Three teenagers set to have the best party ever are in for a lot more than they can handle. Released in 2012, Project X set the scene with iconic music from the early 2010s.
Thomas Mann
Oliver Cooper
Jonathan Daniel Brown
Dax Flame
Kirby Bliss Blanton
Brady Hender
Nick Nervies
Alexis Knapp
Miles Teller
Peter MacKenzie
Caitlin Dulany
Rob Evors
"I'm a Thug" - Trick Daddy
Thomas (Thomas Mann), Costa (Oliver Cooper), and JB (Johnathan Daniel Brown) are nervous that the party will have no one show up. Taking matters into his own hands and exuding confidence, Costa goes around the school, letting everyone know about the party. Like the song, Costa feels important and confident as he talks to people he’s never spoken to.
“Beamer, Benz, or Bentley”- Lloyd Banks
After all of the pre-party prep; spreading the word, buying alcohol, purchasing drugs, and stealing their “mascot” of the party, the boys and Kirby (Kirby Bliss Blanton) wait for people to arrive since it’s about an hour after the designated start time. The hip-hop beat sets the tone of excitement that plenty of people are starting to show up. Way more than any of the boys expected.
“Wtp”- Eminem
Standing for “white trash party,” the song by Eminem sets the feeling of how the party is starting. Teenagers and college kids are throughout Thomas’ yard. People keep filing in, and chaos is just around the corner. Costa keeps reassuring Thomas that everything will be fine, but people continue entering Thomas’ house, and the neighbors threaten to call the cops because of the noise. Although the music plays to the feelings of all the other characters in the movie, Thomas is full of anxiety during the first half of the party.
Long scenes of music only, with no dialogue, give the immersive feeling that the viewer is at the party as well. This happens multiple times throughout the movie, and the songs usually cut off abruptly as something important just happened in propelling the film forward.
“Pursuit of Happiness”- Kid Cudi (Extended Steve Aoki Remix)
Costa and Thomas shuffle all the partygoers into the back yard, and JB makes sure to keep everyone quiet as two cops pull up to the house. The cops insist on coming in to make sure there isn’t a giant party happening that is causing the noise complaints, but thanks to Costa’s knowledge of the law, he tells them they aren’t allowed to. They finally give it up and tell the boys to keep it down and head on their way.
Costa goes to the yard with Thomas and tells everyone to party on. “Pursuit of Happiness” begins to play in another long music scene. The scenes reveal that everyone is getting progressively more intoxicated and that chaos is growing. Items are starting to break, and the mascot the boys stole (the gnome) gets broken, revealing hundreds of ecstasy pills that everyone takes. Thomas tries to relax after he finally kisses Kirby, but he can’t seem to shake the nerves thoroughly.
“Get Outta Your Mind”- Lil Jon
As drugs flow through everyone, the song takes on a literal meaning of everyone being “out of their minds.” Thomas is still filled with anxiety as he deals with the thoughts of his coming consequences and tries to keep his parents calm. The voicemail reveals that Thomas’ parents are getting calls from surrounding neighbors about a huge party. Thomas may be out of his mind, but with anxiety.
“Heads Will Roll”- Yeah Yeah Yeahs (A-Trak Remix)
The ecstasy has kicked in for everybody now, including Thomas. Once again, this is another song that can be taken literally. However, people are now acting out even more so than before. People have flooded the house and the backyard, throwing up, ripping pillows, and leaving trash everywhere. Thomas gets brought upstairs by Alexis (Alexis Knapp) to hook up, but he gets caught by Kirby, who storms out of the room. This is just the start of Thomas's downfall and the situation getting out of control.
“Cheap and Cheerful”- The Kills (Sebastian Remix)
This EDM song plays on a more calm and even sad beat during this scene. Thomas just lost his chance with Kirby, and people are starting to leave the party. Some people are out on the streets continuing the party. Thomas stands on top of the roof, taking everything in, and realizes he can’t stop what has started. Since this point, the movie has relied on upbeat hip-hop and party tunes to convey the feelings of everyone, but now they focus more on Thomas’ feelings as everything goes wrong.
“She Just Like to Fight”- Four Tet
T-Rick (Rick Shapiro) comes to the party to get his gnome back, but he comes back with a vengeance. Wielding a flame thrower, he sets Thomas’ house almost fully ablaze and goes along the block, doing the same to the landscaping. The partiers are throwing stuff at the cops, and the firefighters flood Thomas’ house to stop the flames. His dad’s car gets driven into the pool, and finally, everything has come tumbling down on Thomas and his friends. The song is calmer and plays as the sun rises on the trio as they figure out what to do next. Realization sets in, and Thomas tells everyone to go home; this is his problem to fix. Blue lighting from the last bits of night fading away with the song in the back sets the tone for how much just got ruined.
“Intro”- The xx
Thomas shows up at school after the events of the party and walks in with Costa and JB. Although their situations aren’t great, everybody at school thinks they are royalty. A little bit of joy sparks through them at the thought of a little bit of a positive impact. The music is light and upbeat, similar to how the three feel. The song doesn’t need lyrics to convey the feeling of hope and shock. Thomas catches Kirby down the hall and apologizes to her. The song quiets at this moment. He tells her his true feelings and that it’s okay if she’s still mad at him. Forgiving him, they hug, kiss, and move forward with their shaky futures. The song becomes upbeat again as the two reconcile. The song closes out the movie with a calmer note.
This film utilizes upbeat party music and slower tunes near the end to show the rise and fall of the best high school party ever thrown. Keeping viewers entwined with the story and music, iconic moments are created, and news clippings show the aftermath and how the story is told from different perspectives.
Check out the full Project X soundtrack here.
