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Reviews:
Baltimore!: Liberty
Heights
by
Christian De Matteo
Super
I saw Liberty Heights in the theater, and I often wonder if
I was the only one who did. The
film came out to astounding reviews and then floated silently into
oblivion. Why?
No nods at the Oscars or even at the more astute Golden Globes,
nothing.
But I loved it.
To describe it as a Jewish Bronx
Tale would be an unfair generalization… but I will anyway because
it’s the best way to give you a quickie idea of the film.
Add to that writer/director Barry Levinson’s (Diner,
Tin Men, Avalon, Disclosure) massive talent for writing lovable, REAL
characters in real, but often outrageous scenarios, take away a lot of The
Bronx Tale’s violence, add a cute Jewish grandmother, and there’s
your movie, plus a ton of laughs and some very touching moments.
The movie is the Levinson’s fourth installment in his Baltimore
series of films, movies greatly inspired by his childhood in Baltimore.
The detail that sold me on the movie is how it deals with the 1950s
and the prejudices and stereotypes of the time.
I felt a breath of fresh air pulse through the screen when one of
the main character’s friends tells him that he can’t go out with the
black girl in his class because her father is a doctor and he’s just a
low class Jewish boy. I
remember thinking, that’s a take
I’ve never seen on film about interracial dating. The movie is original throughout, with many such pleasant
surprises.
Levinson has an ear for dialogue and every day conversation that is
truly amazing. It’s hard to
remember at times that you are indeed watching a movie and not an actual
conversation, complete with bizarre segues and nonsensical comebacks that
actually do make sense. All
the quirks of human interaction are captured in Levinson’s pen and he
follows up by getting actors to pull them off perfectly.
His casting of Ben Foster, Adrien Brody, Joe Mantegna and the
excellent Bebe Neuwirth was a stroke of inspiration.
Liberty Heights is
quietly powerful, approaching like a fun little, unimportant coming-of-age
story and then sneaking up on you with heavy implications and a deep,
surprising ending. I though
this was one of the very best written films of 1999, beautifully crafted
and perfectly directed. I
defy you not to run the gambit of responses when Ben has an odd occurrence
in Sylvia’s room.
The movie is nothing short of being a highly enjoyable and very re-watchable
film. It’s a movie I wish
had gotten a lot more recognition and hope I can do my part to encourage
people to see this quality film. I can’t imagine you won’t enjoy it too.
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