Deval Patrick: The “A Reason to Believe” Interview

with Kam Williams

Headline: Reflections on Going from the Ghetto to Governor’s Office

Deval Laurdine Patrick was born on July 31, 1956 in Chicago where he and his elder sister, Rhonda, were raised by their mother, Emily “Mae” Wintersmith, in the home of their maternal grandparents after she was abandoned by her husband. Their absentee father, the late Pat Patrick, was a legendary jazz saxophonist who recorded and performed with everybody from Duke Ellington to Miles Davis to Thelonious Monk to Sun Ra.
Deval exhibited enough promise in junior high to land a scholarship to Milton Academy, a prestigious boarding school located in Massachusetts outside Boston. From there, he went on to earn both undergraduate and law degrees at Harvard University.
He subsequently worked with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and then as an Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights under President Clinton. He also enjoyed stints as general counsel at Texaco and Coca-Cola before deciding to run for Governor of Massachusetts, a position he has held since 2007. Last fall, he made history by becoming the first African-American in the United States ever to be re-elected as a governor.
Deval and his wife Diane, who is also a lawyer, have a couple of college-age daughters, Sarah and Katherine. Here, he talks about his autobiography, “A Reason to Believe.”


Kam Williams: Hi Governor Patrick, thanks for the interview.
Deval Patrick: You bet. Thank you.

KW: I really enjoyed your autobiography on several different levels. But I should tell you right off the bat that I played in a group with your dad back in the day during my very brief jazz career.
DV: Come on?

KW: It’s true. And I even got to record on an album with him once with the Sound Awareness Ensemble led by Robert Northern, aka Brother Ahh. Your father was a very positive influence on my life.
DP: Oh, wow! I might have guessed that, because he paid a lot of attention to younger musicians.

KW: Absolutely! And not just in terms of music, but as far as diet and nutrition, too. And that was also a pivotal period in my personal development when I took my African name, Kamau.
DP: I remember how my dad was so into herbal solutions and health food well before that stuff became popular.

KW: I hesitated to bring this up, because in your memoir you reflect upon the pain you felt because of being neglected by him for so many years.
DP: I remember once when I was about six, after my parents had split, an occasion when my father was passing through town because he was playing with Count Basie at the Regal Theater on the South Side of Chicago, a famous destination. He picked me up and promised to take me for ice cream after the show. But he had me waiting in the wings, and I just remember being knocked over by the sound which was too much for the ears of a little kid. And I was bored and kept asking, “Is it over yet? Can we go now?” Another time, I was in a smoky club where he was playing with Thelonious Monk, who was probably his favorite person to play with. Even though, back then, I was frequently frustrated as a youngster who just wanted to spend time with his father, I can now appreciate that he was in the company of all these jazz legends and that he was completely dedicated to his art, albeit to the exclusion of everything else.

KW: I was in Boston much of the same time that you were in school there, the late Seventies, a period of virulent racism. I was run out of Fenway Park on Opening Day one year just for being black. I was so scarred by the incredible intolerance I encountered in the city that I left town as soon I got my degree and never looked back. So, it’s amazing to me that you could remain there and think they’d vote for a black man as their Governor?
DP: I was indeed here then, and had an experience sitting in the bleachers at Fenway Park which affected my appreciation of baseball for a long time. And a white friend with me was just as rattled. He didn’t know what to say. But Dr. King was right when he said that the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.

KW: Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier, who is French-Canadian, says: When I woke up this morning, I thought about how great is your country and that Dr. Martin Luther King didn't die in vain. Then, I discover that I have this amazing opportunity to send you questions for Governor Patrick. This is really special. I think that being a teacher is one of the most beautiful professions. Can you tell us how a teacher enriched your life?
DP: I had a sixth-grade teacher, this incredibly self-confident young woman who took the entire class to see the first opera I’d ever seen. She also took us to see “The Sound of Music” and used it as an opportunity to instruct us about the rise of the Nazis. She taught us how to count in German from a phrasebook. She was the first person who stoked my imagination in a way which made me feel like I could be a citizen of the big, broader world. So, I invited her when I graduated from prep school and from Harvard. A great teacher who is full of excitement and love for her students can make all the difference in their lives.

KW: Patricia observes that you became a partner at a Boston law firm when you were 34. She asks: What advice do you have for jurists from visible minorities to break the glass ceiling by becoming partners?
DP: That’s not an easy question. I think it’s absolutely obvious that you have to be prepared to sacrifice and to give it 100%, and then make it clear to everyone around you that you are not indifferent about the outcome of your efforts.

