The trailer for the new Netflix movie 13: The Musical has been released, and Redditors already have strong opinions about it. The 2008 Broadway musical had an original score by acclaimed contemporary composer Jason Robert Brown, along with a cast of newcomers that included none other than Ariana Grande.
The new film, one of several recent movie musicals from Netflix, will be released on the streaming platform on August 12th. 13: The Musical follows a young Jewish teenager who is planning his Bar Mitzvah party in his new hometown in Indiana. Based on the following initial reactions to the trailer alone, there will be ionate feelings and even divisive ones about the new film.
Jason Robert Brown Fans Are Excited
Jason Robert Brown has composed a number of critically acclaimed musicals, including The Last Five Years, Parade, and The Bridges of Madison Country. 13: The Musical may give him the mainstream exposure that his die-hard fans have been hoping for.
Lynchiannightmare25 touched on this when they wrote, "I just want Jason Robert Brown to have the blockbuster huge commercial hit he deserves." One of his other film adaptations, The Last Five Years, showed promise, with Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan in the lead roles, yet it did not have the same cultural impact that the show had with musical theater fans.
The Original Book Has Problems
Those who know the source material quickly commented on Reddit about some of the lackluster elements of the original musical's book that folks hope are improved upon in the film version. One Redditor described how the characters' feelings toward the female lead, Patrice, make no sense: "It's just a very contrived 'she's a NERD and we hate her" plot line that doesn't even mimic middle school cattiness well."
Perhaps the inclusion of more dialogue in the film will help add some more dimension to the characters, especially with regards to why Patrice is treated so poorly. Even if the film is intended to be fun and lighthearted, character motivations are important, and it is fairly one-dimensional to portray bullies with little reasoning behind their actions. This Redditor will have to wait to see if the characters have, in fact, been given any additional layers.
The Trailer Suggests Script Changes
13 seems to suggest that screenwriter Robert Horn has updated the story to take place in the present day. This doesn't change the story substantially, though some Reddit s have noticed slight alterations in the trailer alone.
The most obvious change is that in the original musical, no adults appear on stage. The trailer, however, includes several adult characters, including Rabbi Shapiro (Josh Peck) and Evan's mother (Debra Messing). Successful_Tale_9334 is "already upset at any changes to the book/script," though it is common for especially theatrically musicals like 13 to be significantly altered for the cinematic form.
It Looks Like A Disney Channel Original Movie
Many fans expressed their disapproval at the production value of 13: The Musical, comparing the trailer unfavorably to a Disney Channel Original Movie. Spoilz humorously responded bluntly: "Oof. [This is] giving Disney Channel Original Movie level of budget."
Several other Redditors made the same comparison. To be fair, the original 13 was written during the same era as the original High School Musical films, which were widely popular and launched the careers of Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. Perhaps these s are not only responding to the production value, but they might also be responding to the tone and mood of a piece that was conceived in the heyday of Disney Channel Original Movies.
The Kids Actually Look Like Kids
A frequent criticism of teen movies and television programs includes the casting of older actors playing younger roles. This has become a common practice, yet younger audiences often have trouble relating to characters that are supposed to be their age but look significantly older. This was a common critique of the Ryan Murphy series, Glee.
PlentyNectarine responded favorably to the 13 trailer, saying "I actually think this looks cute! I like that they have actual children who LOOK like children. Even when I was a kid, I felt like the kids on TV and in movies never looked like kids." That relatability factor is key to a project's success, and it gives a sense of authenticity to the portrait of youth on screen.
Teen Culture Has Changed
Much has evolved since 2008 when the original 13 premiered. In fact, the content featuring young people is considerably different in Gen-Z culture compared to what was current for millennials. Redditor Oscarfan speaks to this point, writing, "I've been curious as to how this will turn out; teen culture has changed a lot in such a short amount of time."
Shows like Euphoria contain frank and disturbing depictions of adolescence. With this in mind, while it's clear that the target demographic for 13 has changed, what remains unclear is if this audience will respond well to a mild, feel-good representation of teen youth.
People Want An Ariana Grande Cameo
It did not take long for the Reddit thread on 13: The Musical to turn into a discussion of Ariana Grande, who had one of her earliest gigs in the original Broadway production. Grande played Charlotte, a cheerleader and member of the "cool group" of female friends at the school. Although her role was relatively min0r, she did provide the lead vocals on the finale number "Brand New You."
The trailer for 13: The Musical did not feature any cameos from the original cast, much to the chagrin of Grande's fans. January1171 wonders "if Ariana is going to be involved in any way in this, or in the press campaign." One would think a nod to the pop star would be a smart way to bring massive publicity and attention to the film, but perhaps Grande is busy preparing for the Wicked movie.
Netflix Is On A Roll With Movie Musicals
Redditor Matilda, with Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull, "Netflix is on a musical movie roll." These two films are the latest in a recent trending genre for the streaming service.
Netflix found success with big-budget movie musicals like Ryan Murphy's Tick, Tick...Boom! The latter film secured two Academy Award nominations, including a Best Actor nod for Andrew Garfield. 13: The Musical may not be awards bait, but given the success of the genre for Netflix, time will tell.
