steve d
Not sure I love the ending, but the script is fantastic, and the acting is nearly as good.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Spike Lee's film definitely takes an engrossing turn for the dramatic, but by that point, Red Hook Summer is sort of a drag, as if you're there with the characters in the humid Brooklyn heat. Bishop Enoch Rouse (Clarke Peters) is the charismatic and virally devout preacher at a small congregation in the titular neighborhood. Peters delivers a fiery performance and had the film focused on him more, it likely would've been a better experience. Thomas Jefferson Byrd as Deacon Zee also has some memorable scenes, most notably, his (sometimes audience-less) speeches concerning the stock market. Unfortunately, the film struggled from some unnatural and clunky dialogue, which makes sense since I've read the two child characters weren't even actors… not a smart move. It meanders too much in the middle and doesn't grab your attention back until Blessing Rowe (Colman Domingo) shows up. Here, we get Lee's signature "double dolly shot" with the single best scene in the entire movie as Rowe confronts Rouse, and recites the Book of Solomon. Nevertheless, and even though we get a Mookie (Lee) cameo (who's somehow still working at Sal's), the ending is unsatisfying and sort of weird. The only people who need to see Red Hook Summer are those who want to say they've seen all of Lee's films.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/01/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Was good to see Spike playing Mookie again. Beautifully filmed on sight in Brooklyn, great acting by the entire cast. It does take a crazy unexpected turn but thats what made the movie even more realistic.a be must see
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/23/23
Full Review
camille l
Avec Red Hook Summer, Spike Lee asseoit tranquillement son statut de réalisateur majeur dans la mesure où son film est un foutoir complet, sans aucune suite logique dans les idées, mais où il reste absolument passionnant. Red Hook Summer est une comédie pendant 100 minutes avant de bifurquer sur une histoire de pédophilie par un personnage principal, sans jamais avoir de véritables réponses quant aux enjeux dramatiques. Ce qui aurait dû être un mauvais film est magnifié par la caméra de Lee, qui n'explicite jamais où il erre, rendant Red Hook Summer très étrange, à défaut d'être réellement réussi. Trahi par ses deux enfants acteurs, Spike Lee ne peut atteindre les sommets de ses débuts mais continue à prouver qu'il reste un type atypique dans le paysage cinématographique mondial.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
I don't know what I liked about this movie, but I did like it
.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/19/23
Full Review
Audience Member
God wants us to love.
A young boy from Atlanta is dropped off in New York with his minister grandfather. His grandfather is also from Atlanta but some years ago he came to a church in Brooklyn that has quickly run down and is desperate for money. The grandfather hopes to one day land a benefactor that will help him with his bills. Meanwhile, the young boy becomes best friend with the daughter of a member of the church. The member of the church has feelings for the grandfather, causing fascinating interactions between the four characters.
"You're right, I don't like you...I love you."
Spike Lee, director of X, School Daze, Do the Right Thing, Inside Man, She Hate Me, Girl 6, Clockers, Jungle Fever, and She's Gotta Have It, delivers Red Hook Summer. The storyline for this picture is fascinating and starts with a wonderful coming of age story with interesting character development. The movie takes an interesting twist at the end and then ends abruptly. The acting is very good and the cast includes Jules Brown, Turron Kofi Alleyne, De'Adre Aziza, Jonathan Batiste, Sumayya Ali, and Limary Agosto.
"You molested me!"
I've actually always wanted to see this film but never got around to watching it. I found it on Netflix and finally viewed this picture and it was better and deeper than I anticipated. Lee continues to deliver an amazing New York feel throughout the movie while delivering a clever plot twist. I would have given this a ten if it had a better ending. This is definitely worth a viewing.
"Hell to the naw."
Grade: A
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/19/23
Full Review
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