KW: Patricia also asks: Is it part of your administration’s plan to apply Geoffrey Canada's model for the Harlem Children's Zone in your state?
DP: I haven’t gone to visit his schools, but the man is obviously a genius who is doing the most interesting things in education. A lot of the innovations we’re trying to implement would look very familiar to him.

KW: Leon Marquis asks: Will you run for the presidency in 2016?
DP: [LOL] No, this is my last gig in elected office, as far as I can project ahead. Governor is the only office I’ve ever run for, and I did so in the first place because I felt that there was a contribution I could make right now in governing for the long term and by leading by values. I ran for a second term to finish the work we started. I’ll finish this out and return to the private sector, which I enjoy and miss in some ways.

KW: Cameron Williams, a recent graduate of the Williston Northampton School in Western, Massachusetts asks: How was your experience as a young African-American male in prep school?
DP: It was like landing on a new planet. Everything from the dress code to the way people spoke to what their home lives were like.

KW: Bostonian Irene Smalls asks: What achievement are you proudest of in your career to date?
DP: I’m proudest of my two daughters, and the handful of other children my wife and I have helped to raise in the sense of living by your values and passing on your values.

KW: Irene asks: To what do you attribute your election and re-election in a state with such a small minority population?
DP: I very much believe in values-based leadership, and that the values that I believe in and try to govern by are transcendent values. They have nothing to do with race or even with political parties. Secondly, I think nothing substitutes for the power of the grassroots by showing them the courtesy of going to them where they are and inviting them to take part in the political process.

KW: Larry Greenberg says: I read that, when you were younger, you received some attention from an organization called A Better Chance. What would you encourage Americans to do to help other at-risk children realize their potential?
DP: Well, I think that’s all about investing time in them. I believe children are hungry for the company of adults. At the time I was growing up on the South Side of Chicago, many families were broken, but it was still a community because back then every child was under the jurisdiction of every single adult on the block. If you messed up in front of Mrs. Jones, she would straighten you out, and then call your mother before you arrived home. What I think those adults were trying to get across to us, Kam, was that they had a stake in us. They were trying to teach us that being a member of community involves recognizing the stake that each of us has not only in our own dreams, but in our neighbors’ as well. I’m so grateful to A Better Chance that it will receive a portion of the proceeds of this book.

KW: Harriet Pakula Teweles asks: What has been your most important achievement as governor and what’s still on your agenda that you feel most needs to be addressed before you leave office?
DP: Improving the quality of the schools and their ability to reach all the children who were being left behind, kids with special needs… poor kids… kids who speak English as a second language. That’s both my biggest achievement and my unfinished work, because I know both as a governor and from my own life just how transformative a great education can be.

KW: Harriet says: Your father refused to sign your application to the Milton Academy. Does one lose his or her African-American "identity" by attending an exclusive, predominantly-white prep school?
DP: My father’s biggest worry was that I would lose my black identity at a place like Milton Academy. But I’ve learned over the years that identity has a whole lot less to do with location or other people’s expectations than with your own sense of self and self-confidence.

KW: Harriet also asks: Did you and your dad ever reconcile?
DP: Fortunately, yes, and I discuss it at length in the book.

KW: Tracy Ertl asks: What do you think of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ ex-girlfriend Judge Lillian McEwen’s new autobiography which belatedly vindicates Anita Hill?
DP: I’m ashamed to have to admit that I haven’t read it yet. But I’ve known Anita for years, from even before the Supreme Court confirmation hearings. She’s a person of total integrity.

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?
DP: [Laughs] No. You know what Kam? I feel sort of questioned out.

KW: What was the hardest subject to talk about in the book, your estrangement from your father, your wife’s battle with depression, or something else?
DP: I think it was writing about Diane, which of course I wouldn’t have done without her permission. The beauty of Diane’s triumph over depression is that in going public about it, she saved a lot of lives. She gets mailing confirming that daily.

KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?
DP: Oh yeah.

KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?
DP: I am joyful, every day.

KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a good laugh?
DP: [Chuckles] This afternoon at lunch. It was great.

KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure?
DP: Dark chocolate, around this time, late in the afternoon.

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?
DP: I am reading “The Warmth of Other Suns.” It’s gorgeous. It discusses all my old neighbors in Chicago.

KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What are you listening to on your iPod?
DP: You have to forgive me. It’s mostly jazz classics. And also a lot of John Legend.

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?
DP: I like it all. It depends on the season.

