Girls Rock!
Girls Rock! is a 2007 documentary film that follows four 8-18-year-old girls at the Rock and Roll Camp for Girls in Portland, Oregon, United States.
| Girls Rock! | |
|---|---|
 Girls Rock! film poster | |
| Directed by | Arne Johnson Shane King |
| Produced by | Arne Johnson |
| Cinematography | Shane King |
| Edited by | Diana J. Brodie Arne Johnson Shane King |
| Distributed by | Shadow Distribution |
Release dates |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
At Rock and Roll Camp, girls ranging in age from eight to 18 are taught that "it is 100% okay to be exactly who you are." The girls have a week to select a band, an instrument they may have never played before, and write a song. In between, they are taught by indie rock stars such as Carrie Brownstein from Sleater-Kinney various lessons of empowerment from self-defense to anger management. At the end of the week, all the bands perform a concert for over 700 people. The film follows several campers: Laura, a Korean adoptee obsessed with death metal; Misty, who is emerging from a life of meth addiction, homelessness and gang activity; and Amelia, an eight-year-old who writes experimental rock songs about her dog Pipi.
The film ultimately explores what happens to the girls as they are given a temporary reprieve from being sexualized, analyzed, and pressured to conform.
Screenings
The movie opened in the following cities on March 7, 2008: New York, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Berkeley, Chicago.
Critical reception
The film received generally favorable reviews from critics. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 70% approval rank based on 43 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The site's consensus states: "Girls Rock! is an inspiring and enjoyable documentary of girls' empowerment and self-discovery".[1] Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 62 out of 100, based on 7 reviews.[2]
Ty Burr of the Globe and Mail said that "How are girls supposed to behave in a culture that tells them they're Disney princesses for the first 12 years and sex toys after that? Girls Rock! has one answer: Strap on a Fender and rage against the machine".[3]
Ultimate Guitar gives Girls Rock! 7 out of 10,[4] while Kimberly Jones of The Austin Chronicle gave it 2.5 out of 5.[5]
Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times praised the film, saying that "Young women find expression for more than their music in Girls Rock!, a jubilant documentary about a place where power chords and empowerment go hand in hand".[6]
Noel Murray of The A.V. Club pointed out that "Frankly, the scenes of these girls trying to work together and share ideas are enough to make the movie's point".[7]
References
- "Girls Rock! (2007)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- "Girls Rock! (2008): Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- Burr, Ty (July 31, 2008). "At this rock camp, power chords, power plays, and girl power". Globe and Mail. Boston.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- "Girls Rock! [DVD] reviews". Ultimate Guitar. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- Jones, Kimberly (March 21, 2008). "Girls Rock!". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- Catsoulis, Jeannette (March 7, 2008). "Rock 'n' Roll Camp". The New York Times. p. E17.
- Murray, Noel (March 6, 2008). "Girls Rock!". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
Bibliography
- Hertz, Todd (February 29, 2008). "Girls Rock!". Christianity Today.