Black and White

Released in the year 1999, this movie was well directed, edited and also inventive in its way of telling a story of a documentary within a movie which explores the growing facination that white kids have with the hip-hop culture scene, starring an array of talented and famous actors, actresses, musicians and sports personalities, the story follows a rapper called Rich, who's big on the hip-hop scene, other characters include a couple, Sam and Terry who are the documentary filmmakers, filming the teens as they share their fascination with black culture, Sam and Terry's life seamlesly interchanges well with the other characters in the movie, such as the character of Raven, one of the fascinated and rebelious teens being documented who is always ready to voice her opinion through out the movie. When i heard that 'Wu Tang Clan' was involved with this project i had to watch it since i'm a fan, and rightly so because it did not disappoint, the story line was captivating enough to keep me interested in the characters and whats going to happen with them. There was a scene in which Mike Tyson who plays himself as an altercation with the character Terry, played by Robert Downey, Jr., which i found rather funny, Ben stiller is also in this movie playing the role of a sleazy cop, even Brett Ratner, a great director of hip-hop music video's and blockbuster movies such as 'Xmen: The Last Stand', makes an appearance as himself. Apparantly whiles filming, most of the scenes were improvised, which works well for this type of movie, all the cast members did a great job but the character that really stood out for me was that of Raven, played by Gaby Hoffmann, she nailed it. i would definitely recommend this movie if you're a hip-hop fan or just someone who likes watching a good movie.

Synopsis and trailer

Rich Bower (Power) is an up-and-coming star in the hip-hop world. Everyone wants to be around him, including Raven (Gaby Hoffman) and her fellow upper-class white high school friends. The growing appeal of black culture among white teens fascinates documentary filmmaker Sam Donager (Brooke Shields), who sets out to chronicle it with her husband, Terry (Robert Downey Jr.). But before Bower was a rapper, he was a gangster, and his criminal past comes back to haunt him and all those around him.



Plot

(Spoiler alert)

Sam (Brooke Shields) and her husband Terry (Robert Downey, Jr.), make a documentary in which they follow a group of white teens, Raven (Gaby Hoffmann), Charlie (Bijou Phillips), Will (William Lee Scott), Marty (Eddie Kaye Thomas) and Wren (Elijah Wood), who are fascinated with the culture and so go out to mingle with the black hip-hop crowd. A rapper by the named of Rich ( Oli "Power" Grant) who is a mover and shaker in the hip-hop scene is the guy to be seen with and who's apartment is a favored hang out spot for the in-crowd, including the group of white teens.
When Rich's friend Dean (Allan Houston, of the New York Knicks) who is a talented college basketball player, takes a bait to throw some games, he is left with a proposal from detective Mark Clear (Ben Stiller) to either give up his friend rich or go jail, Rich learns of this and in fear of Dean ratting him out for his criminal past, he asks one of the white kids that hang with him to do away with Dean.

Here's a music video from the all hip-hop soundtrack

Genre: Drama, Music, Crime
Directed by: James Toback
Produced by: Daniel Bigel, Michael Mailer, Ron Rotholz
Written by: James Toback
Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Gaby Hoffmann, Allan Houston, Jared Leto, Method Man, Joe Pantoliano
Bijou Phillips, Oli "Power" Grant, Raekwon
Claudia Schiffer, Brooke Shields, Scott Caan, Mike Tyson, Elijah Wood, Ben Stiller
Music by: American Cream Team
Cinematography: David Ferrara
Edited by: Myron Kerstein
Production company: Palm Pictures
Distributed by: Screen Gem
Initial release dates: September 4, 1999 (1999-09-04)
Running time: 1hr 38mins