KW: The Uduak Oduok question: Who is your favorite clothes designer?
DP: I can’t help you with that. I’m not much of a clothes horse.

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?
DP: you know who I’m looking for? My grandfather Poppy, who was one of the most dignified and kind people I’ve ever known.

KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?
DP: Can I have two. I always want to be fifteen pounds lighter. And I’d also like enough money and time to guarantee that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will be stronger for another generation.

KW: Do you ever wish you could have your anonymity back?
DP: Sure, but one great thing about being a black man is that if you put on a hat, you can move around unnoticed.

KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?
DP: Sitting at the kitchen table at the age of three when my father poured a glass of milk on my sister’s head.

KW: What has been the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome?
DP: My own impatience.

KW: The Flex Alexander question: How do you get through the tough times?
DP: Through prayer, taking time to reflect, and by staying busy.

KW: The Rudy Lewis question: Who’s at the top of your hero list?
DP: Nelson Mandela tied with Martin Luther King.

KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
DP: Persevere! Never, ever, ever give up!

KW: The Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?
DP: It’s way too soon for that. I’ve got another fifty years in me, I hope.

KW: Thanks again for the time, Governor, and best of luck with the book and the balance of your second term in office.
DP: Thank you, Kam. This has been great.

TRON: Legacy BLU-RAY

Blu-Ray Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Scintillating Sci-Fi Sequel Showcases Next Generation Special F/X

Released in 1982, the original TRON was a futuristic thriller starring Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, a programming genius/video arcade owner who somehow ends up physically deconstructed and teleported to a digital world after hacking into a software company’s mainframe computer. Then, while lost in cyberspace, he’s forced to survive by participating in a series of life and death gladiatorial games.
Set 20 years later, TRON: Legacy revolves around Kevin’s orphaned son, Sam (Garrett Hedlund) search for his dad after being accidentally sucked into the same parallel universe. Soon captured, he proves to be no match when pitted in an arena battle against CLU (Codified Likeness Utility), a diabolical digital copy of his long-lost father programmed for evil.
Sam is saved in the nick of time by Quorra (Olivia Wilde), a warrior who arranges a father-son reunion at a hideout off the grid in a place called the Outlands. From this point forward the trio’s quest is essentially to find the portal back to reality.
Worth its while for the next generation special f/x alone, especially when witnessed in 3D, TRON: Legacy marks the directorial debut of Joseph Kosinski. For the engaging plot takes a back seat at every turn to the magical roller coaster ride provided by the visually-captivating cinematography featuring an ethereal landscape highlighted in neon.
Note: Should you opt to invest in the 5-Disc Combo Pack, your reward will include not only the original TRON and its extras, but the Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray 2D DVD and Digital Copy versions of TRON: Legacy, as well as a smorgasbord of featurettes.

Excellent (3.5 stars)
Rated PG for sci-fi violence and mild epithets.
Running time: 125 Minutes
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
5-Disc Combo Pack Extras: Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray 2D, DVD and digital copy of TRON: Legacy, “Visualizing TRON,” “Installing the Cast,” sneak peek at the Disney XD animated series “TRON: Uprising,” “The Next Day: Flynn Lives Revealed,” “Disney Second Screen: TRON: Legacy,” “Launching the Legacy,” “Disc Roars,” Dafy Punk music video “Derezzed,” plus all the bonus features from Tron: The Original Classic Special Edition.

Arthur

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Reckless Playboy Risks Inheritance in Romantic Comedy Remake

