Downfalls High

Using a blend of found footage styles, surreal live performances and the everyday drama of graduating high school, Downfalls High seemed an ambitious project even before you consider the script was bashed out in a week and shot in 4 days amid the global pandemic. Written and directed by Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly) and Mod Sun, it was the job of executive producer Andrew Sandler (best-known for his documentaries and music video work with Ariana Grande, Blink 182 and Mac Miller) to quarterback the project and make sure their unique vision came to life. Here, he tells NME about the biggest influences behind Downfalls High.

Downfalls High

The film stars Chase Hudson as Fenix, a quiet high schooler and Sydney Sweeney as the school's popular girl, Scarlett, as they navigate the beginnings of their romantic relationship.[37] It begins following Fenix, as he is in a psychiatric hospital, before cutting to a news report that states that a student at Downfalls High School, whose music had recently gained success, had cut his ear off at graduation. It then flashes back to eight months prior, as Fenix can be seen getting bullied by a jock (Jaden Hossler). Scarlett soon leaves her popular friends to spend time with Fenix, his friend Jimmy (Jimmy Bennett) and Jimmy's girlfriend (Caroline Miner Smith), who had already dropped out of school. Scarlett soon buys Fenix a guitar and is revealed to be pregnant, before being involved in a car accident that kills her, without Fenix knowing about her pregnancy. Through his grieving, Fenix forms the band Pink Switchblade using the guitar, with Jimmy and Jimmy's friend (Landon Barker). After the band's first performance, Scarlett's best friend Tiffany (Maggie Lindemann) romantically pursues Fenix, however he turns her away. Fenix soon discovers Scarlett's pregnancy and decides to chop his ear off at his graduation as an act of despair.[38]

Baker announced via social media that he would be going on tour in further promotion on the album during the Fall of 2021 in the Tickets to My Downfall U.S. Tour, joined by Caroles Daughter, Jxdn, and Kenny Hoopla.[47] The tour dates were only announced in North America due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the album will continue to be promoted internationally in the Summer of 2022 via the higher profile Mainstream Sellout Tour. In addition, He also announced he would be joining the Kings of Leon and Black Pumas at the three-day NFL Draft from Apr. 29 to May 1 in 2021.[48][49]

Fenix James (Chase Hudson) is a senior at Downfalls High School, considered a social outcast. When he gets noticed by popular girl Scarlett (Sydney Sweeney), the two form a romance that has its ups and downs. One day Scarlett buys Fenix an electric guitar as a gift. After giving it to him, that night, she gets into a fatal car crash. Fenix decides to form a band with his best friend Jimmy (Jimmy Bennett) in tribute to Scarlett, called the Pink Switchblade, appropriately named after the item she'd always carry on her. When Jimmy uploads one of their demo songs to the internet, they go viral and become a successful band. Suddenly the people who used to bully Fenix become nicer to him. Despite this all, Fenix grieves and later finds out that Scarlett was pregnant when she died. At his high school graduation, in a moment of despair, Fenix severs his ear off with Scarlett's switchblade, and is sent to a psychiatric hospital.

By interjecting high production music videos and short acting scenes with candid behind-the-scenes shots, the audience is able to appreciate the artistry of the music, while feeling the raw emotions through a more realistic, lifelike lens. Each song is played in snippets to keep the narrative rolling, and more importantly, they help draw out emotions or bring up the energy. Through this film, MGK has certainly secured his right in Hollywood and shows promise as a director.

As for the storyline, Downfalls High looks like a typical teen coming of age drama with Sweeney's participation reminiscent of HBO's Euphoria. In the trailer, Sweeney and Hudson's characters portray a young couple in high school.

The mini-movie starred TikTok sensation Chase Hudson, aka Lil Huddy, and Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney as your classic high school couple. The movie is essentially a punk musical that features a classic high school love story, with a little twist.

Pedal to the floor, yeah, I can't brakeThe floor of the hotel's my ashtrayShe opened the door and walked past meI'm a Hollywood whore, I don't ask namesYeah, let's get high as fuckI've tried to cover upEyes that have seen too muchI'd go blind for her touch

I heard you never graduated from high schoolThe food sucked and the kids were awfulI know you wanted me to go to law schoolI dyed my hair, pierced my nostrilI know I've done this beforeBut it's a mind eraserI'm waking up on the floorI gotta get my life back later

My GodDid you drink a lot of tequila?YeahIs that what it was?YeahYou wanna listen to the interlude while we sit here?YeahPut it onDo you, like, remember the stuff that you do with me?YesOkay, I don't know 'cause you're so high or, like, you get really drunk, so I don't know if you remember itOf course I doOkayI cherish itI burn other memories just to make room for those onesThat was four months ago that we were right here and I met youThat's not possibleLike, you just got my initials tattooed on youI got your nickname tattooed on meMhm

The plot - the entire plot is boring. Its completely rushed when fenix's girlfriend dies it's supposed to be an emotional scene however the movie never grew her character to anything more than a 2 dementional high-school movie cliche so any emotion the audience was supposed to have is gone. 041b061a72