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Strange Fruit

Play trailer Strange Fruit 2004 1h 56m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 42% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
As a gay African-American, William Boyals (Kent Faulcon) has escaped his small, racist hometown in Louisiana for a better life in New York City, where he now works as a successful lawyer. But, when he hears that one of his gay friends has been lynched, he heads home to find the killers. In his pursuit of justice, William encounters many of the same old prejudices that existed in his childhood. He battles racist cops and homophobic locals while trying to stay alive and uncover the truth.

Critics Reviews

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Wesley Morris Boston Globe 02/24/2003
3/4
Good, if unremarkable. Go to Full Review Edward Guthmann San Francisco Chronicle 01/08/2003
3/4
In his excellent documentary, also called Strange Fruit, filmmaker Joel Katz takes a fascinating look at the origins and impact of a ballad that's been called 'one of ten songs that changed the world.' Go to Full Review Andrew Sarris Observer 12/19/2002
This is a film well worth seeing, talking and singing heads and all. Go to Full Review David Lamble Bay Area Reporter 06/12/2020
This intriguing drama that deliberately ties the ultimate metaphor of Jim Crow-era persecution, the lynching, to the plight of queer blacks in the modern South features a strong performance by Kent Faulcon... Go to Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com 09/14/2005
3/5
Jeffrey M. Anderson San Francisco Examiner 03/25/2003
4/4
It's a talking head documentary, but a great one. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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05/21/2013 The only mystery in this film is how it made it past the story boards. See more 03/30/2012 Great Movie...Excellent Story Line! See more 09/16/2011 Not gonna lie, this is pretty terrible. Maybe not so much plot wise, the the production quality and the acting are so poor that I couldn't force myself to sit through the movie and find out if it was actually going to have some kind of a point. I very nearly fell asleep 20 minutes in, so I gave up and looked for something else to watch. See more 02/01/2010 Fairly amateurish stuff and with a badly fudged climax. Until then the standard of acting can be overlooked as there is a fairly decent murder mystery lurking within. Add into that the homophobic nature of the cops in the Deep South and it has some promise that isnt really capitalised on. The lead gets his shirt off a lot for those that like that sort of thing. See more 09/14/2008 interesting story line ... bad acting See more Read all reviews
Strange Fruit

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Kyle Schickner

Director

Kent Faulcon

William Boyals

Berlinda Tolbert

Emma Ayers

David Raibon

Duane Ayers

Sam Jones

Sheriff Jensey

Ed Brigadier

Arnold West

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Movie Info

Synopsis As a gay African-American, William Boyals (Kent Faulcon) has escaped his small, racist hometown in Louisiana for a better life in New York City, where he now works as a successful lawyer. But, when he hears that one of his gay friends has been lynched, he heads home to find the killers. In his pursuit of justice, William encounters many of the same old prejudices that existed in his childhood. He battles racist cops and homophobic locals while trying to stay alive and uncover the truth.
Director
Kyle Schickner
Producer
Alex Boling, Jon Finck, Kyle Schickner
Screenwriter
Kyle Schickner
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 22, 2017
Runtime
1h 56m