Review #42: Lemonade Mouth [video recording] by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Title: Lemonade Mouth [video recording]. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment , distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment. 2011. DVD $14.99. UPC 786936814743
Genre: Fiction

Reading Level/Interest Level: (Producer’s Recommendation)Young Adult/ My recommendation: 12 & up

Similar Titles: Radio Rebel [video recording] by Walt Disney Studios

Based off the book of the same name, by Mark Peter Hughes, a group of high school misfits, who find themselves in detention, whether deserved or not, soon overcome their differencesto find a common bond in music, an organic lemonade machine and upsetting the general rule of a principal that respects only order and money, and the power of his ruling class “golden students,” who also happen to have the most popular and successful band in the area.

Each band member has problems, both family and band-wise, that make them fuller characters and more interesting.

• The bass player, is classically trained, with a controlling, Indian father and is also secretly dating the guitarist of the rival band until he finds out of her new band and the threat of competition.

• The lead singer, who lives with her grandmother after her mother dies and her father is sent to prison for robbery, and has a paralyzing case of stage fright.

 

• The keyboardist, who, despite his apparent self-assuredness, has nothing but doubts and resentment toward his father’s attachment with his would-be  step-mother.

 

• The drummer, feeling that he constantly lives in his older brother’s shadow and can’t truly be who he is, or admit the crush he has for a fellow band mate.

• The lead guitarist, whose anarchy minded, rebel spirit causes tensions in her genius prodigy household and outright discrimination by the school principal, who believe she is inciting seditious behavior in her classmates.

Supported by their detention advisor, also the teacher of the school’s poorly funded and almost defunked music program, Lemonade Mouth grows in talent and support, as they attempt to give a voice to those that have none, while figuring out how to talk to their families, and have the bravery to step out as who they really are.

Having been one of those kids in high school that marched to the beat of my own drummer, I loved Lemonade Mouth, not only for the catchy songs, led by the endearing Disney Channel star, Bridget Mendler,  but also on the focus on originality and being true to yourself, rather than of changing yourself to fit in and be popular, like many of the fad artists of today seem to do. I appreciate films and books that encourage young adults to stand up for who and what they believe in, no matter the popular opinion.

Well acted, particularly for this genre of film, with an awesome soundtrack, kids as young as 12, as this is the age when sense of self and fighting peer pressure are particularly difficult, will really appreciate the lessons that Lemonade Mouth has to teach, as well as the meaningful lyrics of the soundtrack, which are not only easy to dance to but have a message all their own.