Joyful Noise

« I can never tell what's at stake, just like I can't on Glee, the flailing TV series this derivative movie so wants to treat as a kissin' cousin. »

« The plot is essentially a lot of threadbare stories strung around each other and leading up to the big final competition, and director Todd Graff frequently cuts between scenes and subplots with no sense of momentum or forward motion. »

« It is a suspense-free singing competition drama; a down-home, just-folks bucket of cornpone; a thwarted teenage romance of sweethearts without chemistry; and a silly extended cat fight with retracted claws. »