Liberty Kid (2007)
Average Rating: 7.1/10
Reviews Counted: 15
Fresh: 13 | Rotten: 2
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 7.7/10
Critic Reviews: 8
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 0
No consensus yet.
liked it
Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 130
Movie Info
Director Ilya Chaiken explores the lives of Tico and Derrick, two friends and former Statue of Liberty employees who lost their jobs in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. Tico is a quick-tempered youth who responds to his unemployment dilemma by dabbling in petty street crime and half-baked scams. Meanwhile, Tico's friend Derrick becomes convinced that the only means of providing for his family is to finally give in to the persistent Army recruiters
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All Critics (15) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (2)
[Director] Chaiken has a keen eye and ear for street-level realism and an evident love of the city's as-yet-ungentrified fringes.
Top CriticThere is no shortage of films about the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but there is a lack of good ones. The low-budget indie Liberty Kid, produced by downtown auteur Larry Fessenden, is one of those that succeeds.
Evident throughout is Chaiken's ability to patiently build a scene without fanfare or artifice.
Even though Liberty Kid is a small film, much of it is deeply poignant; it enhances our compassion for all the ghosts of Sept. 11.
Chaiken's subtle narrative touch, along with the exceptionally strong performances of leads Al Thompson and Kareem Savinon, gives this one a rare emotional pull.
Top CriticThere's not a single wrong note in Liberty Kid...
almost anthropological in its careful attention to colorful Brooklyn detail
The effects of Derrick's wars -- multiple, low-key, endless -- were in motion long before he went to Afghanistan.
As volatile as the subject matter is here, Liberty Kid is shockingly subtle. Massive aspects about the relationship between Tico and Derrick are only inferred and the performances of the leads are really quite good.
For all its good intentions, Liberty Kid ultimately disappoints.
Unanswered questions about Derrick's kids and Spanish-speaking mother abound, and their all-too-infrequent interactions point to a hard-knuckled realism about post-9/11 New York that begs to be seen.
The strong performances and Chaiken's vivid NYC locations, lend the film unexpected resonance.
Chaiken's focus drives home the fact that collateral damage comes in many forms and marginal lives are easily derailed.
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Movie: ID: 770681399 Title: Liberty Kid Release Date: 2008-01-09 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 6 Status: 1
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