Plot: What’s it about?
Jason (Allen Payne) and Joshua (Bokeem Woodbine) grew up together in a rough neighborhood, and to make matters worse, their father was killed in an out of control fight. The atmosphere around them as young adults is a daunting one, where hope is rare and the lure of drugs, crime, and violence is very strong. This is where the two brothers take different paths, which leads to conflicted feelings on both sides. Jason has hopes of leaving the dangerous streets behind, and dreams of a new life with the beautiful Lyric (Jada Pinkett), who inspires and infatuates him. On the other side of the coin is Joshua, who has no intentions of advancing himself, and turns to a life of drugs and criminal activity. As the time nears for Jason to walk away from his former neighborhood, tension mounts as Joshua has no plans for allowing Jason to leave, and Jason himself has internal conflict over leaving his family behind. While he loves and adores Lyric, the bond of family is great as well, and even if he decides to leave, Joshua promises to make sure he stays.
While this movie enjoyed critical success, I found my expectations dashed when the film was finished. The critics had lauded the powerful performances and well written dialogue, but I found the film to be quite average, and the acting was below even that level. Now, I am not saying the movie is bad, but after the critical hype, I was disappointed. The movie is decent, just don’t expect a modern classic, as some critics claimed. The storyline itself is pretty basic, another “intelligent black man is torn between his roots and fulfilling his potential outside the ‘hood” plot, but the writing does have some bright spots to keep things fresh. However, I think it’s time for urban storylines to shatter the mold of this tried storyline, or at least develop some new twists. Another issue I have with this movie deals with the marketing, which led me to believe this was a romance driven flick, which it’s not. There is as much, if not more violence present than romance, so if you want pure romance, this isn’t the right choice for you. I recommend the movie to fans of the genre, but unless you’re a completist or really love the movie, a rental will more than suffice.
This movie was directed by Doug McHenry, who was an outspoken voice against the treatment of this movie by the MPAA, which demanded cuts and even advertisement changes in order to issue an R rating to the film. While I am all for the director’s vision, I feel the battle was more for publicity than anything, and the footage that was removed amounted to a shot of a guy’s bare buttocks. Now, I can understand that the director wants the movie just as he wants it, but come on, can an ass make that much difference to the theme and tone of the movie? McHenry should return to his previous directorial roots, and make another movie like House Party 2. The cast of Jason’s Lyric contains some decent, but still lacking performances, headed by Allen Payne (CB4, New Jack City), Jada Pinkett (Woo, The Inkwell), Bokeem Woodbine (Dead Presidents, Freeway), Treach (Who’s The Man), and Eddie Griffin (Armageddon, Foolish). While his part isn’t that large, Forest Whitaker (The Crying Game, Fast Times At Ridgemont High) steals the show, delivering his outstanding as usual acting.
Video: How does it look?
Jason’s Lyric is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. The colors are usually bright and consistent, but the flesh tones sometimes distort and discolor. This happens often, but usually the change is minor and not distracting. The black levels are natural, with complex shadow layering and no visible detail loss. The transfer does show shimmering and edge enhancement as well, which leaves the transfer average at best.
Audio: How does it sound?
A stereo surround track is implemented for the audio, which supplies a nice audio experience for the viewer. While the movie is primarily dialogue driven, the soundtrack and some of the more powerful scenes display some excellent surround use. But don’t expect miracles, this isn’t an action blockbuster, it’s a low key flick. The dialogue is what matters most, and it sounds crisp and consistent, no volume issues arise.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The insert booklet contains some production notes, and the disc itself contains the theatrical trailer.
