Patti Cake$ (2017)

Patti Cake$ is director Geremy Jasper's first feature film, and leading actress Danielle MacDonald's first major role, having had only supporting roles in small TV shows in the past. The premise of this movie is fairly simple, the movie is centred around the aspiring rapper Patricia Dombrowski (a.k.a Killa P, a.k.a Patti Cake$), she is fighting a quest for glory and fame to ultimately get out of her New Jersey hometown. This movie surprised me, I saw it around a month before release, and I can say it has been one of the better films I've watched this year, and can definitely see why it's an official Sundance selection. Danielle MacDonald is warm and funny throughout the film, Danielle also delivers very heartfelt and emotional scenes, giving an overall strong performance. Patti isn't the only character that shines here, Bridget Everett as Patti's mother, Barb, also feels real and also delivers a strong performance. The mother daughter dynamic between these two characters is something out of the ordinary, and something not usually shown by Hollywood. Patti's friend Hareesh (Siddharth Dhananjay) alongside Patti's grandmother (Cathy Moriarty) are both used mostly for comedic relief. Patti's "Nan" is, in my opinion, the stand out character of the film, she brings laughter to the movie, yet she also acts as Patti's mother figure, seeing that her real mother isn't really there for her when Patti needs her. This story follows Joseph Campbell's Heroes Journey step by step, yet it does so in a very refreshing and new way. With likable, relatable characters, all of which feel like actual people, something most Hero's journey stories fail. Many people argue that Hollywood's films are losing creativity, this is one very unique and specific film. A film I would recommend to most people, I myself don't listen to rap and while I don't dislike it, I don't like it either. After seeing this movie I've got the gritty and outstanding original songs stuck in my brain, something I can't usually say about rap. In conclusion, this film is a great starting point for both director Geremy Jasper and leading actress Danielle MacDonald, and one I highly recommend you watch when it comes out on August 18th.

Fmovies: I saw this at the Sydney Film Festival 2017.

This movie is the typical youth dreaming of becoming a star and then we route for him/her as they are rejected by the establishment only to rise like a phoenix. Why so they keep making them? Because we love them is why. The beauty here is the parallels with the star Danielle MacDonald.

Danielle is a Sydney girl, who could not get noticed down under and went State-side to find her niche. Her talent is unstoppable and she does dirty Jersey (their words in credits not mine) proud.

The rapping is brilliant. I can't understand most of the stuff they play on the radio but given the context, the lyrics are poignant cries to the world of her plight.

Go - be inspired by Killer P and try stop singing P B N J days after you see the movie.

I don't hate rap, but let's just say the only rap song I know goes "Now this is a story all about how / My life got flipped turned upside down..."

Patti Cake$ is a quintessential underdog story, but I give it major points for being possibly the only true underdog story out there. This is because, rather than pulling the Hollywood stunt of using a glamorous moviestar in the lead and uglying her down for the first half only to enact a--surprise!--transformation to glamorous moviestar at the end, Patti Cake$ doesn't pander to that cheap device. It's the story of a very unglamorous girl who's trying to break into the rap scene even though she can't even afford the 'b' in 'bling', let alone wear it.

What makes this story particularly interesting is that it's not just a chronicle of her attempts at cracking the music biz, but it's equally about her struggles with a sinking life, stuck in one of those faceless Jersey towns within sight of NYC but feeling like a million miles away. She is the youngest in a tri-generational home where the grandmother is bedridden, the mother is an alcoholic, and she, Patti, seems to be the sole bread earner. And thus it's an interesting portrayal of a family life that got flipped turned upside down.

Just as much as I enjoyed the storyline about her musical aspirations, I loved the storyline about her family: the love-hate relationship with her alcoholic mother (herself a failed rockstar who released one album but got pregnant with Patti, thus ending her own career and harboring a lifetime of resentment) and the grandmother, EXPERTLY played by the legendary Cathy Moriarty (from "Raging Bull"), who is a tough old hag with a really soft heart who encourages Patti's dreams and keeps her sane.

The tri-generational cross section (tough but kind grandmother, utter failure of a mom, young kid growing up confused) reminded me a lot of the excellent film Chocolat. If you liked that one, you'll love Patti Cake$ even if you're not a rap fan.

Which leads me to the rap part. The songs are really catchy with sly lyrics and great delivery by Patti, played by Australian actress Danielle Macdonald who had to take a 2-month crash course for the role, essentially training how to rap in dirty Jersey style. The film actually gave me a newfound appreciation for rap, the unique style, rhythm & rhyme scheme of each rapper as well as the impressive production that goes into making good beats. It's not just about a bunch of juvenile delinquents loitering at the gas station making noise with their mouths (although that scene does happen), but it's an art form like any other. And the song that ties it all up at the end does a great job of bridging the generational/musical gap between rap fans and classic rock fans.

The last bit I'll mention is about a great theme that runs under the surface of this flick. And that is: chasing dreams (both positive and negative connotations). Throughout the film we see Patti slipping into alternate realities as she imagines her fantasy success. These scenes are done with a wonderful, vivid, surrealistic style of cinematography which contrasts well against the gritty Jersey reality that make up the rest of the story. The question being presented is whether it's better to keep it real or to chase potentially false prophets.

If you like a good underdog story that's more than the predictable Hollywood trope, then this is the flick for you. I.

Patti Cake$ fmovies. This was actually quite good and Danielle MacDonald who knew this Aussie born girl could rap. And who doesn't love Bridget Everett. Definitely worth a go!

What to say about this movie.

Reality sure does bite in NJ.

Patti is trying to do it all help care for her Nana and look after her mother.

The fact that they put her Nana up to singing the hook was fantastic!

Many laughable but gritty moments throughout the entire film.

If explicit language won't bother you the film is worth a watch.

It is amazing that the lead actress took two years before filming to hone her rapping skills!

I PVRed this movie to watch after seeing countless previous on the movie channels and I'm glad I did! I went into this not expecting much and was very, very pleasantly surprised.

It did remind me a little bit of a lighter version of '8 Mile', and is an inspiring story nonetheless (so much so that I had to write a review - which I never do).

Main actress and supporting cast are great and I felt myself crying happy tears at the end.

To the nay sayers of this film, they need to drop their negativity at the door and open their heart to the vulnerable beauty that is shown withing this film.