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Cast

Adrien Brody
as Van Kurtzman

Ben Foster
as Ben Kurtzman

Orlando Jones
as Little Melvin

Bebe Neuwirth
as Ada Kurtzman

Joe Mantegna
as Nate Kurtzman

Rebekah Johnson
as Sylvia

David Krumholtz
as Yussel

Richard Kline
as Charlie

Vincent Guastaferro
as Pete

Justin Chambers
as Trey

Carolyn Murphy
as Dubbie

Anthony Anderson
as Scribbles

James Pickens Jr.
as Sylvia's Father

Frania Rubinek
as Rose

Kiersten Warren
as Annie

Evan Neumann
as Sheldon

Evan Neuman
as Sheldon

Kevin Sussman
as Alan

Gerry Rosenthal
as Murray

Charley Scalies
as Louie

Shane West
as Ted

Cloie Wyatt Taylor
as Gail

Carlton J. Smith
as James Brown

Susan Duvall
as Teacher No. 2

Elizabeth Ann Bennett
as Mary

Ellyn O'Connell
as Anne Whittier

Doug Roberts
as Assistant DA

Al Brown
as Bailiff

Kenny Raskin
as Burlesque Comic

Peter Wilkes
as Butler

Kimberlee Suerth
as Buxom Nurse

Mary Lynn Ray
as Woman in Court No. 1

Marty Lodge
as Defense Attorney

Gideon Jacobs
as Ben (age 8)

Jan Austell
as Judge

Timothy J. Scanlin Jr.
as Nick

Ralph Tabakin
as Phil

Shelley Stokes
as Box Office Attendant

Patsy Grady Abrams
as Woman in Court No. 2

Jay Hillmer
as Matt

Stan Brandorff
as Morris

Katie Finneran
as Mrs. Johnson

Kate Kiley
as Nurse

Jake Hoffman
as Turk

Joseph Patrick Abel
as Lenny

Sekiya Billman
as Halloween Stripper

Brenda Russell
as Singer

Barry Black
as Cantor

Dennis N. Math
as Rabbi

Judith Knight Young
as Teacher No. 1

Stephen Williams
as Wilbert Mosely

Ty Robbins
as Sylvia's Mother

Emily Chamberlain
as Ben's Teacher

Christian T. Dockins
as Flame

Kenny Pitt
as Flame

Zahmu Sankofa
as Flame

Paul Majors
as Party Fight Guy

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Critic Reviews for Liberty Heights

Audience Reviews for Liberty Heights

• Aug 22, 2011

  This is flawless filmmaking. Great storytelling and superb acting. 'Liberty Heights' is the movie 'Crash' wanted to be. The movie deals with race relations with intelligence. However, you know when the cinematographer is one Christopher Doyle the highlight of the movie is going to be the photography. It's impossible to look away when a true artist is saturating us with vibrant colours and wonderful compositions. It's beautiful, you can empty a thesaurus praising Doyle.
  

  Jonny B Super Reviewer
• Nov 10, 2007

  Life for Jews and blacks in 1950's America. That sentence pretty much sums up the film. There's no plot, instead it's a character-lead film but sadly the characters are so cliched that the film ends up being supremely mediocre. Brody is good but has nothing to do, it's Foster who has the most interesting storyline - it's just a shame it's Romeo + Juliet all over again. This film really could have done with some darkness or a threat (there's a kidnapping but the tone is way too light) to give it some grit and substance.
  Marcus W Super Reviewer
• Jan 11, 2007

  I watched this movie b/c it's about Baltimore. It was ok.
  Ida K Super Reviewer
• Oct 15, 2006

  Ada Kurtzman: No, there the other kind. Set in 1954 Baltimore, this is a coming of age story involving two Jewish boys, one in high school, one in college, both going after girls and dealing with the changing in times and issues of race, class, and religion. Ben Foster is the younger of the two, he plays Ben Kurtzman. His story revolves around his attraction to a fellow black girl in his class. The two hit it off, but there are various obstacles in the way of them hanging out together. Adrien Brody is the older brother, Van. He is basically the simplest character in the movie. All he wants to do is find a girl he met one night at a party, although this does provide the setup for a number of entertaining scenes involving he and his friends hanging in the "non-jewish" neighborhoods. You also have their parents played by Bebe Neuwirth and Joe Mantegna. This plot is the least entertaining, mainly cause it drags in another character. Mantegna runs a burlesque house and an illegal numbers operation. He gets into some trouble when a lottery game they have going needs to pay off much more than they can. This part leads to a character played by Orlando Jones that really doesn't help the movie much, besides give way to some story developments. Besides this character, the movie works very well. Foster is very good, as he is basically the main protagonist. Mantegna is just a cool guy in general, so he works. The chemistry between the friends is all very good. Director Barry Levinson, who has made a number of comedy-dramas, knows how to keep things pretty balanced and entertaining. He also gets a number of 50s elements present and has some hints of satire. The issues involving jews, blacks, and the rich white crowd are handled well enough, but this isn't a film about providing deep answers to these things or anything like that. It just serves as a setting. The film takes that setting, and uses it to make a fine coming of age story. Ben Kurtzman: In the event of a bombing, do you think this book will save my life?...First it was the Atom bomb, how its the hydrogen bomb...no hydrogen is getting through this book.
  Aaron N Super Reviewer

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