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★★★★☆ If distinguished Us auteurs Woody Allen and Spike Lee amalgamated their cinematic perceptions and concerns into a single project, chances are it would end up closely resembling Gimme the Loot (2012), the feature debut of resident New Yorker Adam Leon. After competing in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and subsequently going on to win the Narrative Feature Grand Jury Prize at SXSW in the same year, Leon's film arrives boasting a fair amount of positive buzz that's completely warranted; an authentic, charming story of desperation and the desire to leave one's mark.

Set over two balmy summer days in and around the hustling Bronx borough of New York City, Gimme the Loot sees two frustrated teenage friends Malcolm and Sofia (competently played by Ty Hickson and Tashiana Washington, respectively) embarking on a mission that will bring their passion for graffiti to a publicly-broadcasted crescendo. After a...

Chicago – The world of the movies is also a world of discovery. Like new, hot authors, the breakthrough directors emerge with an original first work that generates deserved attention. Writer/director Adam Leon has created that freshness in the his debut feature, “Gimme the Loot.”

Rating: 4.0/5.0

This is an inspired urban comedy, with casting choices that are letter perfect. To think that New York City graffiti artists are looking to score the ultimate tag is a precious MacGuffin (the Alfred Hitchcock term for something in a film that seems important but doesn’t end up that way), and the foul mouthed pursuers of this truth measure the levels of their wackiness through a bizarre cityscape barometer. Writer/director Leon generated the fun through the grit of the mean streets and the dogged determination of the raw, winning performances from his cast.

Malcolm (Ty Hickson) and Sofia (Tashiana Washington) are hard-luck graffiti artists from the Bronx.

Title: Gimme the Loot Director: Adam Leon Starring: Ty Hickson, Tashiana Washington, Zoë Lescaze, Adam Metzger After bowing at Cannes, writer-director Adam Leon’s “Gimme the Loot” was a 2012 festival staple, and it’s easy to see why. A slim, low-budget coming-of-age tale whose richness lies entirely in its interstices, it’s a keenly observed work that celebrates the unfettered joys of youth, and rewards viewers by reminding them of the power of a simple tale told well. Bronx teenagers Malcolm (Ty Hickson) and Sofia (Tashiana Washington) are best friends but not romantically involved. Instead, they’re bound together by their love of tagging. When a rival gang of graffiti artists deface one of their beloved [ Read More ]

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Chicago – The Independent Spirit Awards, to be announced at the ceremony on February 23rd, got a jump start on a few of their accolades last weekend. Adam Leon, director of the soon-to-be-released feature “Gimme the Loot,” took home the “Someone to Watch Award.”

“Gimme the Loot” is a one of a kind journey by two New York City youths, who happen to be graffiti artists. They are motivated to tag of one of the city’s showiest symbols – the “Big Apple” home run celebration symbol of the New York Mets. Their adventure consists of trying to raise the $500 dollars it will take to complete the assignment. This is Adam Leon’s debut, and he previewed the movie in October at the Chicago International Film Festival. The breezy and surprisingly funny romp is a testament to youth and its possibilities.

Tagger Characters in ‘Gimme the Loot,’ Directed by Adam Leon

Photo credit: Sundance Selects

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At the world premiere of "Gimme the Loot" at the SXSW Film Festival, writer-director Adam Leon said he'd been working on reshoots only a few months ago. That encapsulates the quality driving this delightfully scrappy first feature about young New York graffiti artists, a stitched-together combo of outlaw energy and bittersweet romance that gives the impression of Little Rascals in the big city. Like the graffiti art it documents, it's a lovingly handmade affair. Leon's pair of stars are Bronx teens Malcolm (Tysheeb Hickson) and Sofia (Tashiana R. Washington), a platonic couple who spend their days tagging rooftops with their distinctive logos. The endeavor gets troublesome when a rival gang enters their turf and scribbles on their art. That's one of two main storylines; the other involves Malcolm's attempt to swindle an affluent stoner (Zoë Lescaze) after gaining access to her apartment as a drug dealer. But mainly, "Gimme the.