Film Review: “All Together Now” is Sappy but Sweet
Teen movies are going through a renaissance. Gone are the days of unbelievable sexy cheerleaders performing risqué routines, pimple-faced nerds vying for Queen B., and 20-somethings actors awkwardly bumbling around as adolescents. In its replacement are films that capture the teenage experience in a believable manner. Netflix's original films such as All the Boys I Loved Before and Dumplin' show that teens have the mental bandwidth to care more about pressing issues other than becoming homecoming queen or snagging the most popular boy in school. Less spectacle and more humane, filmmakers like Brett Haley are changing the genre in intriguing ways.
Based on the novel Sorta Like a Rockstar by Matthew Quick, All Together Now follows Portland high schooler and aspiring singer Amber Appleton (Auliʻi Cravalho). Hardworking and delightfully optimistic, Amber does it all. She teaches little old Korean ladies ESL through song and dance, works at a retirement home, and moonlights at a donut shop, all while preparing for an audition at Carnegie Mellon's prestigious drama program. But despite her Disney princess can-do attitude, Amber harbors a harrowing secret. The teenager is homeless. And she is living in a school bus with her alcoholic mother, Becky (Justina Machado). To make matters worse, Amber's mother wants to move back into her abusive boyfriend's home. With her back against the wall, the teenager must learn to accept assistance from others before losing herself to despair.
Thankfully, Amber's theatre buds help as she overcomes adversity. This group of friends includes autistic teen and noted jokester Ricky (Anthony Jacques Jr), quirky redhead Jordan (Taylor Richardson), paraplegic cutie pie Chad (Gerald Isaac Waters), and potential love interest Ty (Rhenzy Feliz). And though this is a teen film focusing on teen problems, several adults assist the young women like her drama teacher Mr. Franks (Fred Armisen), and Ricky's mother, Donna (Judy Reyes.)
All Together Now can get a little too saccharine, but Cravalho and her castmates prevent it from going there entirely. Though the young actor stays in her lane performance-wise, she is a noted Disney Princess after all, Cravalho brings so much appeal to her role. One can not help but sympathize with Amber as she tearfully begs her mother to choose her over an abusive ex-boyfriend, or root for her as she convinces her classmates to participate in the high school's variety show. The teen drama even utilizes the performer's vocal talents as well. Cravalho's rendition of "Feels Like Home" by Keegan DeWitt will make the most cynical person feel all the things. Justina Machado also gives a solid performance as Becky. While not as memorable as her work on One Day at a Time, Machado provides enough depth to prevent the character from turning into a total cliché. And even though the supporting cast does not get enough screen time, their presence makes the flick feel authentic. Watching actors with disabilities play characters with disabilities is not only refreshing but a perfect example of why we need these types of performers in more films.
But despite its overt corniness, Haley does bring his signature gentleness and indie-movie charm to All Together Now. You can not get more adorable than Amber singing "The Clapping Song" by Shirley Ellis to a room full of elderly Korean ladies (wonderfully known as the Korean Divas of Christ). And if that scene does not sell you on the adorableness, wait until you get to the variety show towards the end. This scene may not leave you in tears (actually, it might), but it will make your heart melt. And the cinematography is simply beautiful. The drive through rural Oregon and Amber's walk to school with her friends give the film a nostalgia look. The director also utilizes music quite well in the movie. With the assistance of music composer DeWitt, the teen drama shows why Amber loves singing. And Dewitt brings that love out with his selection of upbeat and sweetly melancholic songs.
Like Quick's other best-selling book The Silver Linings Playbook, All Together Now covers issues that affect everyday people. But instead of focusing on mental illness like its predecessor, the teen drama tackles problems such as homelessness, unemployment, alcoholism, and parental loss. The film even emphasizes the importance of asking for assistance. Throughout the film, Ambers struggles to accept help from her friends and elders. But once the teenager realizes that taking aid is not a sign of weakness, her life gets a little bit better. Yet simple at first glance, this message is perfect for high achieving teens struggling to get by, especially those struggling during the pandemic. That said, the film does veer a little too much into its tragic elements. It is one thing to include the dead parent trope, but it is another to add a sick pet storyline.
For the most part, All Together Now does a decent job depicting the struggles of a bright teenage girl. Even though the film is sappy at times, the teen drama makes up for it with its solid performances, beautiful directing, and upbeat tunes. If anything, All Together Now proves teen movies have come so far. It will be interesting to see where the genre will go next.
