I am a tremendous John Leguizamo fan and avidly support him and his films. I must preface my assessment with that so you can see my biases. I was afforded the outstanding opportunity of watching an advanced screening of this film last night to which Kathy DeMarco (Exec. Prod.) attended. She informed us that this was the culmination of 5 years of work. This was a particularly exciting experience for me because it was Leguizamo's directorial debut. From the opening moment the film was interesting and enjoyable. It represented a fairly accurate presentation of the street and a particular lifestyle. Knowing how much time when into the preparation for this film I was slightly discouraged because I really felt he was rehashing some old material here. He plays a young street guy trying to make his way up the ladder, he makes, forgets his friends, and then realizes he needs them again. Sounds a lot like "Empire" to me! I had to ask where the risks or challenges were in this role for him. As far as the directing I was really impressed and look forward to seeing more. The music was phenomenal and the boxing scenes were very realistic. There were no cheesy, obviously fake punches or choreography. This was a terrific movie and had he not just done "Empire" I think I would feel even more strongly about it. Finally, the ending stirred up some strong responses from the crowd - so be prepared...A good movie with great directing, great performances, great music, and an ok script. You decide for yourself...
