little more effort from the filmmakers. Maybe worth a DVD rental, though.
08/16/09
Dear Todd Graff: Thanks, man.
08/16/09
"Bandslam" is a terrific family film that showcases the importance of constructive teenage friendship.
08/15/09
Latest News for Bandslam
August 13, 2009:
Critics Consensus: District 9 is Certified Fresh
This week at the movies, we've got an alien nation (District 9, starring Jason Cope and Sharlto Copley); a high school musical (Bandslam, starring Gaelan Connell and Vanessa... More...
August 13, 2009:
Box Office Guru Preview: District 9 Invades Over Crowded Frame
With summer almost out of gas, studios toss five more contenders into the ring in hopes of catching moviegoers that just haven't had their share of multiplex entertainment yet.... More...
August 10, 2009:
Updated: The New Moon Teaser Trailer Teaser; Is 14 Seconds Enough for Fans?
It's one thing to announce a trailer debut and have fans furiously mark their calendars, DVRs and web browsers at the ready. But when a studio can cause a frenzy by announcing a... More...
July 13, 2009:
Check out 8 Bandslam video clips and interviews with Alyson Michalka, Vanessa Hudgens, Gaelan Connell, and Lisa Kudrow 
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