Empire Records (1995)
Average Rating: 4.3/10
Reviews Counted: 21
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 16
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 3
liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 164,933
My Rating
Movie Info
A funky little record shop provides the setting for this youthful comedy that centers on the workers there as they try to help poor Joe Anthony LaPaglia), the manager who really wants to buy the place, recoup his losses after his well-meaning, but dim-bulbed employee Lucas (Rory Cochrane ) steals his savings and loses it all in Atlantic City while trying to increase it twofold at the gaming tables. If they cannot come up with the loot, the mega-chain Music City will buy it. ~ Sandra Brennan,
Oct 20, 1995 Wide
Apr 3, 2001
Warner Home Video
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Anthony LaPaglia
Joe -
Rory Cochrane
Lucas -
Johnny Whitworth
A.J. -
Liv Tyler
Corey -
Renée Zellweger
Gina -
Robin Tunney
Debra -
Maxwell Caulfield
Rex Manning -
Gwar
Band in Mark's Daydream -
Debi Mazar
Jane -
Dianna Miranda
Lilly -
Bernard Granger
Cop #3 -
Nello Tare
Mello -
Tobey Maguire
Andre -
Ben Bode
Mitchell -
Julia Howard
Kathy -
Kimber Monroe
Woman at craps table -
Coyote Shivers
Berko -
James 'Kimo' Wills
Eddie -
David Lenthall
Meg Ryan Customer -
Diana Taylor
Cop #2 -
Patt Noday
Reporter -
Ethan Randall
Mark -
Joanna Canton
Girl -
Karen Brigman
Customer -
Craig Alan Edwards
Male Rex Manning Fan -
Gary Bolen
Croupier -
Tony Zaar
High Roller -
Kessia Randall
Autograph Girl -
Michele Seidman
Cop -
Mike Harding
Cop -
Oderus Urungus
Lead Singer -
Kawan Rojanatavorn
Flower Delivery Guy -
Corey Joshua Taylor
Roulette Table Man -
Melissa Caulfield
Ballet Dancer -
Lara Travis
Veronica -
Rico Fleming
Couch Kid -
Brandon Crawford
Couch Kid -
Elizabeth Grapentien
"Say No More" Woman -
Pandora J. Nousianen
CD Customer -
Kelley Carruth
Girl on Couch -
Mark Menchhofer
Clapton Customer -
Anthony Hemingway
Boom Box Kid -
Paizhe Pressley
Girl -
Lee Etta Sutton
Button Customer -
Jesse Bechtel
Customer -
David Myers Gray
Customer -
Bob Sayer
Customer -
Andrea Powell
Mariah Carey Customer -
Brendan Sexton III
Warren -
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All Critics (21) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (5) | Rotten (18) | DVD (20)
A soundtrack in search of a movie, Empire Records is one teen-music effort that never finds a groove.
Top CriticLovably sloppy.
Overall, fatally ersatz but good natured at heart.
If the movie is a lost cause, it may at least showcase actors who have better things ahead of them.
Insubstantial, predictable and often dull.
One of the hippest and most enjoyable movies of the 90s. This ROCKS!
...things just move quickly from one person's conflicts to another, with little momentum or feeling of satisfaction.
One of the movie's characters remarks that "Without rock music, life would be meaningless." Perhaps, and as the music fades into obscurity, this movie becomes largely meaningless.
Leaves you with the sensation of having chewed a piece of bubblegum until well after its flavour ran dry.
[Leaves the] impression of artificiality.
The Empire Strikes Out . . . lame Gen-X "comedy" that falls completely flat . . . Go rent CLERKS
Empire Records is little more than a poor man's Clerks, but an entertaining one.
Audience Reviews for Empire Records
Super Reviewer
The employees of an independent music store learn about each other as they try anything to stop the store being absorbed by a large chain.
REVIEW
The theme of Empire Records is the struggle of man against the greed of the corporate machine. Empire Records is an independent music store that is very lax with its employees, offers many different genres of music, and in general offers a very artistic environment for its customers. The owners of Empire wish to sell out and make Empire into a chain store. Joe, played by Anthony Lapaglia, is the store manager who takes an employee named Lucas, played by Rory Cochrane, under his wing. Together with the other misfits that work at Empire, they try to figure out a plan to save Empire from turning into a dreaded Music Town while dealing with their own personal problems on one very eventful day at the store.
Other important issues that are addressed in this film include depression, Debra (played by Robin Tunney) cuts all of her hair off and tries to slit her wrist, drug addiction, Corey (played by Liv Tyler) is the perfect student who occasionally takes speed to help her stay awake to study, and risky sexual behavior, Gina (played by Renee Zellweger) thinks she will feel better about herself and find love by sleeping around.
Two techniques used in this movie to demonstrate the theme were sound and lighting. The soundtrack of the film is very diverse and alternative which can be compared to the environment of Empire Records. Empire is not your typical music store and the music they play there is not always the most well known. The lighting of Empire can be considered dim and a little hazy at times, which compared to the harsh fluorescent lighting found at a chain store, gives Empire Records an even more unique feel.
Super Reviewer
-
- Mark: [Answers the Phone] Empire Records, open 'til midnight, this is Mark. [pauses Midnight.
-
- Warren: Who glued these quarters down?
- A.J.: I did.
- Warren: What the hell for, man?
- A.J.: I don't feel that I need to explain my art to you, Warren.
-
- Joe: Who knows where thoughts come from. They just appear.
Discussion Forum
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