Reel Review: Art Of A Hit (2024)

Though “Art of a Hit” may be light on horror, it’s a potent story about the fear of failure and broken dreams — a must-see for music lovers.

Written by Gaelan Connell and Charlie Saxton (who also stars in the film), with Gaelan taking the directing helm, Art Of a Hit is a perfect 90s nostalgic horror that encapsulates the feeling of a constantly changing world and how it feels to drown in the times.

The audience gets thrown into an already-established universe with our titular characters on stage in a seedy bar. Ryan (Ryan Donowho), Cristin (Allie Macdonald), Miles (Rob Raco), Timmy (Tim Jo), and Mat (James Earl) seem to be in the golden era of grunge.

Flashing forward to the present day, with Miles no longer present, replaced by David (David Valdes), it seems everyone has moved on to bigger things. However, when the label presents the opportunity to meet with wild card producer Charlie (Charlie Saxton) to write an album, the band reunites to give it one last go.

I was really drawn to our protagonist, Ryan — moody, depressive, and trying to hold onto any form of glory he had. He is the band’s lead singer and the one responsible for dragging everyone to a chateau in France to seize one last chance at a best-selling album. His character is one of significant depth, though he appears cold, distant, and unwilling to move on easily.

The record label is quick to drop the past-its-prime band mid-road trip, and Ryan is faced with the choice of lying to avoid crushing his bandmates’ dreams or being honest and facing reality.

This shows the raw side of being a struggling artist trying to recapture that feeling of excitement about music.

Set in dreamy, picturesque France, a 1000-year-old chateau makes an interesting setting for a horror movie. However, Art Of a Hit is more of a drama, with notes of comedy and small drips of horror.

As far as world-building goes, the film does not disappoint. With its central focus on music, the soundtrack perfectly suited the times, fluently switching between 90s rock ‘n roll and the more upbeat modern direction the producer requests in the present day.

The horror creeps up on the audience with a slow descent into madness, with tensions running high and a volatile cocktail of emotional baggage and drugs. It’s a pressure cooker that takes this film to a whole new level.

I wish we had seen more of the gore and special effects, as they are well done and quite disturbing. The drug-fueled distortions are captivating, offering a distinct total tonal shift, though I would have liked to have seen the film explore this more.

Eschewing the traditional horror climax, Art of a Hit chooses a more realistic, hard-hitting ending that feels like a gut punch.

While I feel there’s a version of this film that could have packed a bigger punch, Art of a Hit is never boring, thanks to a cast that brings their all and a pervasive sense of tension. 

Horror purists may be better served skipping this one, but Art of Hit works extremely well as a drama. It delivers a unique concept I appreciate. If you were in a band in the 1990s, involved in the grunge scene, or understand what it’s like to chase a dying dream with every bit of hope you have, this film will surely resonate with you.