Patti Cakes (2017)

Directed by: Geremy Jasper | 108 minutes | drama, music | Actors: Danielle Macdonald, Bridget Everett, Siddharth Dhananjay, Mamoudou Athie, Cathy Moriarty, McCaul Lombardi, Patrick Brana, Dylan Blue, Warren Bub, Mackenzie Grace Castle, Brett Diggs, Robert Eckard, Ray Iannicelli, Kirk Knight, Faith Logan, MC Lyte Alexandra Moruzzi, Sahr Ngaujah, Anthony Ramos, Nick Sandow, Adam Scarimbolo, John Sharian

Patti Dombrowski lives with her mother and grandmother in a remote corner of New Jersey. She works in a run-down karaoke bar, her alcoholic mother is a regular. In her spare time, the fallen Patti turns into Killa P, a girl rapper who dreams of a future in music with her buddy Jhery. That dream seems to come to a premature end, but then Patti meets a musician with the hopeful name Bastard the Antichrist. The three of them (or actually four) form the collective PBNJ and are ready to conquer the world.

This nice fact gets a little original interpretation in ‘Patti Cakes’. Of course Patti gets the necessary rejections, of course her daily job and her musical life get mixed up, of course Bastard the Antichrist turns out to be quite a sweet boy. And, of course, showbiz is a world of tinsel and jealousy.

Despite the clichés, there is plenty to enjoy. Although officially a drama, ‘Patti Cakes’ is remarkably full of laughter. Sometimes vulgar, sometimes subtle, always funny. The makers also like a visual boost from time to time, such as when Patti is stoned for the first time and perceives the world in a weird way.

Of course music and rhymes are an important part. The makers show in word and sound (soundtrack) that they love hip-hop, but that their musical universe does not end there. The love for music oozes from every scene and sometimes the rhymes go on even after the music is over.

It’s a bit of a shame that the makers didn’t quite manage to accurately portray the life of white trash. Patti and her family come across as degraded middle class people who have donned the clothes and the foul language of the lower classes out of poverty. Bit strange to hear references to the Greek classics and Shakespeare in such an environment.

These are only minor flaws in an enjoyable drama, with good music, strong jokes and a story that, despite the predictability, is still quite moving. A film that is somewhere between ‘Precious’ and ‘The Commitments’, and those are not the least.