Empire Records - Plot

Plot

Empire Records is a small, independent record shop managed by Joe (Anthony LaPaglia). The store is set in an unnamed city in Delaware, and like the employees, is eclectic and unique. The staff is very much a self-created family, with Joe as the reluctant and perpetually exasperated but loveable father figure.

Joe selects Lucas (Rory Cochrane) to close the store for the first time ever. While counting the day's receipts, Lucas discovers that Empire Records is about to be converted into a branch of Music Town, a franchise music store. In an attempt to save the store, Lucas takes the day's cash receipts to Atlantic City. While initially very lucky, he loses the entire amount.

Joe is distracted from dealing with this immediate crisis due to a scheduled publicity stunt. Rex Manning (Maxwell Caulfield), a pompous, fading pop singer, is due to arrive to sign autographs and promote his new album. No one is really looking forward to "Rex Manning Day" except cashier Corey (Liv Tyler), an overachieving student headed for Harvard University who has a schoolgirl crush on Rex, and plans to lose her virginity to him. Corey's best friend and fellow cashier Gina (Renée Zellweger), a more adventurous and free spirit than Corey, encourages Corey in her pursuit of the much older Manning.

Empire's owner, Mitchell Beck (Ben Bodé), arrives to collect the missing deposit, but Joe covers for Lucas and plays for time by handing Mitchell a bag full of loose receipts. AJ (Johnny Whitworth) confides in Joe that he loves Corey, and has chosen Rex Manning Day as the day he tells her. Lucas returns and rather than show repentance or guilt, calmly and repeatedly insists that everything will somehow work out, much to Joe's growing confusion and frustration. Joe forbids Lucas to leave the store (or even the couch in the break room) until he is able to repay the $9,000.

Deb (Robin Tunney), another store employee, arrives. She, as usual, is hostile and antisocial to the rest of the staff. She immediately locks herself in the bathroom, where she impulsively shaves her head. As she exits the bathroom, AJ sees that her wrists are bandaged and she admits that she attempted suicide. It is revealed that Deb and Berko (Coyote Shivers), a local rock musician and another store employee with whom Deb is romantically involved, have recently had a fight, but Deb insists that he was not the reason for her suicide attempt.

A young shoplifter who identifies himself only as Warren Beatty (Brendan Sexton III) is apprehended outside the store by Lucas. Soon after, Rex Manning arrives with his assistant Jane (Debi Mazar). Manning is condescending toward Joe, the rest of the staff, and his fans. Corey demands to bring Rex his lunch and awkwardly attempts to seduce him during his lunch break. When Manning responds with a crude pass, Corey runs off in embarrassment. A lovesick AJ finally attempts to tell Corey how he feels about her. Corey, emotionally overwhelmed by her encounter with her idol, tells AJ that she cannot handle his admission. Crushed, AJ abandons his plan. In the meanwhile, both Joe and Berko attempt to reach out to Deb, who refuses to explain her behavior or the circumstances that led to her bandaged wrists. Deb buries herself in work, but is clearly upset. As the afternoon progresses, the plan to convert Empire Records into a Music Town is revealed, and Joe admits that he had hoped to buy Mitchell out. However, Joe will now have to use his money to replace what Lucas lost, and Empire Records is now doomed to become a Music Town.

The afternoon continues to spiral downward. Corey accuses Gina of encouraging her ill-advised behavior around Rex. Outraged at the accusation and seeking to hurt Corey, Gina seduces Rex Manning, much to the horror of her friends. When Corey confronts her, calling her a slut, Gina retaliates by revealing Corey's secret amphetamine habit, which helps her stay up all night studying. Corey has a hysterical episode and has to be physically restrained by Joe. Uncharacteristically, Deb shows sympathy towards the always perfect Corey having a near meltdown and helps calm her. Corey, after hearing about Deb's suicide attempt, arranges a "funeral" for her where all her friends gather around and say things that they love about her. Lucas reveals that Joe actually rescued him from the orphanage as a teen, and was trying to repay him for his kindness. Deb admits she tried (and failed) to kill herself.

During the mock funeral, "Warren" returns with a gun and holds up the store. Deb boldly confronts Warren, confusing him and distracting him from his plan, and the rest of the staff persuade Warren into admitting that he only returned because he felt kinship with the rest of the misfits in the store, leading Joe to offer him a job. After the police leave, Lucas admits defeat, and suggests calling Mitchell. However, his friends and coworkers (along with Jane, who has quit working for Rex), pool their resources to replace the missing money. Despite their best efforts, they are thousands short. Suddenly inspired, Mark runs out of the store and impulsively jumps in front of a news crew covering the hold up and announces a late night benefit party/concert to save Empire. Between AJ's art, various money raising efforts by the rest of the staff, a rooftop concert featuring Berko and Gina, enough is made to replace the money Lucas lost. Joe and Lucas return the money to Mitchell, and promptly quit. Mitchell, appalled at the debacle and the prospect of managing the store without Joe, offers to sell it to him. Joe agrees. Corey tells AJ that she really does love him, too, but that she now hates him for doubting his ability to succeed in art school. AJ tells her he has quit the store, and has been accepted to an art school in Boston, and they finally kiss.