Our Song (2001)
Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins
Theatrical Release: May 25, 2001 Limited
Synopsis: OUR SONG follows three very real high school girls over one summer in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Best friends and confidants, the girls--Lanisha (Kerry Washington), Maria (Melissa Martinez), and Joycelyn (Anna Simpson)--have different family situations, different romantic interests,... OUR SONG follows three very real high school girls over one summer in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Best friends and confidants, the girls--Lanisha (Kerry Washington), Maria (Melissa Martinez), and Joycelyn (Anna Simpson)--have different family situations, different romantic interests, different moral codes, and their own unique dreams. Their differences add a searching, inquisitive element to their conversations, and ultimately make them closer. They are all dedicated members of the Jackie Robinson Steppers, a community marching band that holds daily rehearsals in a local parking lot. The girls talk about mastering the instruments they play and impressing the conductor. They also have jobs. Joycelyn works at a makeup boutique; Marie and Lanisha work at a bakery. Sometimes they talk about what they'll do after high school, but most of their conversations are about the difficult immediate issues that face them daily. Their school is not going to reopen in the fall due to an asbestos problem, and they each must figure out how to find a new school with a good reputation, enroll, and commute each day. Pregnancy and teen motherhood are serious considerations for the girls, as many of their friends have babies. A compassionate, honest portrait of adolescent life in Brooklyn, OUR SONG is inspirational in the way its characters take it as it comes, and keep hoping for the best. Director Jim McKay uses a verité filming style that, in combination with the excellent performances from the actresses, makes the film look and feel like a documentary. [More]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: Kerry Washington, Anna Simpson, Melissa Martinez, Marlene Forte, Ray Anthony Thomas
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Reviews
At times, Our Song feels like a documentary, never once seeming forced or far-fetched.
Jim McKay’s “Our Song” is a bittersweet reverberation to the brittleness of friendship.
It's a film that tries so hard at being lifelike that it forgets to be entertaining.
While there are some minor flaws in "Our Song," it is a rich work that introduces three extraordinary young talents and marks a maturation in filmmaker [Jim] McKay.
A humbling, poignant alternative to the movies about teenagers we usually see. This one isn't about a party. It's about life.
Captures the ups-and-downs in the lives of three New York high school girls with surprising delicacy and honesty.
A truly fresh performance can do wonders for a movie, and Our Song has three of them.
Slow, talky and ultimately ambiguous, the film remains watchable thanks to the effectiveness of its three leads.
Anyone who understands the subtle shadings of friendship will appreciate Our Song's realistic slice of teen life.
That rare thing, an American movie that looks at teenagers' life with sensitivity and empathy and humanity.
Beautifully illuminates that poised-on-the-edge period of adolescence and the sad weight of leaving childhood behind.
It's not clear who is telling whose story, but it's obvious this song belongs to them all.
After watching Our Song, we leave with a very potent sense that these characters have become so real, they continue living beyond the close of the movie.
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by: _Dave 54 5/24/01


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