‎Empire Records (1995) directed by Allan Moyle • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

Empire Records

1995 Directed by Allan Moyle

They're selling music but not selling out.

The employees of an independent music store learn about each other as they try anything to stop the store being absorbed by a large chain.

Anthony LaPaglia Debi Mazar Maxwell Caulfield Liv Tyler Robin Tunney Renée Zellweger Ethan Embry Coyote Shivers Brendan Sexton III Ben Bode Rory Cochrane Johnny Whitworth

90 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by adrianbalboa ★★★½ 7

what i would give to work at a record store in the nineties. think of the cropped sweater + mini skirt possibilities. think of the boys in oversized shirts and cardigans. this is my ideal life
Review by Hollie Horror ★ 18

OH MAN! What a piece of shit!!!

This is the first movie in my Nostalgia Overload list where I came out on the other side of the re-watch absolutely hating a movie I once loved. I haven't seen Empire Records in about 15 years but I honestly used to love it. How embarrassing.

This movie is a very corporate look at what they consider "indie" films, with an ironic twist..you know..considering the entire plot of the movie is an independently run record store trying to avoid being bought out by a national corporation.

I hate everyone in this movie; all of the annoying, over-the-top, insincere caricatures of "gen Xers," MARK: THE MOST AGGRAVATINGLY IRRITATING OF THEM ALL, Robin Tunney as…
Review by Sally Jane Black 22

I really could not figure out how they could afford to have the whole staff there at the same time, except if the nightly total is $9,000, I mean, that's pretty good, right. Other unbelievable things include actually every other part of this film. Nothing in this film is believable. It is as if John Hughes tried to make a Hal Hartley film. It is as if Reality Bites were made by NBC instead of MTV. It is as if that reporter who believed all the fake grunge slang made a movie based on it. And if you go in expecting a train wreck, it's quite enjoyable.

You can see the good movie lurking underneath this one. It's usually frustrating…
Review by Holly-Beth ★★★½ 4

a time capsule to 1995 when it was liv tyler’s world and we were all just living in it
Review by lucy ★★★★ 2

this was a whole lotta fun and i want miss tyler’s iconic jumper & skirt
Review by vee ★★★★

i would kill for nineties liv tyler

Recent reviews

Review by sariah ★★★½

I love this kooky neon magical movie
Review by aphill ★★★★

Despite the awkward dialogue and almost incomprehensible storyline and none of the characters acting like real human beings this was super fun and I liked it so
Review by Elsie How ★★★

This was sillier than I thought it would be and it was a nice way to end the day
Review by johnnyepp ★★★

I’m pretty sure this movie is a metaphor for Jesus (Lucas) taking on the sin of man (takes the initial blame of losing the money) but still shows them the way and leads them to a better life (They got their shmoney and are now in better places emotionally)
Review by August Kay ★★★★★

everytime I watch this I increasingly get angrier that I didn’t grow up with the personality of a teenager who worked at an indie record store in the 90s
Review by eva ★★★★

empire records > the breakfast club
Review by kayla

working at empire records is my dream job and AJ is my dream boy but everyone is nuts in this highkey

im obsessed with the mid 90s
Review by carina ★★★

this movie would've never happened after 2010 tbh. letterboxd friends, what kind of fading store would be the location if empire records took place in 2019??
Review by nicole ★★★

this movie felt like one long tv special except there was no actual series for this movie which i think would have been so great!! this had the potential to be a great 90s sitcom on par with friends and even full house if it was given the chance. also this movie made me want to name my first daughter corey. what a badass name for a girl holy fuck.