It seems almost miraculous that Patti Cake$ made it to my local multiplex. A small Sundance indie, not based on source material, and with barely any recognizable names, sadly isn’t usually given such a mainstream platform. Patti Cake$ takes its chance to show the story of people we don’t often see up on the big screen (again, sadly), albeit, at its core, it is a story we have seen up there many times before.
Patti Cake$ charts the story of Patricia ‘Killer P’ Dunbrowski (Danielle Macdonald), a New Jersey girl who’s bored with her life and has big dreams of becoming a rap star. With an ill grandmother (Cathy Moriarty) and a mother (Bridget Everett) who’s bitterness with her own life is often taken out on Patricia, she has to take odd jobs to pay off the family bills, but spends a lot of time lost in her own daydreams. Along with her best friend, Jheri (Siddharth Dhananjay), she embarks on rap battles and experimentational recording sessions, which seems to spark something once they meet ‘Basterd’ (Mamoudou Athie).
What ensues is the traditional underdog story, complete with every convention and predictable beat, but with added layers that make it feel fresh. The characters are well developed and feel real, thanks to a brilliant cast. Macdonald is phenomenal as the eponymous character; every moment feels entirely authentic, and she makes the character likeable but flawed, and entirely relatable regardless of how different your situation may be to hers. Of the supporting players Everett stands out as Patti’s mother, bringing a haunted feeling to the less than caring mother, and a genuine understanding of a past that has made her the way she is. The characters avoid stereotypes and archetypes, allowing this film to rise above many of those with the same formula that have come before it.
The formula is where the main issue of the film lies, as it really doesn’t deviate from the underdog formula at all. There are no surprises in the core plot at all, but the characters and different setting and specifics of the story help to disguise this and make it more than just another underdog film, but at least a little deviation would have elevated the film further. The only surprising plot development (and not for a good reason) is a romance that doesn’t so much blossom as it does randomly appear without much to hint at its development, making it hard to invest in the scenes that feature it, as it is hard to buy into.
The direction and cinematography is great and creative. The shots are framed a little differently to your bog-standard ways, which adds to the film’s feel. There are also overly stylized moments that occur when Patti falls into her many daydreams, which also serves to help separate it from the pack.
The film as a whole is engaging, and you won’t be able to help yourself investing in these characters and their dreams. You’ll feel the triumphs and the setbacks along with the characters, and come out feeling like you’ve been on a journey, even if you do feel a little cheated by the fact that you’ve been on similar journeys before.