Bon vivant Arthur Bach (Russell Brand) stands to inherit a billion dollars as the sole heir of a fortune controlled by his widowed mother, Vivienne (Geraldine James). But because the eligible bachelor’s been nothing but a constant source of embarrassment, the imperious, family matriarch is considering cutting him out of her will entirely.
For this flamboyant flexisexual’s tawdry exploits always seem to end up splashed across the tabloids, whether he’s being caught exposing himself in a limo by the paparazzi or waking up in bed with a couple of teenage transvestites. Worst of all, Arthur’s also a staggering, speech-slurring drunk who carries a flask and seizes on any flimsy excuse to imbibe. Consequently, his only close friend is Hobson (Helen Mirren), the loyal nanny/confidant who’s been tucking him into bed and reading him to sleep at night since he was a toddler.
Fed up with watching her reckless offspring fritter away both his trust fund and his future, Mrs. Bach decides that settling down with a socialite is the only way that her petulant playboy will ever be forced to mature. So, she secretly arranges for him to wed Susan Johnson (Jennifer Garner), the daughter of a Manhattan real estate tycoon (Nick Nolte).
Against his better judgment, Arthur agrees to proceed only after his mom levels an ultimatum: either marry her or lose your inheritance. The engagement is announced and soon New York City is abuzz about the impending nuptials with Town & Country Magazine devoting a cover story to the high-profile couple.
Meanwhile, Arthur becomes consumed with overwhelming regret when he wakes up to the fact that his heart already belongs to Naomi Quinn (Greta Gerwig), a free-spirited tour guide he recently met inside Grand Central Terminal. He suddenly knows that she’s the one for him, even though she’s just a commoner who still lives with her dad (Peter Van Wagner) in a modest tract house in Queens.
It’s not long before Arthur shares his misgiving with Susan about the “macabre conspiracy to railroad us into a loveless marriage.” However, his bride-to-be will have none of it, nor will his mother who is mortified to learn of his association with a lowly lass from the wrong side of the tracks. Thus, Arthur finds himself on the horns of a dilemma: whether to forsake a limitless fortune to be with the woman of his dreams or to enter a marriage of convenience to continue living in the lap of luxury.
So unfolds Arthur, an ill-advised remake of the 1981 classic co-starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minelli, and for which Sir John Gielgud won an Academy Award playing Hobson. First of all, I’d like to think that our sensitivity about alcoholism has evolved over the intervening years to the point where we consider it a serious affliction, and wouldn’t want to be so callous as to laugh at a lead character hopelessly in the grip of the disease, anymore than we’d find a film revolving around a hapless heroin addict hilarious.
The second major flaw is that where Moore imbued Arthur with an impish, endearing vulnerability, Russell Brand interprets him as a brazen and unapologetically-audacious lout. Maybe that’s more in line with the mindset of a spoiled-rotten, 21st Century schizoid heir, but it also makes for an awfully-unlikable protagonist.
Even this version’s anti-climactic finale is an almost insulting, tension-free afterthought which pales in comparison to the original’s exuberant Hollywood ending with a cherry on top. Arthur 2.0, not exactly an upgrade.

Fair (1 star)
Rated PG-13 for sexuality, profanity and pervasive substance abuse.
Running time: 110 minutes
Distributor: Warner Brothers

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Harry Potter 7 Released on DVD

It stands to reason that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be the next-to-last offering in what is already the most lucrative film franchise in history, unless author J.K. Rowling succumbs to fan pressure to extend her best-selling series of children’s novels. This installment covers the first half of the seventh and presumably last book, with the final adaptation slated to be released in July.
The formulaic film is basically a special effects-driven adventure leading to another epic showdown between righteous and rogue wizards. At the point of departure, we find Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his pals, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), dropping out of Hogwarts because the Ministry of Magic has fallen into the hands of the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and the diabolical Death Eaters.
Voldemort convenes a meeting with his minions during which he conspires to kill Harry using a powerful wand borrowed from Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs). Meanwhile, Potter and his pals hatch a counter plan to destroy the seven Horcruxes said to contain the key to Voldemort’s immortality.
Our intrepid heroes’ ensuing quest takes them into an enchanted forest where, without the guidance of their professors, they are forced to mature quickly in order to survive a host of supernatural ordeals testing not only their wits but their bonds of loyalty. Speaking of maturing, the adventure makes some minor concessions to their budding sexuality courtesy of sensual interludes and eroticized violence.
Still, the movie is mostly about wave after wave of hazardous encounters with dark forces much in the manner of a typical video game. Engaging and entertaining, yes; yet, for all the spells and potions and eye-popping CGI, in the end not much of consequence ever transpires to advance the storyline toward a resolution.
A water-treading sequel sans emotional momentum which simply serves as a setup for this summer’s grand finale.

Very Good (3 stars)
Rated PG-13 for intense violence, frightening images and brief sensuality.
Running time: 144 Minutes
Distributor: Warner Brothers Home Entertainment
3-Disc Blu-Ray Combo Pack Extras: Sneak peek of Harry Potter 8, additional scenes, soundtrack documentary, DVD version and digital copy of the film, promotional trailer, interactive journey with the cast and crew, and numerous other featurettes.

