Stars: 4.5/5
For rap-rock and pop-punk fans such as myself, “Downfalls High” took me back to my days of listening to “emo” music off Tumblr in 2014. Colson Baker, otherwise known as Machine Gun Kelly, wrote, directed and produced this musical short film released on Youtube Jan. 18 with fellow musician Mod Sun. Whenever this project was first announced, I was ecstatic, mostly because I have not seen an artist do something like this since Best Coast’s “Our Deal” movie music video directed by Drew Barrymore in 2011.
The story centers around Fenix, played by Chase Hudson AKA Lil Huddy, a reserved outsider and senior at Downfalls High. He falls in love with popular, rich girl Scarlett, played by Sydney Sweeney, and the two embark on a series of typical teenage activities around Los Angeles.
As much as I loved the film’s concept and MGK performing and narrating with former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, the acting was definitely not as enjoyable as the musical performances. However, this project caught so many people’s attention because it stars a famous Tik Tok creator and an actress best known for her role in HBO’s critically acclaimed series “Euphoria.”
It is impressive to see that an artist created an entire storyline based around one of their albums, which would be MGK’s most recent album titled “Tickets to my Downfall” that was released last year. The music video/movie uses the songs to show the emotional downfall of the main character as he struggles to come to terms with losing his first love.
I was particularly a fan of the way each song paralleled with the plot of the story. For example, the third track on the album titled “kiss kiss” is about being young and carefree, which plays over scenes showing the teenagers at Downfalls High doing just that. Another set of scenes later on in the film correlates with the album’s most popular song, “bloody valentine,” while showing Fenix and Scarlett’s relationship begin to grow into something more serious.
The film’s story takes a darker route following Scarlett’s sudden death, which sends Fenix into a spiral of lashing out on others and becoming more dejected than he was before. The sorrowful song “lonely” plays while viewers watch Fenix mourn the loss of his lover, which is a song Baker wrote about missing his deceased father and aunt who played a large impact on his life and career. It is safe to say that the film is an emotional roller coaster for both the characters and the viewers as we get a glimpse into Baker’s inner turmoil through his lyrics.
Anyone who is an avid fan of music and the artistry that comes with it would appreciate what Machine Gun Kelly did with “Downfalls High.” Baker proved himself to be a multifaceted artist and showcased his musical ability through this passionate and progressive project that truly makes him stand out as an edgy, pop-punk musician.
