ATL (2006)
60KATL: Directed by Chris Robinson. With Greg Andrews, Monica, Brandon Bernard Benton, Adam Boyer. As four friends prepare for life after high school, different challenges bring about turning points in each of their lives. The dramas unfold and resolve at their local rollerskating rink, Cascade.
“The New Urban drama/comedy ATL,about a group of friends coming of age in Atlanta,was better than I expected in so many ways:It was sweet.It had heart.It was funny in real and unexpected ways,and it had a pace and rhythm all its own.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAnother reviewer mentioned u0026quot;Cooley Highu0026quot; as a reference,but I would also add American Graffiti,especially in using a central location,in this case a roller skating rink,as the focus of the action,as the meeting place of the kids in the area.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIu0026#39;m afraid that once the word gets around that this isnu0026#39;t another tough,gangster style film,that it will die quickly at the box office,as evidenced by the bored,loud teenagers I saw the film with tonight.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAre small,personal African American films like ATL and u0026quot;Something Newu0026quot; doomed to failure because of their refusal to dumb down to their audiences with broad,crude humor?I hope not,but why should they be any different than white audiences that cant see a good thing if their lives depended on it either.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eEnd of rant.Take a chance on a film that takes a chance.”
