neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Drumline
	Charles Stone III Nick Cannon, Zoë Saldana, Orlando Jones 2002		The audience for the earnest drama "Drumline" is probably located in the geographical area that serves as the film's setting: the American South. It's the land of the high-impact college marching band, where annual on-field music competitions among the universities are a big deal. Rising up, a wise-ass Harlem kid (Nick Cannon) attends a Georgia college on a music scholarship to join the marching band. He's a talented drummer, but his rebellious nature and overconfidence hamper his progress. Despite encouragement and tough love from the band director (Orlando Jones) and the support and affection of a smart, sexy cheerleader (Zoë Saldana), our proud percussionist can't sublimate himself to the rest of the band, which infuriates the leader of the drumline. The rivalry between the two drummers, freshman and upperclassman, intensifies. Only a drum-off will settle the score before the band enters the national competition. There's little new about the plot. It's "Rocky" with a snare. Still, "Drumline" shows the passion and boot-camp-like effort behind a successful marching band. Watching its hero's maturation is even inspiring.