This was one of the worst "hood" movies that I've ever seen. (I'm also from the "hood") very annoyed when Dennis and his friends are talking and every sentence ends with "man".
shareWhat hood are you from? And how old are you? The dialogue was accurate for the time...
shareI agree, I thought it was one of the worst "hood" movies that I have seen too. The acting was a joke.
[deleted]
Worst "hood" movie? Please--I found it WAY more realistic than some of these fake 'hood gangsta flicks (GHETTO DAWG PT 1 & 2,anyone?) that are all about shooting,robbing,pimping and being the next big baller or whatever. This film was actually showing that there are actually people living in a ghetto 'hood that are just trying to get through life day at a time, and not everybody in the 'hood wants to be/or can be a drug dealer and a pimp, or be running the streets all the damn time. The film was also shot in a real 'hood--the Red Hook housing projects (where director Matty Rich grew up) Keep in mind this was an independent production---this wasn't some Hollywood big-budget crime flick----meaning the director (only 19 at the time himself) could only afford to cast some of his friends and whatever local actors he could find for the film. It's hard as hell for most ADULTS to get a made,let alone a teenager who'd never made one before. I just saw this last weekend on a local cable station here in Detroit (Channel 38) and it was cool to see the movie again, especially since I've come to like Larry Gilliard's work (THE WIRE,BROTHER TO BROTHER,and his way-too-brief role in GANGS OF NEW YORK--I suspect a lot of his part woulnd up on the cutting room floor of this troubled production) a lo more since--this was his film debut, and he handles it very well.
After the film ended on Channel 38, a brief interview with Matty Rich popped up---it was interesting to see what he looks like now---he's still a young guy though. He was saying how people were still responding to his film 16 years later and how he got e-mails from people all around the world saying that they could relate to the family's situation in the film and that it's not just a black film but a universal film, in that sense. I disagree with him there--I think films that depict a specific perspective and experience---it's that same perpective & exp. that make them so unique in the first place. I thought this film's specific African-Amercian perspective was what gave it its uniqueness. It's a shame his film career was so short, but he's still young enough to make a comeback if he wants to---I also liked his 2nd film, THE INKWELL,which I felt got unfairly panned at the time of its release.
Thoughtful post.
It's been so long since I've seen this movie that I honestly can't remember some of it but I agree that the movie was realistic if not anything else.
I enjoyed The Inkwell and thought it was well-directed. I would like to think that if the film were released today (we are post-every Black movie has to be a "hood" tale for audiences/reviewers to favorably respond to it, aren't we?) that it would receive fair praise.
If you think of it as "a 19-year-old guy directed this" then it's a good first effort. I agree that the acting was good. Regardless, it turned me off "hood" movies. Hell, it turned me off all movies for a few days.
Reality keeps on ruining my life.
Since my last post I finally got around to watching this again after God knows how many years. Larry Gilliard is fantastic! This is a great first film and deserving of all its praise, especially considering that Rich was a 19-year-old kid working on a shoestring budget. This film really delivered, in my opinion.
I also did a little searching and found that the screenwriter of The Inkwell, Trey Ellis, was wholly disappointed with Rich's treatment of his work, so much so that he opted to be credited under a pseudonym. He said that his work was about upwardly mobile, upper-middle class Black folks and Rich didn't think that was realistic, or that the characters were "black enough." Given Rich's age at the time and background, I can understand how he could find this world of "Black elites" foreign and unrealistic. I understand the screenwriter's dismay but, not knowing his vision when I first saw the film, I enjoyed it. I still like it. It's a good, underrated coming-of-age movie.
Here's the article: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302010,00.html
[deleted]
I watched it and thought it was Straight up Bu!!sh!t! Even as a first effort. There were too many issues with the story. What was more amazing was his ability to get the film financed. Interesting indeed.
shareAnd when is your debut masterpiece going to be released angryhermit50?
PS: I hope you haven't missed the opportunity to best Matty Rich and prove your superiority as a young filmmaker before your 17th birthday.
Oh, yes, the age old retort of 'where is yours'. How original. If you enjoyed the film, fine, please continue to do so with my compilments. I, however, did not. Which I am equally entitled not to. It's all relative and subjective. My experience and opinion doesn't have to mirror yours. Or vise versa. It was probably late (I'm quite the insomniac) and I may have had a bit too much wine when I threw in the BS part(my apologies), but the rest of my opinion still stands(which I don't apologize for). Much love and peace to you.
shareMost hood movies are sensationalized to keep the general mainstream audience interested. This movie was very accurate as to how the characters and storyline are portrayed. It's very theme and story-oriented. Yes, the movie is very amateurish but the first-time director was a teenager with a non-existent budget that he raised on his own through credit and donations.
share