Girls Rock!: Camp fires up girls
INFO
Girls Rock! 3 stars
Directed by Arne Johnson and Shane King. Opens Fri., May 2. Rated PG. At Plaza Theatre.
At first glance, the documentary Girls Rock! could be considered a sequel to the 2005 film Rock School in the way it shows young ones grappling with the chords, growls and group dynamics of rock 'n' roll. But early on, the film by co-directors Arne Johnson and Shane King turns out to be more like an antidote for another kid-centric doc, 2006's Jesus Camp.
In the latter film, little kids are practically brainwashed (often with fear tactics) into becoming foot soldiers for Christ. The camp counselors in Girls Rock!, however, use self-empowerment and self-expression to help children think for, and believe in, themselves.
The documentary not only captures the DIY spirit of the Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls in Portland, Ore., but also the specter of sexism girls face growing up in the United States. Such punk-rock feminism sparked the Riot Grrrls movement of the 1990s, spawning bands such as Bikini Kill, 7 Year Bitch and Team Dresch. It all peaked by the end of the decade, as even mainstream women rockers such as Alanis Morissette and Liz Phair gave way to the pop-tart culture of Britney Spears.
Girls Rock! anticipates the endless problems girls endure, and the five-day camp feels like a metaphor for childhood. The 100 campers, ranging in age from 7 to 18, all come with their issues of self-worth, body image and group interaction. They have to learn how to form a band, play an instrument and literally play with others. It all leads up to a final performance before an audience of 700 on the last day of camp.
Johnson and King create an effective juxtaposition between interviews with the children and counselors and the camp-wide rehearsals. Many of the counselors are punk rockers and all of them look like they could be campers themselves. It's obvious that the counselors seem more capable of relating to the campers' feelings than the equally youngish parents interviewed.
Who knew that rockers such as Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein would display the patience of Job in teaching a lesson, or settling a group dispute?
Maybe it's because they know what the stakes are. The film is loaded with well-sourced stats, including the most sobering one: "Between the ages 9 and 15, the number of girls who say 'I'm happy the way I am' drops from 60 percent to 29 percent."
As if to illustrate such facts, the camera focuses on four girls, each of whom seems like a misfit in training. In particular, talented 8-year-old guitarist Amelia declares, "I'm not like someone like Hillary Duff, who just wants to be famous," but she clearly wants to jam to her own tune. When she's told she's getting ahead of the drummer's tempo, she pouts, "OK, I don't care what the beat is!"
The most compelling camper is 15-year-old Laura, an adopted Korean American. Her cheery façade is masked by self-esteem so low she believes high school can't be any worse than her current life. "I already hate myself," says Laura, who otherwise wins fellow campers over with her irrepressible energy and charm.
But the staff refuses to let them give up. Unlike the domineering Paul Green of Rock School, the Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls offers an army of sympathetic ears and helping hands. Self-defense classes in between rehearsals teach fight-back techniques punctuated with shouts of "No!"
Despite its chronological approach, Girls Rock! wanders a bit as it lurches toward the payoff performance, much like the musicians themselves. I won't spoil the ending, but it might help to know that the camp has spawned several other camps across the nation.
A Girls Rock Camp in Atlanta is scheduled for July 14-19 at Eyedrum and Johnson will appear during this weekend's screenings. All of this suggests a trend in which girls can once again express themselves through the power of chords.
And that totally rocks.