Behind the Burly Q (DVD)

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: “Revealing” DVD Revisits Golden Age of Burlesque

With roots in 19th Century vaudeville and minstrel shows, burlesque enjoyed its heyday in the United States in the 1930s when it emerged as the country’s most popular form of live entertainment until the advent of television, porno films and the women’s movement would signal its demise. The genre originally featured both comedians and dancers backed by a live band, although eventually the striptease acts came to be the only things the audiences wanted to see.
The curvaceous cutie pies who plied their trade as ecdysiasts are proud members of “America’s Greatest Generation,” that rapidly-disappearing set whose ranks are thinning at an alarming rate as they pass away due to old age. But thanks to actress-turned-director Leslie Zemeckis their contributions to the culture have been preserved for posterity, recounted in fascinating fashion in this revealing documentary cobbled from a combination of file footage and dozen of interviews with historians, surviving strippers and many of their offspring.
Although these aging senior citizens may just be a shadow of their former selves physically, the life stories they share here show that time has not diminished their inner beauty one iota. Most, we learn, adopted colorful stage names like Blaze Starr, Tempest Storm, Evangeline the Oyster Girl, Little Egypt, Sally Rand, Lady Midnight, Alexandra the Great, White Fury, TNT Red, Kitty West, Gilded Lili, The Sexquire Girl, The Ball of Fire, Gypsy Rose Lee and Bingo. But sadly, behind the glamorous facades were mostly sad tales about how they had basically been driven into the profession by dysfunctional families and/or money woes caused by the Great Depression.
For example, Evangeline the Oyster Girl says she turned to the relatively-easy money of burlesque after watching her mother work herself to the bone in the cotton fields. Coal miner’s daughter Blaze Starr started taking her clothes off after her dad developed Black Lung disease. With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, Tempest Storm can now see that in her case she pranced around in her birthday suit because she was looking for the father she never knew.
Regardless, it seems that one of the occupational hazards of the job was unstable relationships, as some subjects bemoan never tying the knot while others report marrying four or five times. Then there were those who had mental problems, drank or were addicted to pain killers, the ostensible fallout of a career spent on the road traveling from town to town to get next to naked for perfect strangers.
Apparently, each woman tried to include something memorable in her routine to attract repeat customers. One says she got skin poisoning from dyeing her hair green. Another did yoga on stage, while Sally Keith’s claim to fame was having such control over her pectoral muscles that she could send her tassels swinging in opposite directions and in perfect time to the musical accompaniment.
A fun-filled tribute to the Golden Age of Burlesque which belatedly restores a little dignity to its underappreciated, socially-ostracized performers.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 98 Minutes
Distributor: First Run Features
DVD Extras: Three featurettes, bonus interviews, burlesque timeline, photo gallery and the theatrical trailer.

Kam's Kapsules: For movies opening April 15, 2011

OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam's Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
by Kam Williams
For movies opening April 15, 2011


BIG BUDGET FILMS

The Conspirator (PG-13 for violence) Robert Redford directs this courtroom drama about slave owner/Confederacy sympathizer Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), the only female arrested as an accessory to John Wilkes Booth’s (Toby Kebbell) plot to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. Talented cast includes Academy Award-winner Kevin Kline, Oscar-nominee Tom Wilkinson, plus James McAvoy, Evan Rachel Wood, Stephen Root and Justin Long.

Rio (PG for mild, off-color humor) Animated family comedy about a domesticated macaw from Minnesota (Jesse Eisenberg) who embarks on an exciting adventure after conquering his fear of flying to make a daring escape from captivity with the bird of his dreams (Anne Hathaway). Voice cast includes Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, will.i.am, Jamie Foxx, Leslie Mann, George Lopez, Sergio Mendes and Tracy Morgan.

Scream 4 (R for profanity, underage drinking and graphic violence) Revival of Wes Craven slasher franchise finds protagonist Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) returning to her hometown for the first time in ten years only to find herself again stalked by the serial killer Ghostface (Roger L. Jackson). Ensemble cast includes Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Anthony Anderson, Rory Culkin, Hayden Panettiere, Emma Roberts, Kristen Bell and Anna Paquin.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Armadillo (Unrated) Afghan War documentary shot by a journalist and cameraman embedded for half of 2009 with a unit of young Danish soldiers stationed in a dangerous region of Helmand province teeming with Taliban. (In Danish with subtitles)

Atlas Shrugged: Part 1 (PG-13 for sexuality) Initial installment of sci-fi trilogy based on Ayn Rand’s 1957 novel of the same name revolving around a railroad executive’s (Taylor Schilling) attempt to keep her business afloat amidst a crumbling American infrastructure. With Paul Johansson, Michael O’Keefe and Jon Polito.

