Search - Take No Prisioners on DVD

Timely Movie About Life in the Hood

Ron Johnson | USA | 07/22/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Take No Prisoners

Take No Prisoners is an independent feature film taping into life in several Brooklyn communities. The beauty of the film is the juxtapositions of extreme poverty and middle class ideals, living side by side, and within the major microcosms of ethnicities in the hood. We have the poor drug dealers, crack-heads, and Christians living and interacting within the projects. The college community and the street life exist simultaneously with their inevitable clash. The notion of love is real and not easy within the lives of both the middle class and the poor, thereby humanizing all of the characters.
The casting was superb as all of the characters are believable and real in the roles they portray, their methods of problem solving, and the discoveries of life as it truly exists while living in the hood. Def Poetry poet, Narubi Selah is exceptional acting as the crack-head mother who makes you a part of her addiction as she gets high and caries the incredible pain throughout her performance.
The subtle music score allows the viewer to feel what is on screen, with mood shifts and build ups that the viewer can be very comfortable. The writing is clever and has a sense of timelessness, as the notion of the community involvement appears to be an anachronism, when in fact it always exists, and is becoming fashionable again.The presidential political campaign demonstrates the importance of community involvement.
This movie is on time, from beginning to end. The doors open seemingly casually, while actually being bombastic, as the layers of the story are uncovered. This film actually is about its title, and directly relates to the provocative cover. A treat for all who want to know what life is really like in the hood.

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