Bandslam is a 2009 musical-comedy film directed by Todd Graff. The film follows Will Burton (played by Gaelan Connell), a high school student who is constantly bullied and ridiculed by his classmates for being different. He has a passion for music and is an avid fan of the band David Bowie. His life changes when he meets a fellow music lover, Sa5m (played by Vanessa Hudgens).
Sa5m is a mysterious and quiet girl who is also an outcast. She becomes Will's unlikely ally when they both sign up to help a popular but troubled classmate, Charlotte (played by Alyson Michalka), to win a band competition called Bandslam. Charlotte wants to win the competition to get back at her ex-boyfriend, who is the lead singer of a rival band.
Will and Sa5m team up with Charlotte and recruit other misfit musicians to form a band called I Can't Go On, I'll Go On. They spend hours practicing and bonding over their shared love of music. As they get closer, Will and Sa5m start to develop feelings for each other, but they struggle to express them due to their social awkwardness.
As the competition approaches, tensions rise, and the group must come together to perform a song that will wow the judges. They put on an incredible performance that not only impresses the judges but also unites the school and brings the outcasts to the forefront. In the end, Will and Sa5m end up together, and the message of the film is that true friendship and love can come from unexpected places.