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Cast

Anika Noni Rose
as Wilona Watson

David Alan Grier
as Mr. Robert

Skai Jackson
as Joetta Watson

LaTanya Richardson
as Grandma Sands

Wood Harris
as Daniel Watson

Bryce Clyde Jenkins
as Kenny Watson

Harrison Knight
as Byron Watson

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Critic Reviews for The Watsons Go to Birmingham

Audience Reviews for The Watsons Go to Birmingham

• Jul 05, 2014

  Before watching the movie and looking at the bright yellow cover on the packaging, I thought it is just a happy, bubbly coming-of-age family comedy... how wrong I was! This Hallmark movie based on the book The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis is a movie which can fall into coming-of-age category or political drama or even a family drama, but will never fall into comedy! Directed by Kenny Leon and written by Caliope Brattlestreet and Stephen Glantz, it needs improvements on few different fronts - but some of the later powerful emotional scenes will make you forget most of the imperfections and faults seen in the first two thirds of the movie. The stars of this film had noticeable performances... Bryce Clyde Jenkins, Harrison Knight, Skai Jackson, Anika Noni Rose, Wood Harris and David Alan Grier included! The story is set in the Flint, Michigan during the summer of 1963, in the Wattsons "All American Family" made up of Daniel and Wilona Watson, (Harris and Rose) and their three kids, 15 year-old juvenile delinquent Byron (Knight), nerdy 11 year-old Kenny (Jenkins) and eight year-old adorable sister Joetta (Jackson). When the oldest son Byron goes over the top with his behviour, his parents decide the family needs a dose of Grandma Sands (Richardson) no nonsense approach in Birmingham, Alabama... Because the movie covers the period of time which happens when Alabama was in the midst of the civil rights struggle, this warm, relatable family drama will revive the civil rights era on the screen where there is not much beauty! Scenes of period-accurate racism and discrimination could be disturbing to some viewers and parents should know that the Birmingham church bombing in which four girls lost their lives, is depicted, and one main character nearly loses her life. My verdict is - Surprisingly good.
  Panta O Super Reviewer

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