Rotten Tomatoes

Movies / TV

    Celebrity

      No Results Found

       View All       Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

      Once Upon A Time... When We Were Colored

      PG 1995 1h 52m Drama List
      71% 14 Reviews Tomatometer 87% 1,000+ Ratings Audience Score It's 1946 in Mississippi, and young Cliff (Charles Earl Taylor Jr.), living under the care of great-grandfather Poppa (Al Freeman Jr.) and great-grandmother Ma Pearl (Paula Kelly), is starting to notice the world around him. But it isn't a pretty one for blacks in the South, and over the span of 16 years, Cliff gets introduced to segregation and sadness. But hope finally arises when his close-knit community bands together to fight for civil rights in a nonviolent way. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

      View All (15) audience reviews
      jon c Clifton L. Taulbert's book is adapted by director Tim Reid. He tells the story of an African American family sticking together through thick and thin. It's Mississippi Delta 1946. Southern plantations and cotton fields were still aplenty. Glenn Allen, Mississippi is Cliff's home and he shares each of the people's experiences growing up in a world where they want to pursue their dreams while also battling the racism and segregation. This story takes place over 16 years with Cliff and others fighting for civil rights in a time when the whites wanted to take them away. Everything from the Ku Klux Klan to separate bathrooms to drinking fountains is what Cliff puts up a fight against. Since there were so few black icons to look up to it felt like a giant loss when one of them would lose in sports or anything else. No one should ever tell you what you believe is right. It's all about common strength and self-respect. A movie that shows the lives of a black community keeping their faith and hope alive together. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Great movie, ending was just okay. But overall I loved it! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member The story begins in 1946, when Cliff is born. He is initially raised by his great-grandparents, who expose him to such things as a KKK rally to teach him about the racism blacks have to endure. When he's older, Cliff is reared by his great-aunt, and meets liberal whites such as Mrs. Maybry, who, since blacks are prohibited from entering the library, checks books out for them. But despite the omnipresent bigotry Cliff encounters, his life is also filled with rich childhood experiences, such as fishing trips and family picnics. And perhaps best of all, the young man is fortunate enough to be raised in a tight-knit family that finds its strength in unity. A great film with strong brilliant performances. Loved it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Here's another film rating. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Audience Member beautiful and deeply moving. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Though the film exhibits a vaguely nostalgic tone, it's hardly sugar-coated, displaying an increasingly discernible edge to its portrayal of racist realities. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

      Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew

      Photos

      View All Once Upon A Time... When We Were Colored photos

      Once Upon A Time... When We Were Colored

      Once Upon A Time... When We Were Colored (1995) Once Upon A Time... When We Were Colored (1995) Once Upon A Time... When We Were Colored (1995) Once Upon A Time... When We Were Colored (1995) View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (14) Critics Reviews
      Emanuel Levy Variety Based on Clifton Taulbert's book, this sensitive memory film about the author's coming of age in the segregated South is an emotionally quiet saga, plaved against a tumultuous era in black communal life. Rated: B Jan 10, 2007 Full Review Joey O'Bryan Austin Chronicle Rated: 2.5/5 Sep 9, 2002 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Rarely has a film more movingly shown how people who work, live and pray together can find a common strength and self-respect. Rated: 4/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Philip Martin Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Everything about this film bespeaks wholesomeness, from its gentle life lessons to its calm dignity ... (t)hat said, it is not quite as good as some of the hype would have it. Rated: 84/100 Nov 25, 2007 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 3/5 Jun 12, 2005 Full Review Edward Havens FilmJerk.com Rated: 4/5 Jun 26, 2003 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis It's 1946 in Mississippi, and young Cliff (Charles Earl Taylor Jr.), living under the care of great-grandfather Poppa (Al Freeman Jr.) and great-grandmother Ma Pearl (Paula Kelly), is starting to notice the world around him. But it isn't a pretty one for blacks in the South, and over the span of 16 years, Cliff gets introduced to segregation and sadness. But hope finally arises when his close-knit community bands together to fight for civil rights in a nonviolent way.
      Director
      Tim Reid
      Rating
      PG
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $65.1K
      Runtime
      1h 52m
      Sound Mix
      Surround