The Double Hour (Unrated) Convoluted crime thriller, set in Turin, about a lonely, ex-cop (Filippo Timi) who falls head-over-heels for a Slovenian chambermaid (Ksenia Rapaport) he meets at a speed-dating bar only to have their whirlwind romance turn tragic when they venture to the country for a weekend getaway. (In Italian and Spanish with subtitles)

The First Beautiful Thing (Unrated) Prodigal Son flashback flick about a misanthropic college professor (Valerio Mastandrea) who returns to his hometown to care for his terminally-ill mother (Stefania Sandrelli). With Micaela Ramazzotti, Claudia Pandolfi and Marco Masseri. (In Italian with subtitles)

Fly Away (Unrated) Poignant coming-of-age drama about a single-mom (Beth Broderick) grappling with the challenge of how to handle her increasingly-independent autistic daughter (Ashley Rickards). With Greg Germann, J.R. Bourne and Elaine Hall.

Footprints (Unrated) Hollywood whodunit about a young woman (Sybil Temtchine) who awakens with amnesia one morning facedown on the famous sidewalk in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater where she proceeds to spend the rest of the day trying to piece together her identity. With H.M. Wynant, Pippa Scott and John Brickner.

The Imperialists Are Still Alive (Unrated) NYC romance drama about a French immigrant (Elodie Bouchez) who finds it hard to focus on her blossoming love affair with a Manhattan med student (Jose Maria de Tavira) when she learns of the CIA’s detention overseas of her childhood sweetheart as a suspected terrorist.

Phillip the Fossil (Unrated) Midlife crisis drama about an aging party animal’s (Brian Hasenfus) quest to find meaning in life beyond hedonistic self-indulgence. With Ann Pallica, Sarah Nicklin and Tom Sullivan.

The Princess of Montpensier (Unrated) 16th C. costume drama about a teenage heir to the French throne (Melanie Thierry) who would rather wed her handsome young cousin (Gaspard Ulliel) than the aging nobleman (Lambert Wilson) she’s been promised to. (In French with subtitles)

A Screaming Man (Unrated) Dysfunctional family drama, set in Chad against the backdrop of civil war, and revolving around a prideful swimming pool attendant (Youssouf Djaoro) who resents his young son (Dioucounda Koma) for taking his job when the upscale hotel where he works is purchased by new Chinese owners. (In French and English with subtitles)

Square Grouper: The Godfathers of Ganja (R for underage illegal drug use) A seriocomic documentary depicting Miami’s Marijuana trade in the Seventies.

The Strawberry Letter (BOOK REVIEW)

The Strawberry Letter:
Real Talk, Real Advice, Because Bitterness Isn’t Sexy
By Shirley Strawberry
With Lyah Beth LeFlore
Foreword by Steve Harvey
One World Books
Hardcover, $22.00
186 pages
ISBN: 978-0-345-52550-5

Book Review by Kam Williams

“I’ve been Shirley’s partner in radio for over ten years now… I am amazed by how she manages to balance her personal and professional life—especially as a single mother.
‘The Strawberry Letter’ is one of our most popular features on the show. Shirley’s advice is the more sensible approach, quite contrary to what my answers are…
You’re gonna be able to take these letters and Shirley’s experiences and advice and apply them to you daily lives, and I know it’s going to work out really well for you as a result.”
--Steve Harvey in the Foreword (pgs vii-viii)

Comedian/actor/deejay/author Steve Harvey spawned a veritable cottage industry of black love advice books when he published “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man” back in 2009. But none of those imitators which have come along since has matched the success of that runaway #1 best-seller. However, he now has serious competition in “The Strawberry Letter“ which was coincidentally written by Shirley Strawberry, co-host of Steve’s nationally-syndicated radio program.
This tome takes its title from a regular segment on the show where they read and respond to oft-bizarre letters from listeners in search of counsel on a host of relationship issues. Here, Shirley not only answers inquiries from the lovelorn, but also draws upon a wealth of her own experience as a veteran of the battle-of-the-sexes to come up with a sensible plan likely to land you on a successful life path.
Highlights range from a promiscuous 21 year-old who admits that “I always jump into bed too soon with men,” to a kissin’ cousin wondering whether it’s wrong that she’s sleeping with a relative she’s had a crush on “since I was a young girl,” to a guilt-ridden cougar who is pregnant by a nephew of her husband about half her age. Even if you can’t exactly imagine yourself in such kinky predicaments this well-reasoned how-to is nonetheless worth its while for the entertainment factor alone.
Sure, Shirley does dole out decent advice, but the bulk of the fun for this reader was in the jaw-dropping, Jerry Springer-themed dramas she’d been asked to referee. Shirley! Shirley! Shirley!