Lackawanna Blues

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91%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 4,559

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Lackawanna Blues Photos

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Movie Info

In the 1950s and '60s, young Ruben Santiago Jr. (Marcus Franklin) lives in a lively boardinghouse in the blue-collar town of Lackawanna, New York, with his father (Jimmy Smits) after his parents separate. Run by the motherly Nanny Crosby (S. Epatha Merkerson) and her taciturn husband (Terrance Dashon Howard), the boardinghouse residents, including The Bandleader (Mos Def), singer Pauline (Macy Gray) and cabaret owner Dick Barrymore (Ernie Hudson), teach the young boy about life and art.

Rating:

TV14
Genre:

drama
Original Language:

English
Director:

George C. Wolfe
Release Date (Streaming):

Jan 16, 2007
Runtime:

1h 35m

Cast & Crew

S. Epatha Merkerson
Rachel "Nanny" Crosby

Marcus Carl Franklin
Ruben Santiago Jr.

Yasiin Bey
The Bandleader

Jeffrey Wright
Mr. Paul

Jimmy Smits
Ruben Santiago Sr.

Terrence Howard
Bill Crosby

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Critic Reviews for Lackawanna Blues

Even in deep-pore close-ups, it's not stagey in the slightest; it's been crosscut to a Godfather-ly fare-thee-well, and there are some Orson Welles palm prints all over a snow-globe shot.

January 23, 2018 | Full Review…

John Leonard
New York Magazine/Vulture
It's a wonderful lead performance.

January 31, 2005

Richard Roeper
Ebert & Roeper
Quote not available.

December 6, 2005 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Film Threat
Everyone's efforts were sadly wasted.

August 26, 2005 | Rating: 1.5/5

Phil Hall
Film Threat
Bursting at the seams with talented performers, no one misses a beat, conjuring up an atmosphere so vivid, you can taste it.

February 19, 2005 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review…

Amber Wilkinson
Eye for Film
An invigorating movie full of sexual energy.

February 11, 2005 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…

Harvey S. Karten
Compuserve
Quote not available.

February 1, 2005 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Film Threat
Quote not available.

January 25, 2005 | Rating: 1.5/5 | Full Review…

Film Threat

View All Critic Reviews (8)

Audience Reviews for Lackawanna Blues

Oct 09, 2010

This movie has a lot of heart and makes me wish I had a "Nanny"!

Sarah P Super Reviewer
Apr 29, 2009

I LOVED this movie!! S. Epatha Merkerson was a great matriarch in this film, loved Macy Gray, loved everyone in this film!!

Remi L Super Reviewer
Aug 05, 2006

[font=Century Gothic]"Lackawanna Blues" is based on the autobiographical play by Ruben Santiago-Hudson about his experiences growing up an unorthodox childhood in a rooming house owned and ran by Rachel "Nanny" Crosby(S. Epatha Merkerson) in the fifties and sixties in a largely minority neighborhood in Lackawanna, New York. After Ruben's parents are unable to care for him, Nanny takes him in as she has so many other people.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Lackawanna Blues" is an entertaining movie with a great cast including Delroy Lindo, Rosie Perez, Terrence Howard, Jimmy Smits, Louis Gossett, Jr and Jeffrey Wright. The film has a potent sense of time and place but it does seem a bit too nostalgiac towards segregation-era America.(The film points out that Nanny helped out the way the government would have if it worked properly.) [/font]

Walter M Super Reviewer