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Crown Heights

  • TV Movie
  • 2004
  • R
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
159
YOUR RATING
Howie Mandel and Mario Van Peebles in Crown Heights (2004)
Drama

After the Crown Heights riots, an orthodox Rabbi and a community activist help two youths--one a Hasidic Jew, the other African-American--form a hip-hop group to heal their neighboorhood.After the Crown Heights riots, an orthodox Rabbi and a community activist help two youths--one a Hasidic Jew, the other African-American--form a hip-hop group to heal their neighboorhood.After the Crown Heights riots, an orthodox Rabbi and a community activist help two youths--one a Hasidic Jew, the other African-American--form a hip-hop group to heal their neighboorhood.

  • Director
    • Jeremy Kagan
  • Writers
    • Michael D'Antonio
    • Toni Ann Johnson
  • Stars
    • Mario Van Peebles
    • Howie Mandel
    • Jeremy Blackman
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.5/10
    159
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jeremy Kagan
    • Writers
      • Michael D'Antonio
      • Toni Ann Johnson
    • Stars
      • Mario Van Peebles
      • Howie Mandel
      • Jeremy Blackman
    • 8User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 2 nominations total

    Photos1

    View Poster

    Top cast34

    Edit
    Mario Van Peebles
    Mario Van Peebles
    • Paul Richards
    Howie Mandel
    Howie Mandel
    • Rabbi
    Jeremy Blackman
    Jeremy Blackman
    • Yudi Simon
    Dequan Henderson
    • T.J. Moses
    Jason Blicker
    Jason Blicker
    • Moshe Simon
    Liza Balkan
    • Rivka Simon
    Hart Boykin
    Hart Boykin
    • Black Man - Interviewed
    David Lawrence Brown
    David Lawrence Brown
    • Officer
    • (as David Brown)
    K.C. Collins
    K.C. Collins
    • Bazel
    • (as Chris Collins)
    Darlene Cooke
    Darlene Cooke
    Rufus Crawford
    Rufus Crawford
    • Mr. Moses
    Bob Cryer
    Bob Cryer
    • Rabbi
    Dominic Daniel
    Dominic Daniel
    • Muslim Spokesman
    Kevin Duhaney
    Kevin Duhaney
    • Darren
    Jake Epstein
    Jake Epstein
    • Aron Kraemer
    Sara Farb
    Sara Farb
    • Devorah Lazerson
    Michele Ferney
    Gil Filar
    • Tvzi
    • Director
      • Jeremy Kagan
    • Writers
      • Michael D'Antonio
      • Toni Ann Johnson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews8

    5.5159
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    Featured reviews

    10rrrina

    ~ awesome flick promoting tolerance ~

    This is an amazing movie based on the true story of Dr. Laz, the Lubavicher Jew who, along with an African American preacher, set out to promote tolerance by joining young Jews and African Americans together to create a basketball team and a rap group. I find it incredible that in the midst of the chaos and rage in the area after the Crown Heights disasters of Gavin Cato and Yankel Rosenberg's deaths, they found the strength and inspiration to plant these wonderful seeds of compassion. Howie Mandel does a fabulous and believable job of portraying Dr.Laz and Mario van Peebles does equally well in bringing to life a character who is actually based on two real-life people combined. I highly recommend this film for both its entertainment and educational value.
    8selena2004

    Watch it and see what you think

    This film is actually quite good it's just the director kills it a little bit this film deserves more credit to be honest. The acting is good but i admit it's not one of the greatest films I've ever seen but if Steven Spielberg directed this movie it would be fantastic. Watch this movie it's interesting and bits of it are funny don't just not watch it cause it isn't the most popular film in the world. You could be missing out on a lot... it's based on a true story of how a Jewish guy and a black boy become best friends despite the differences WATCH IT!XXXX XXXX XXX XXX XXXXX XXX XXX XX XXXX KLM KLJ KHJ KBHJG YDRRDCF GDRESXD FZWEQA RGSFGC FGJVJ HGKU.BJBJ HBJ KH ;L sorry for the random words i couldn't think of what else to say
    ckb7-1

    You just have to be there!

    Just rented the DVD and saw/heard the movie in 5.1 surround. Since I was at Crown Heights two weeks before and two weeks after the riot in 1991, I can vouch for some of the movie's authenticity. Despite any shortcomings the entirety of this production is so grand it is a highly meaningful and noble enterprise.

    Howie Mandel plays a legitimate serious role (wow!). He captures joys and struggles in Crown Heights that occur in that locale even until this day. The relationship between the Minister and Rabbi Howie - and between the Black and Orthodox teenage boys - is in fact realistic

    both in their frustrations, upsets and cooperative unification in behalf of common aims. The final dance scene says it all.

    And what's so strange about that? Blacks and Jews have worked well together before, and with the energy in "Crown Heights," they will do so again. As the Rebbe proclaimed, "We are all part of one community under one G-d."

    Jeremy Paul Kagan put an excellent TV movie together. Now let's see an extravaganza big screen version. How about it, Steven Spielberg and Jeremy Kagan?

    Peace. Love. Mazel Tov! ~ Dr.Cliff
    Sleepy-17

    peace through hip-hop?

    Well-meaning but incredible, this film depicts the inter-racial killings and their aftermath in Crown Heights. All the acting is good, and Howie Mandel is especially a surprise. A few sad scenes, and a few funny ones. But the key to the entire plot, the friendship between a Jewish and a Black teenager, has no motivation and just seems pasted in place. ** ** ** ** **
    1germanalpha

    Why the hell did I just watch that?????

    I'm glad my DVD player decided 65% though the movie to stop playing the movie. Why did someone make this movie? It's hilarious when Mario Van Peebles drives up in his creepy child stealing van and says one word to a group of looters and they run like antelope. I think whoever wrote the script to this movie was high on drugs that nobody knows about because they don't exist anymore. This movie was made on a computer running windows 95. It doesn't really make sense, but when I saw that Jewish kid dancing and rapping, I felt violated and uncomfortable. I took the DVD out and returned it to the store. Rock on London, Rock on Chicago, Wheaties the breakfast of champion.

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    Drama

    Storyline

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 16, 2004 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Émeutes à Brooklyn
    • Filming locations
      • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Dufferin Gate Productions
      • Showtime Networks
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 33m(93 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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