My review added here...

Yeah I agree with you - that would certainly have put a more positive, upbeat spin on the story. Perhaps the director remembers that time as being more grim than positive (assuming it was mostly her vision). But then, as you say, if the scene was meant to be something that uplifted people, why did the director choose to tell a more grim side to it all?

I found this movie very enjoyable and interesting, and didn't think there was too much focus on 'grimness'.

I believe the director captured a bit of that part of the arc of the movement, which in reality did have its upsides with its youthful energy-(and other)-fueled escapism, an escapism that did need to be contrasted against the living conditions at the time in the film so as to give context to the impetus and strength of the movement (plus the great music and dancing), and downsides such as young folks overdosing on drugs and the cops cracking down on clubs and club life to the point of causing some clubs to close down, all of which did happen.


Not focused on or barely touched on: The heavy heated in-fighting among the biggies in the movement at its twilight, the inevitable commercialization that seeped in, and a drying up of the finite resource of the underground, lesser-known Northern Soul-style records of a certain time period that was bound to happen.

And, no 'fail' at the end (?)



"Much communication in a motion, without conversation or a notion"