Set in West Lothian, Scotland in 1994, Johnno (Cristian Ortega) and Spanner (Lorn Macdonald) are two teens with little control over their own lives. Spanner lives with his drug dealing bully of a brother (parents appear permanently absence) with little future prospects, whilst Johnno is pressured by his mother and police officer stepfather into conforming to the John Major-era world of normal. With the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act and Johnno's enforced move away to a suburban edge-of-town estate imminent, the two friends aim to reach a illegal outdoor rave, their first and possibly last together.
I see this already has mixed reviews, the positive ones coming from those who were out raving at the time Beats is set, just as I was. Despite the rave scene being a key musical and cultural force in the UK during the 90s, there was little representation on the cinema or TV, save for Human Traffic or Danny Boyle's productions, and the club scenes in those felt pretty flat. The rave scenes in Beats on the other hand are the most convincing I've ever seen on film, and I truly felt myself back again on the dancefloor, flashing trippy graphics and sweaty hugs. The grainy monochrome illuminated by flashes of coulour is a superb touch, and highlights how raving gave a bit of colour to people's lives. Even if I felt the first hour was a yawn, Beats would be worth watching for this reason.
The 2019 documentary, Everybody In The Place, has director Jeremy Deller explaining the free party rave scene as modern history with a group of school youths. This is a great companion piece to watch alongside Beats, as they work not just as nostalgia pieces for the over-40s, but as a bittersweet view of what we once had, but let slip due to our loss of freedom, and also our growing acceptance of bleached corporate entertainment. With nightclubs closing for property developments, and a youth disenchanted with a society that gives them fewer opportunities than ever, illegal raves have made a significant return. Beats is therefore a very timely release, a authentic view of what once was and what can be again.
I see this already has mixed reviews, the positive ones coming from those who were out raving at the time Beats is set, just as I was. Despite the rave scene being a key musical and cultural force in the UK during the 90s, there was little representation on the cinema or TV, save for Human Traffic or Danny Boyle's productions, and the club scenes in those felt pretty flat. The rave scenes in Beats on the other hand are the most convincing I've ever seen on film, and I truly felt myself back again on the dancefloor, flashing trippy graphics and sweaty hugs. The grainy monochrome illuminated by flashes of coulour is a superb touch, and highlights how raving gave a bit of colour to people's lives. Even if I felt the first hour was a yawn, Beats would be worth watching for this reason.
The 2019 documentary, Everybody In The Place, has director Jeremy Deller explaining the free party rave scene as modern history with a group of school youths. This is a great companion piece to watch alongside Beats, as they work not just as nostalgia pieces for the over-40s, but as a bittersweet view of what we once had, but let slip due to our loss of freedom, and also our growing acceptance of bleached corporate entertainment. With nightclubs closing for property developments, and a youth disenchanted with a society that gives them fewer opportunities than ever, illegal raves have made a significant return. Beats is therefore a very timely release, a authentic view of what once was and what can be again.