Straight Out of Brooklyn

I have seen at least 450 films from the "Urban" genre, and I have to say I am always perplexed by this film. If you are someone who is fussy about the aesthetics and the technical aspects of a film, you do not want to see this film. However, if you are looking for a film with strong performances by black actors, or a film with a look at life in the projects, this is the film for you. I think sometimes when we talk about project life we imagine a certain picture or image. This film deals a lot more with the mindsets of people in the projects. The most powerful performance is by George T. Odom, whose monologues and multi-personalities combine for a great example of a struggling black man. Larry Gillard Jr. is also in this film(the man who played D'Angelo Barksdale in HBO's The Wire) and he delivers a relatively impressive performance as a ordinary kid in the projects. Overall this is an impressive film with no budget. The one thing you need to be warned about is at times it is so low budget it will sometimes look as it was scenes from staged plays. I also wish the supporting cast was made up of better actors. I like this film, enough that i look at scenes from it once and a while when I myself am studying character archetypes.

This film boasts credible performances by the cast, including some powerful moments. The pacing is uneven at times, almost, but not convincingly, giving it a cinema verite feel. The makeup for the battered wife is obvious to distraction. It is certainly worth viewing, but one has to do so without comparing it to something a large studio would distribute. I would love to see what Matty Rich might produce with a larger budget.

Straight Out of Brookyln is a film similar to Boyz N The Hood, excpet it's set in New York. The film about three friends is very moving and deep and it's shame it didn't get a wider release. Matty Rich proved his talent with this film as a director, it's a shame that he didn't have the success he deserves.

Straight Out of Brooklyn (1991) was a great debut film for Matty Rich (who also co-stars as well). This low budget movie is about the poverty and desperate situation that people live in around the Redhook housing district. One person is a young man named Dennis, he's tired of seeing the effects of racism, drugs and poverty that plague his family and those around him. He decides to make some money fast so he could improve his family's current condition. His family is sadly affected as well. Pop's is under the strong influence of alcohol and his mother is the victim of his violent out bursts. The mother refuses to seek help or stand up to his physical and verbal abuse. When he's not tying one on, Pop's is a great guy. Can Dennis escape the depressing life of Redhook or will he become just another statistic?

Matty Rich made a strong showing with his hard hitting debut but suffered from the dreaded sophomore jinx. His next film The Inkwell wasn't bad but it couldn't stand up to his first. Maybe he'll come back into the mix and make another movie that'll be as great as Straight Out of Brooklyn. Don't give up Mr. Rich.

Highly recommended.

This film has many flaws, but many strengths as well. Many luminaries in the film industry have openly criticized this film. I feel much of this is unjustified, because a lot was done on a miniscule budget here. There is also a great performance in George T. Odom's portrayal of the fed up father who has been beaten down by racism. Anyone who has grown up in a low income household can relate to that situation. The ending is sad and real. Also especially noteworthy is Harold Wheeler's excellent and despondent musical score.