Black and White (1999)

Not much in this world has changed.

A huge cast of actors, rappers and celebrities (including Brooke Shields, Mike Tyson, Robert Downey Jr. and Ben Stiller) play out a drama that unfolds as black and white America combine — and abrade — on Manhattan’s streets. This film examines the burgeoning influence of the urban rap scene on middle-class high school kids.

The film acts out as if it were a documentary. With parts being informative about privelaged kids acting black gangsters, and also about the actual story at hand.

The one very cool thing about this film is that almost all the lines are improvised. Which makes this film seem a lot more real than you would believe. You got all these different blends of entertainment hitting together and it such a realism to the whole element of this study o hip-hop culture and life style.

The film isn’t just about identity mixed with the culture but its also about the culture itself. The film right from the get-go shows that this movie is all about the sex, drugs, and violence that comes along with the life style.It shows the raw nature that some of these white kids nowadays don’t understand and would be wrong to act like their apart of.

The only problem with this piece, is that there is no real message. With plenty of ensemble pieces at the end of the film there is almost always some sort of timely message that we can all relate to. However with this one, if there is one I couldn’t really tell cause it got jumbled around so much for no reason. When the ending happens your confused on what you actually watched was a film about culture identities, or a film about how crazy the hip-hop culture is getting.

The acting in this film good, though its not really acting but a lot of them are going real well together. The problem was that a lot oif the cast was full of rap artists that did kind of look awkward out on the screen, as they were kind of forcing their lines into oblivion just saying fuck over 20 times to get their point across. The best is actually Ben Stiller who is in a dramatic role, and every time on-screen does very very very well, and to be truly honest should stick with drama for now on.

Consensus: The plot is complicated and the message isn’t brought out well, but Black & White has great improv mixed with good performances, and a compelling atmosphere.

7.5/10=Rental!!