Brotherly Love (FILM REVIEW)
Brotherly Love
Film Review
by Kam Williams
Shades of Romeo and Juliet Abound in Inner-City Saga Set in West Philly
Twins Jackie (Keke Palmer) and
Sergio Taylor (Eric D. Hill, Jr.) already had it tough
enough growing up in the ghetto before the untimely demise of their dad a few
years ago. But then their mother (Macy Gray) stopped functioning and started
hitting the bottle.
That’s when their big
brother, June (Cory Hardrict), became the family breadwinner, and it’s been a
struggle for him to keep a roof over their heads ever since. So, he started dealing
drugs hoping that his becoming an outlaw would at least enable his siblings to
keep their noses clean and continue pursuing their dreams. After all, Sergio is
one of the top high school basketball players in the nation, while Jackie is an
aspiring singer in need of a big break.
By comparison, the
living is easy for kids like Chris Collins (Quincy Brown) from “The Hilltop,” the
upscale enclave located just across the proverbial tracks. He’s a classmate of Jackie’s
at Overbrook High, where students from his ‘hood don’t mix with those from “The
Bottom,” especially in the wake of the gang warfare that recently claimed the
life of one of his cousins.
Chris has a crush on Jackie, and she
likes him, too. Under normal circumstances theirs would be a match made in heaven,
since his father is a famous record producer capable of launching a promising
talent’s musical career.
However,
complications arise reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet when the competing clans
suggest that the pair separate. Will the star-crossed lovers follow their
hearts or capitulate to the pressure from friends and relatives?
Written and directed
by Jamal Hill (Autumn), Brotherly Love is a gritty, inner-city saga of
Shakespearean proportions shot on location in West
Philadelphia. Provided you have a strong stomach for Ebonics laced
with lots of cursing and the N-word, you’ll likely find this super-realistic
adventure quite compelling.
As far as
performances are concerned, Keke Palmer is terrific in the lead role as Jackie.
She also belts out a couple of tunes on the soundtrack, including a
mesmerizing, closing credits rendition of the Harold Melvin R&B classic,
“Wake Up Everybody.” And the rest of the cast, especially Cory Hardrict, Romeo
Miller, Macy Gray, Eric D. Hill, Jr., Quincy Brown and Faizon Love, does a
great job creating the requisite edgy atmosphere that imbues the production
with a very authentic feel for the duration.
Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art though
Romeo? I be hanging with my homeys, mama!
Very Good
(3 stars)
Rated R
for violence, profanity and ethnic slurs
Running time: 111 minutes
Distributor: Liquid
Soul Media / Freestyle Releasing
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