Ninth Street Movie Review

Two old men (Don Washington and Kevin Willmott as Bebo and Huddie) reminisce about how Junction City, Missouri, went downhill from a thriving jazz mecca during World War II to a dilapidated, crime-ridden street during the Vietnam War. Ninth Street took seven years to make on a rock-bottom budget and its intentions are nobler than the final product. There are some intriguing actors and fine dialogue here, but Ninth Street does not transcend its origins as a stage play, even with pros like Isaac Hayes and Martin Sheen in the cast. The drama escalates a bit in the last third of the film, if you can stick with it beyond the talky first hour. Queen Bey is excellent as Mama Butler. Played at San Francisco's Indie Fest in 1999.

1998 98m/B Don Washington, Kevin Willmott, Nadine Griffith, Byron Myrick, Isaac Hayes, Queen Bey, Kaycee Moore, Martin Sheen; D: Tim Rebman, Kevin Willmott; W: Kevin Willmott; C: Troy Paddock; M: Wayne Hawkins.