It's so long, too long even, but God damn did this film make me feel something.
It was a refreshing change to see Sam Jackson escape his mutha fuckin typecasting and offer an emotional performance about class, race, and boyhood.
This isn't going to be the most unique film you've seen, but it follows its formula well, and is just a good, decent adaption of a true story.
Pacing way off, time just randomly jumps and it makes it hard to follow. One scene the event has just occurred, and the next people are doolally within... A day? A couple hours? I'm not really sure. This ruins all tension.
Cool concept, watchable, but basically nothing of note happens and the film hand holds you through with overexplanation and cliche. For example, the minute that one guy stood in front of a deranged gunman, you kinda know what happens next.
The on-screen brotherly relationship between Andre Benjamin, Tyrese Gibson, Mark Wahlberg, and Garrett Hedlund is touching, warm, and natural (for the most part).
But! This film, whilst a lot of fun, is pretty congested with toxic masculine macho shit, and it feels like the script was created for Marky Mark to say a slur or two around (and even at) his so-called "brothers" which loses the emotion and realism the film works hard to create.
The OST is excellent, and reminiscent of classic Blaxploitations. Chiwetel Ejiofor is an uncanny talent for dominating screen time by the way.
