# Our Song (2000)

### reviewed by
Rose 'Bams' Cooper

    '3BlackChicks Review...'

OUR SONG (2000) Rated R; running time 95 minutes Genre: Drama Official site: http://www.magiclanternpr.com/films/ifc_oursong.html IMDB site: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0244244 Written by: Jim McKay Directed by: Jim McKay Cast: Kerry Washington, Anna Simpson, Melissa Martinez, Marlene Forte, Raymond Anthony Thomas, Rosalyn Coleman, Carmen Lopez, Tyrone Brown, Kim Howard, Juan Romero Jr., Lorraine Berry, Natasha Frith

Review Copyright Rose Cooper, 2001 Review URL: http://www.3blackchicks.com/bamsoursong.html

Ah, summer movie season. A time when much of what you see on the Silver Screen involves big explosions, lots of sound and fury, and action plotting that insists there be a big tub of popcorn handy.

Sorry hon, this is the theater for OUR SONG; "Big Summer Explosions 4: Die Hardest" is two screens down, take a right...

The Story (WARNING: **spoilers contained below**) OUR SONG is a simple - but not mindless - story of three young friends in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, during one hot summer. Lanisha (Kerry Washington), Maria (Melissa Martinez), and Joycelyn (Anna Simpson) are members of the Jackie Robinson Steppers, a marching band that's highly respected and supported in their neighborhood; and the bandleader, Mr. Miller (Tyrone Brown) works hard to keep it that way, keeping the members motivated toward being the best they can be.

Each of the girls' family members support them in varying degrees; Lanisha's mother Pilar (Marlene Forte) and father Carl (Ray Anthony Thomas) seem to be right behind Lanisha, whereas Maria and her mother Rita (Carmen Lopez) and numbnut brother Alex (Reginald Washington) have some serious Issues, and Joy's mother Dawn (Rosalyn Coleman) seems more intent on having a Good Time on the streets than in helping her daughter grow up. And even the strong bond they have as friends, is threatened when Joy pulls away from them and gets closer to her Stepper friends Kim (Lorraine Berry) and Keisha (Natasha Frith).

Big things, like the closing of their school, boyfriend Issues they each have, and unforeseen events involving their friend Eleanor (Kim Howard) and her young son Samson (Juan Romero Jr.), affect each of the girls. But Lanisha, Maria, and Joy have the same goals and aspirations as many a young person in Anytown, USA - and like those nameless others, it's the small things in life that can have the biggest impact on them.

The Upshot: As a movie critic, I try to stay objective about what I'm watching, but still stay involved enough to give a reasoned opinion. But as a member of the human race and of one of its subsets - namely, Black Folk - I sometimes find my presumptions about What Usually Happens Next, a bit disturbing. I started out with any number of expectations, presumptions, and prejudices, mainly revolving around its Inner-City setting and subject matter. If you were to take a look at the notes I made while watching OUR SONG, you might see things like "I bet a beat-down is coming next", or "I bet Character X turns out to be a major drug dealer". Color me surprised when I got to the end credits, and saw that many of my presumptions about what makes a Hood Flick, were (ahem) shot down.

In fact, OUR SONG surprised me at nearly every turn, but quietly so. The lack of Big! Dramatic! Events! was somewhat unnerving, probably because I have become conditioned to expect exactly that after hours and hours of mainstream movies clouding my brain. Still, it was great to revisit previous pages in my notebook and write "nope, I was wrong about that". I'm happy to note, though, that I wasn't wrong about the way the remake of "Ooh Child" would continually be used throughout the movie. It's a good, inspirational song, even as a remake, but they almost wore it to the ground.

Yet another surprise for me: the natural feel of the main characters, and the charm and talent of the young actors playing them. Melissa Martinez (Maria), Anna Simpson (Joycelyn), and especially Kerry Washington (Lanisha), had a strong film presence that is all the more amazing considering that this was the first feature film for each of them. They were able to seemingly effortlessly blend humor with drama, diminishing neither. Washington, Martinez, and Simpson are definitely worth looking for in the future; I just hope that Mainstream Hollywood doesn't lock them into dead-end Welfare Mama/Crackhead "NYPD-Blue"-type roles - but you'll notice I'm not holding my breath.

In any case, the lasting impact of OUR SONG is that it is an Everyman's film, about the everyday life of young folks in a particular corner of the world. No Gritty plot points, no Patron Saint to come rescue the poor hoodie rats, no big drama for your mama - and that's the point. The circumstances might be different, the shading might change, the mood music might be in a different key - but the groove of OUR SONG, whether on the streets of New York, in the suburbs of Colorado, or on the street where *you* live, might just be universal.

The "Black Factor" [ObDisclaimer: We Are Not A Monolith]: I often get get email slamming me when I point out the ways that [SOME] Black folk do [SOME] things differently from [SOME] White folk [What? You didn't know? Shocking, innit?]. Let's run this up the flag pole, see who salutes.

The Jackie Robinson Steppers marching band is another illustration of (sub)cultural differences. I may have missed it in my rush to avoid All Things Sports, but I live for the day that a funked-up marching band like the fabulous Steppers, become the rule instead of the exception. Pardon my lack of Racially-Neutral Words here, but I think a little non-gladiator color might do American sports audiences some good. And no, pre-manufactured Boy Bands don't count.

[Ok, that address is bams@3blackchicks.com; just use the subject line "HOW *DARE* YOU SAY THAT BLACK FOLK ARE DIFFERENT FROM WHITE FOLK! WE'RE ALL THE SAME UNDER THE SKIN! KUUMBAYA, MY LORD!!!", so I'll know where to file it].

Bammer's Bottom Line: This summer brings an interesting, stark contrast of Life In The Hood from the cameras of two directors: John Singleton's larger-than-life, death-waiting-on-every-corner BABY BOY, and Jim McKay's slice-of-life OUR SONG. I find it fascinating that the three girls in "Song" could be my baby cousins - and that I know no one even remotely resembling Singleton's Boys.

OUR SONG (rating: greenlight): Do something different this summer: check out a film that reminds you that the little things in life count as much - if not more - as the Big Dramatic Stuff. Yes, even in the Hood.

    Rose "Bams" Cooper
    Webchick and Editor,
    3BlackChicks Review
    Entertainment Reviews With Flava!
    Copyright Rose Cooper, 2001
    EMAIL: bams@3blackchicks.com
    http://www.3blackchicks.com/

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