Plot
An 11-year-old boy gets a crash course in what it means to be a man when he spends a day with the ex-convict uncle he idolizes.
Release Year: 2012
Rating: 4.8/10 (257 voted)
Critic's Score: 52/100
Director:
Sheldon Candis
Stars: Common, Michael Rainey Jr., Dennis Haysbert
Storyline An 11-year-old boy gets a crash course in what it means to be a man when he spends a day with the ex-convict uncle he idolizes.
Writers: Sheldon Candis, Justin Wilson
Cast: Common
-
Vincent
Michael Rainey Jr.
-
Woody
Dennis Haysbert
-
Mr. Fish
Danny Glover
-
Arthur
Charles S. Dutton
-
Cofield
Meagan Good
-
Beverly
Lonette McKee
-
Grandma
Michael Kenneth Williams
-
Det. Holloway
(as Michael K. Williams)
Russell Hornsby
-
Det. Pratt
Hayward Armstrong
-
Lil Baby
Todd Anthony
-
Scorekeeper
(credit only)
Chris Clanton
-
Grover Coulson
-
Cosmo
Telisha L. Davis
-
Doctor
John Doty
-
Bank Employee
Taglines:
Follow your hero. Or become your own man.
This is not cinema, should have been a movie on Lifetime.
Rating:
I saw this at a film festival and went into it with an open mind.
However, once the director came out and gave a 15 minute intro about
the film instructing the audience on "how to watch" his film and "what
to think about" when viewing it, it's safe to say I was already pretty
annoyed. Then the film... well, where do I start.. watered down grit?
Lifetime movie? Wannabe Hollywood cliché veiled under (counterfeit)
indie-wood aesthetic? Give me a break. Save the Last Dance had more
realism and heart. Then he came out after the film was over and did a Q
and A that I thought would never end. He claimed the film was a
childhood fable when trying to defend the absurd ending. But wait, I
thought it was initially a "gritty" drama based in realism, what? I
guess the genre changes based on what criticism you're defending at the
moment. Sorry Sheldon, watch The Wire and get back to me for east coast
realism. Watch the Spirit of the Beehive and get back to me.. maybe you
could learn what a real fable dealing with children looks like and how
it functions in cinema, not a Hallmark channel film. Lastly, I applaud
you for making a film, it's no easy feat, the kid in your film is great
too. But do yourself a favor as an artist, realize less is more. You're
not a motivational speaker, keep your comments short... because to be
honest the more you talk the more you shoot yourself in the foot.
Unless you're planning on screening your film(s) exclusively to kids
and the elderly in the future, give the pedantic lectures a rest
because from watching your film, you're the one who needs a lesson in
cinema.
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