Down with the King

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Down with the King

R

2021

1h 40m

Drama

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4 Reviews

46%

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Rap star Money Merc has been sent by his manager, Paul, to a rural house in the Berkshires to focus on his next album. Disenchanted with his rap career and the 24/7 upkeep that such fame entails, Merc has no desire to write or record music. Instead he spends most of his time at his neighbor's farm learning about farming and enjoying the simplicity of country life. After Merc abruptly announces his retirement on Twitter, Paul rushes to the countryside to lure him back into the music industry.

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Richard Whittaker

Austin Chronicle

Down With the King the film is about a musician abdicating his throne, an existential crisis laid out with delicacy and insight.

Jun 30, 2022

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A.O. Scott

New York Times

The trait Down With the King exhibits most powerfully is patience... Instead of pushing to resolve conflicts or simplify contradictions, it asks us to examine how we live by walking for a while in someone else’s shoes and feeling how they no longer fit.

Jun 29, 2022

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

A narrative of awkward transitions in the realm of artistry and adulthood, Gibbs shines in this simmering portrait of a defensive musician unsure of how to continue in the lane of gangsta rap as he retreats into the wilderness to regain his composure.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 21, 2021

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Andy Crump

The Playlist

Harmony of emotion and visuals makes "Down with the King" a complete circuit. Each of its parts compliments the others. But in the end, the film remains as humble as Mercury himself.

Rated: B+

Jul 20, 2021

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Aree L

Big Freddie Fan I Love the meaning behind the movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/14/24

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Fleces P

I don't know what I was expecting going in to this but I sort of thought there would be more to this film. In the end, I am still not sure what really happened. It's more or less just a rap star who is apparently on like a DMX level who decided to check out into a small town and ghost his responsibilities. Sounds fun, right? Not really. Just a whole lot of nothing that goes nowhere really. And then it just ends. I'd say just skip to the part where it ends and go do something else with your time.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/13/24

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Ross E

Make no mistake, this is more like Lost in Translation than your typical gangster rapper flick. But if you're in the mood for a sweet, thoughtful and honest film about an artist in crisis, chock full of practically perfect acting and casting - Down With the King will deliver.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/27/24

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JASMINE S

This movie is HORRIBLE! So boring, so slow, and a complete waste of time. I love Freddie Gibbs as a rapper. This is no offense to him at all...But the movie is trash. Nothing good, or cinematic, or inspirational. A waste of an hr and 40 mins of my life I will never get back.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/24/24

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Lindsay R

Nice twist on the effect of how one handles "Burn Out". How and environment gives you a chance to rethink what is important in you life no matter the cost. Movie was good, ending not so much. The ending left me thinking, WTF. Not the first move to have done this. You decide.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/24

Full Review

prawnda s

i liked the movie, and it has some entertainment value, but it's message is less than complete or meaningful. there are great scenes and some great character interactions, some well implemented themes of wealth and fame vs a working class lifestyle, but i expected more character development by the end. it's very watchable, it has pretty good vibes, and i did enjoy it, but it just sort of ends without a real resolution to the clashing cultural and economic themes.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/23/24

Full Review

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Diego Ongaro

Director

Freddie Gibbs

Mercury Maxwell

Jamie Neumann

Michaele

David Krumholtz

Paul

Sharon Washington

Darlene Maxwell

Bob Tarasuk

Bob

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Synopsis

Rap star Money Merc has been sent by his manager, Paul, to a rural house in the Berkshires to focus on his next album. Disenchanted with his rap career and the 24/7 upkeep that such fame entails, Merc has no desire to write or record music. Instead he spends most of his time at his neighbor's farm learning about farming and enjoying the simplicity of country life. After Merc abruptly announces his retirement on Twitter, Paul rushes to the countryside to lure him back into the music industry.

Director: Diego Ongaro
Producer: Rob Cristiano, Kim Jackson, Zach LeBeau
Screenwriter: Xabi Molia, Diego Ongaro
Distributor: Stage 6 Films
Production Co: Breaker
Rating: R (Some Sexual Content|Pervasive Language|Drug Use)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 28, 2022
Runtime: 1h 40m

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