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A Raisin in the Sun

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A Raisin in the Sun

TV-14

2008

2h 11m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Lena Younger (Phylicia Rashad) receives a settlement from her husband's life insurance policy and then must decide what to do with the money. She wants to move out of their apartment into a house in a more genteel neighborhood. Her eldest son, Walter (Sean Combs), aspires to be an entrepreneur. Daughter Beneatha (Sanaa Lathan) hopes to go to medical school. Though their aspirations collide, they try to find a way to retain their family's cohesion.

John Leonard

New York Magazine/Vulture

... Raisin works well on television, like so many other fifties plays that tended toward the Freudian and claustrophobic, with their Munch-scream close-ups and slammed Ibsen doors.

Jan 5, 2018

Full Review

Dennis Harvey

Variety

No one will mistake this well-produced but inevitably dialogue-driven piece for pure cinema, but Leon and adapter Paris Qualles open up the play just enough to avoid the usual stage-to-screen claustrophobia.

Jan 30, 2008

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Anne Louise Bannon

Common Sense Media

Thoughtful, play-based drama examines racism.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 1, 2011

Full Review

Peter Canavese

Groucho Reviews

A quintessentially American play, revisited...this one has towering performances from Rashad and McDonald.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 28, 2008

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Kam Williams

NewsBlaze

An African-American classic every bit as relevant today as when it was first staged.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 18, 2008

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Jessica Baxter

Film Threat

A Raisin in the Sun isn't bad... for a TV MOVIE.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 29, 2008

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Nithilan A

My my my...What a film, I think this is the greatest film I have ever laid my eyes upon. It was only mediocre until I saw my glorious king Diddy. This movie went from a 6/10 to a 12/10 banger heh I thought that the Godfather was good lowk Coppola and Tarantino gotta take notes from Diddys acting it was truly spectacular, godlike even. Please everyone in the world, actually universe must watch this film. 1000000/10 final score.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/26/25

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LIAM C

Only because diddy is in the film.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/25/24

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Young C

Good movie, but Diddy is cooked.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/24

Full Review

Nicholas K

I think that A Raisin in the Sun 2008 is a lovely faithful retelling of the original novel. As in certain scenes Walter is jumping around and singing showing off how happy he is sometimes and I think this is how he really was acting in the book. The welcoming committee man is also really well done here showing off how a passive aggressive character should be done. When Bobo comes and tells about the news of the 6,500 dollars you can see the grief and utter pain he was experiencing at this moment, him begging for Mama's forgiveness. There is real emotion in these scenes and how the characters really were acting. I say that this film is a perfect representation of the novel. I feel a connection to all the characters and how they are as a person.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/23/23

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Audience Member

Great fantastic almost phenomenal movie starring Sean Diddy combs and some other great actors. Compared to the original movie it's not as good but still a really good adaptation.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

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Audience Member

its was good me and my class are watching the 2008 on YouTube everybody in my school says its good and it brings ppl together and lean about different skin colors and where everybody come black or white or asin or anybody

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

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Kenny Leon

Director

Diddy

Walter Lee Younger

Phylicia Rashad

Lena Younger

Audra McDonald

Ruth Younger

Sanaa Lathan

Beneatha Younger

John Stamos

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Synopsis

Lena Younger (Phylicia Rashad) receives a settlement from her husband's life insurance policy and then must decide what to do with the money. She wants to move out of their apartment into a house in a more genteel neighborhood. Her eldest son, Walter (Sean Combs), aspires to be an entrepreneur. Daughter Beneatha (Sanaa Lathan) hopes to go to medical school. Though their aspirations collide, they try to find a way to retain their family's cohesion.

Director: Kenny Leon
Producer: John M. Eckert
Screenwriter: Paris Qualles
Production Co: Zadan/Meron Productions, Storyline Entertainment, Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group, Sony Pictures Television
Rating: TV-14 (L)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 2, 2017
Runtime: 2h 11m