Crooklyn
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Movie Reviews of Crooklyn
Movie Review: A Great movie about Family
Summary: 4 Stars
"Crooklyn" is a nostalgic story of the ups and downs of an African-American family living in 1970's Brooklyn . It is probably the second best movie that director, Spike Lee has ever made. Lee's best was the classic 80's flick "Do the Right Thing".But while "Do the Right Thing" was about ethnic tensions, racism and strife, "Crooklyn" is a film about love.In the movie we meet the Carmichael family. They yell, scream, call each names, even get into physical fights.But it is very evident, that love is very strong among this large brood.Dad (well played by Delroy Lindo) is a musician who is trying to create some honest music thats important to him. Mom (fabulously played by Alfre Woodard) is pulling her hair out, trying to keep this inner city family's finances above water, while trying to stop the kids from killing each other.But the film really centers on 9 year old Troy (Zelda Harris) who shows us the ins and outs of her family life and the close Brooklyn neighborhood that she is growing up in. Juvenile actress, Zelda Harris gives us an amazing starring performance that is totally believable. The movie is pretty much autobiographical (Lee wrote it with his sister Joie)and it richly lays on the 1970s nostalgia with cultural references among other things to "Soul Train", the "Patridge Family", Walt Fraiser, and baseball stategamatic.The film also has a wonderful soundtrack which is packed with '70s R&B and pop music from groups like the Jackson 5, the Spinners, Curtis Mayfield, the Staple Singers and Sly and the Family Stone.In fact, my favorite part of this movie is the opening credit sequence, where you hear Marc Dorsey's "People Make the World Go Round", while the film shows us the neighborhood's children playing various sidewalk, kids games.Between Soccer practice and video games, do kids even do this anymore? I just love this movie and I highly recommend it!Movie Review: I just like the movie.
Summary: 4 Stars
I guess this picture gets less attention than most of Spike Lee's other films. I generally like Lee, even though I don't like everything he does. This film caught me, brought me into it, and stayed with me, which I give Lee credit for being able to do well. I don't see it as a mess of reflections or arbitrary story-telling, as the editorial review says. The emotional life of the daughter is very well-realized through the story-telling, without being sentimental or simplified. Actually, that's what stood out to me after I first saw it; even though it's not just about the girl, there are not too many movies that capture the relevant joy, frustration, and point of view of an ordinary girl like this one does, especially coming from a man. Just look at the scene at the end when she combs her sibling's hair the way her mother used to, even though she hated it when her mother did it. It's subtle, yet says so much. I can't help it; I like movies that pay off if you let yourself get lost in them. I was happily lost in this one.Movie Review: Funniest sofa-bed scene in the history of movies!
Summary: 4 Stars
There is much to commend "Crooklyn". Each shot is composed with a level of craftsmanship and creativity approaching Hitchcock, and the rich visual ideas just keep coming at you. In particular, I loved how the glue sniffers moved along the sidewalk upside down to suggest their state of mind, and the way the whole Maryland episode was shot in a smashed-in distored fashion to underscore that it was "squeaky clean" suburbia that was stifling and strange (and thus potentially damaging) to little Troy, not her crowded Brooklyn neighborhood. And what's nice is that these visual ideas don't exist is a vacuum, but are housed in a genuinely good movie. The episodic story is funny, touching, involving, and rings true from start to finish. The movie also has what must be the funniest sight gag involving someone opening a sofa-bed in the history of movies. But to say more would be a crime-- see it for yourself! And, rest assured, you'll enjoy the rest of "Crooklyn", too.Movie Review: no title
Summary: 4 Stars
Another wonderful film of Spike Lee's. Reminiscent of "Do The Right Thing" with the neighborhood flavor, odd characters, a richness of detail and editing. But expecting it to be funny and light, I was disappointed. The family was always fighting and Alfre Woodard always yelling at her sons. I do have trouble with that. But they all seemed to love one another and the episode of Troy with her southern aunt was very well done, except for the odd way it was filmed. And the little girl who played Troy was effective in her role. Woodard is a truly gifted actress. I've liked her in everything she's been in. She should've gotten an Oscar for "Passion Fish". It never ceases to amaze me - the range of films that Lee has made. All of them good; most of them exceptional. Only Woody Allen comes close to such a body of work. Lee's characters are just so believable in their humanness. It's like you're looking into their lives and troubles and joys.Movie Review: SPIKE LEE'S CROOKLYN
Summary: 4 Stars
This Spike Lee joint tells the funny, but also sad story about life growing up in Brooklyn in th Early '70's through the eyes of a no-nonsense mother, a struggling-musician father and their 5 children. The music of that time was great and you get to hear some of it throughout the movie like The Stylistics, The Staple Singers & Aretha Franklin just to name a few. Also, clips from nostaglic commercials and TV shows like The Partridge Family and Soul Train (the first season) are also featured in this story that makes this movies worth watching.
And I think the formula used for CROOKLYN may have been some sort of inspiration for the 2002-2005 NBC show AMERICAN DREAMS since they were both produced by Universal Pictures.