The second half of the 20th century was a nurturing environment for American cinema in the wake of the French New Wave which give an American actor like John Cassavetes a way to portray the interracial relationships in the late 50s New York on his directorial film debut “Shadows” (1958) to a black filmmaker like Spike Lee with a transgressive voice coming from the African American community to show to the rest of the world in the 80s and 90s … but mostly based on his New York surroundings too. That same period of time in Los Angeles emerged seminal African American filmmakers like Charles Burnett (“Killer Sheep”; “To Sleep with Anger”), who just turned 80 last April and described the community of having a robust mythical connection with the South he was born before moving with his family to the Watts area at an early age, to the powerful and fierce exploration of the life in South Central Los Angeles in the 80s and early 90s by late Academy Award nominated filmmaker John Singleton through his directorial film debut “Boyz in the Hood” (1991).
The post pandemic era we’re facing right now may have actors & producers such as Academy Award Winner Will Smith and Martin Lawrence still appealing to the big crowds. Granted their latest chapter in the Bad Boys saga is still at the top of the box office charts,($360mil globally at the press time.) Even the legendary Eddie Murphy is at number one in streaming ,(Most-Watched Netflix Title of the Week With 41 Million Views,) with the new chapter of Beverly Hills Cop. But is this truly reflective of the African American voice with audiences? We think not. Till now.
“Mickey Hardaway” captivates since its first shot of the lead character (portrayed by the magnetic Rashad Hunter) under a Hollywood directions sign before he commits a murder.
We’re fortunate to find a voice, also from the Los Angeles experience, to move us through a combined backdrop of beautiful black and white cinematography and a jazzy score by the talented Latino Daniel Carlos Alfaro. “Mickey Hardaway” a young sketch artist, who has reached a breaking point, is a story that deals with race and rage but delves much deeper.
Spoilers
“Mickey Hardaway” captivates since its first shot of the lead character (portrayed by the magnetic Rashad Hunter) under a Hollywood directions sign before he commits a murder. That’s when the story goes back to 2003, when we know the toxic environment where young Mickey was raised with an abusive father, and later on, even he agrees to a In-house therapy session with Dr. Cameron Harden (Stephen Cofield Jr.) Working with this renowned psychiatrist as well as those years of physical and verbal abuse finally takes a toll of him; adding insult to injury he experiences an abuse of power in the professional environment.
Director Marcellus Cox is supported by a strong and realistic cast, mainly by his lead protagonist Rashad Hunter.
The Director & Real Storytelling
The new voice behind “Mickey Hardaway” is from writer director Marcellus Cox, a worthy successor of Burnett and Singleton with an attractive style of his own. Cox is supported by a strong and realistic cast, mainly by his lead protagonist Rashad Hunter and a powerful story of race and rage immersed in times of the Black Lives Matter movement. Another editing pass would’ve give the film a more concise point of the whole concept. that being said, the ride is worthwhile for audiences that are hungry for stories that matter from real people and community. Visceral stories far away from the Hollywood bubble, that are more down to earth and shaken by our human nature.
“Mickey Hardaway” is now on TUBI.