Black and White Movie Review 1999

Director Toback attempts to investigate white kids' facsination with black hip-hop culture by creating an intriguing combination of pseudo-documentary and urban melodrama, with cameos and performances by professional celebrities alongside professional actors. In the more effective part of the film, Shields is a documentary filmmaker asking rich white kids why they're into hip-hop. This section also includes Robert Downey as her gay husband hitting on Mike Tyson (playing himself in one of the film's strongest scenes). The part that doesn't work as well is the more conventional storyline (which seems added to satisfy studio executives looking for straight narrative) involving an undercover cop (Stiller) bribing college basketball star Dean (Houston) to throw a game in an attempt to get at Dean's best friend Rich (Power), a drug kingpin turned rap mogul. While the parts don't add up to an entirely satisfying whole, the journey is worth the interesting ride.

Distribution

Not Yet Released

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 98 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Urban Drama, Basketball, Cops, African America

Screenplay

James Toback

Cast

Scott Caan, Robert Downey, Stacy Edwards, Gaby Hoffman, Jared Leto, Marla Maples, Joe Pantoliano, Brooke Shields, Power, Claudia Schiffer, William Lee Scott, Ben Stiller, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Elijah Wood, Mike Tyson, James Toback, Allan Houston, Kidada Jones, Bijou Phillips, Raekwon

Cinematography

David Ferrara

Director

James Toback

Producer

Screen Gems