High Voltage (2018) | Film Review

Despite a reputation over the past several decades for decadence, rock ‘n roll has always aligned itself synonymously with fun. There is something about that feeling that a hard-hitting tempo or angelic tone leaves you with that sparks the body to movement, and the soul to awaken. The music and the experience – at its best – combine to breathe life into our mundane existence. And in High Voltage, Rachel is director Alex Keledjian’s vision of rock ‘n roll incarnate.

David Arquette stars as Jimmy Kleen, a fading rock star who stumbles across two striking talents while celebrating his 50th birthday…for the third time. Scott (Ryan Donowho) is the ambitious songwriter and guitarist, and he has arrived at Jimmy’s party while pursuing the aforementioned vision, Rachel (Allie Gonino). Sensing this has the makings of an invigorated career, Jimmy seizes opportunity and brings them all together to create a new band, known as Hollow Body.

Jimmy uses his personal history with record exec, Rick (Luke Wilson), to line up a tour and find their audience. The only problem is that the timid Rachel freezes up onstage, causing an uproar within the band. Everything changes as Rachel and her mother leave the gig post-fallout, only to be struck by lightning and killed instantly as they depart. Hours later, though, Rachel comes back to life with an electricity that infuses the band with the energy to thrive and succeed. The only problem is, she needs to electrocute a random stranger before a set to get her mojo going.

Both the title and concept of High Voltage sounds as though it plays everything cheesier than Velveeta, but instead the majority of the film is kept relatively straight. Arquette amps up his own bad boy image from another life and steers clear of the Dewey-esque roles he’s otherwise known for. As the orchestrator of this ragtag group, Jimmy is fully aware of the fleeting opportunities that await, as well as the dwindling chances each band receives with every mistake. Even as he continues to increase his douchebaggery, Arquette never loses that soothing charm he’s known for, keeping Jimmy firmly within the grasps of endearment.

Donowho’s Scott is a more complicated beast. The fledgling musician has long pined for Rachel to notice both him and his music, yet he is a married father of a newborn baby. Scott is a difficult character to root for, as he does just about everything wrong, without actually doing anything. Yet Donowho manages to hold us in his corner until the bitter end.

Talk about a difficult transition, Allie Gonino’s Rachel is a complete night-and-day switch as her rebirth forces her to suck the life-blood out of strangers and fans alike. Initially gentle and brutally shy, Rachel morphs into Santanico Pandemonium after her accident, and Gonino sells the change with ease. Her slithering stage performance gives way to a seductive innocence that makes it completely plausible that so many men would be willing to take a death jolt from their favorite singer.

For such an intriguing premise, my only issue with High Voltage lands at the feet of the effects. What should be the most harrowing moments – Rachel frying an innocent and the ensuing electrical currents represented onscreen – are often frustrating due to Gonino selling the slaughter, while the effects remind us of the obvious budget limitations. Though distracting, it isn’t enough to discount my personal enjoyment of the film, but if weaker special effects are a curveball for your enjoyment, consider yourself warned.

Concerns aside, I look forward to whatever director Alex Keledjian does next. Despite the romp-worthy title, High Voltage dials down the camp and offers a clever conceit tied to an electric performance from Allie Gonino, with an original collection of songs I want on my playlist.

This is my kind of rock ‘n roll.