Our Song

Starring:Kerry Washington, Anna Simpson, Melissa Martinez, Marlene Forte, Raymond Anthony Thomas, Rosalyn Coleman, Carmen LÃ³pez, Tyrone Brown (II), Lorraine Berry, Natasha Frith, Chuck Cooper, Iris Little Thomas, Kim Howard, Juan Romero Jr., D'Monroe, Shortee Red, Tommy Axson, Tyrus Cox, Taheim Washington, Starla Benford
Director: Jim McKay
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

In Our Song, director Jim McKay takes the same concerns as in his debut, Girls Town--friendship, poverty, and suicide--and crafts a superior film. While Girls Town felt like a somewhat privileged look at underprivileged life, Our Song feels as if it were written by the young women themselves: Lanisha (Lift's Kerry Washington), Joy (Anna Simpson), and Maria (Melissa Martinez). In fact, the trio really was involved with Brooklyn marching band the Jackie Robinson Steppers when McKay recruited them to star in this Michael Stipe-produced effort, and the marching sequences in the film provide a rousing counterpoint to the difficulties with which the girls are grappling. When one of the 15-year-olds discovers she's pregnant, already-frayed relationships are strained to the breaking point. Our Song always rings true and is all the more admirable--and affecting--for its refusal to conform to the conventions of most Hollywood teen movies. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

The sweet joy and bitter anguish of contemporary teen life is movingly explored in this 'remarkable (The New York Times) coming-of-age tale set in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn. Breathtaking (L.A. Weekly) and astonishing (The Washington Post), Our Song delves deep inside the complex lives of three girls who, despite all the odds, discover the indomitable spirit that survives within them. Late summer finds inner-city best friends Maria, Joycelyn and Lanisha at a crossroads. Though once inseparable, they drift apart when their high school abruptly closes and Maria discovers she's pregnant. As Joycelyn rejects school for a paycheck and Lanisha opts to continue her education, each girl must chart a new course for herself but can their friendship survive?

Customer Reviews:

Relevant plot; poor movie.......2006-08-07

If this movie were a book, I'd have probably liked it. There were relevant topics that many teenagers need to see: teenage pregnancy, deadbeat dads, drugs, sex, friendship, suicide, motherhood, parent disconnection, peer pressure, etc. The movie writer(s) came up with pretty reasonable dialogue and the scenes fit the scenes of the area. But this movie was shot like an afterschool special. I don't know what the budget was but it looked like someone just walked around with a video camera and a stand to sit the camera on, said "Action," and people started talking. The plot was slow, many actors/actresses had limited lines, the acting was a little dead, and some of the scenes lasted too long. There was a scene when a couple kissed after smoking weed, but the scene lasted forever with them kissing; another scene where a couple looked in each other's eyes with no dialogue which lasted too long; at the end of the movie one of the characters sat on the train staring out the window and the only thing happening was her facial expressions; a scene where one girl walked down the street for a few minutes but the only thing that happened was a car honked after two minutes; and many more. It's like the director forgot to call "Cut" through half of the movie and instead let it linger.
In a movie, viewers need to see steady action, continuous dialogue, and speed, but this movie had the pace of a turtle. The girls didn't seem very well-rounded either. They did the sad/mad scenes very well, but when it came to being happy or sick, it was pitiful, which wasn't a surprise to me considering Kerry Washington's scenes in that terrible movie "Save the Last Dance" were just as dry.
To top it all off, there were two scenes about mochachino. One scene was in a cafe where two girls tried to encourage another one to get it and talked about how good it was. This scene lasted quite a few minutes: about a drink. Then there was ANOTHER scene where the girl who was new to drinking this mochachino went to her friends and described the taste of it in detail. Why did something so irrelevant need to be in two scenes? If I would've had this script in hand, I'd have crossed out half of it.
This had the potential to be a very good movie, but it needed a different cast, director, and producer in order to do it. Maybe people in their teenager years who are less critical of how a movie is shot will connect with these characters, but I did not, and I love almost any movie or television show about high school or college (ex: Higher Learning, A Different World, School Daze, Drumline, ATL).

I love Kerry Washington.......2005-10-23

I saw this film earlier today, and I was amazed at how accurate the dialog is for the main characters. It didn't feel like a film - it felt more like a documentary (part I like best). The leading ladies in this film seemed as real to me as any 15 year old girls I know.

Real Talk.......2005-01-29

I believe that the movie was wonderful, I also like the fact that it can relate to a everyday life that young people go through. The movie showed many ups and downs that everyday people go through in the Ghetto. One main thing I like is that each person had a choice to make in their life, in a very short time and all i can say is that's real you can't get no real then that..I respect the director for this flim and hope he makes more like this one.

good movie.......2004-07-16

This movie I seen on cable tv,on starz.It was a good movie about the average life of young teenage girls who like to party,have guys and try their best in school at the same time.I liked the idea of the movie how the girls always try to keep the other up so they could succeed together, thats what true friendships are for.I felt sad that they seemed 2 grow apart in some ways. but its always good to give your friends some space.It sometimes helps build stronger frienships. I also liked how the all of them had jobs, and whatever bad qualities(character)they had it all showed & there was no sugar coating the lives of these young teenagers because none of them were totally innocent & neither are the ones that are out on the streets today... a real good movie to rent ;)

I loved it.......2004-02-24

With me being 16 I could relate to certin points in the movie I loved it and I thought that It really captured what teens deal with on a day2day bases and If I wasent going throght something that was hit on inthe movie I new someone who was this is the 1st movie that I've seen where the situations where real to me. Id have to say Maria was my fav. character in the movie and all the girls are talented and I really enjoyed the movie.

Average customer rating:

Nuestro Canto Our Song

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Product Features:

Nuestro Canto Our Song
apostolic assembly
faith christ jesus
latino apostolic movement

ASIN: B000H7KOFC

Product Description

apostolic history and music from 1906 to today Nuestro Canto Our Song the apostolic assembly of the faith in christ jesus a 103 mexican american hymn writer and patriarch of the apostolic assembly of the faith christ jesus and one of the composers profiled in this innovative video documentray which chronicles the history and music of the latino apostolic movement. combining rare documentary photos compelling narrative engaging interviews and foremost exciting concert footage .running time 118 min

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