Just Another Story

I registered for IMDb solely for the purpose of preventing other people from incurring the terrible loss of opportunity that I have just felt from watching this movie. This is, without a doubt, one of the worst movies I have ever seen. If this comment saves even one person from watching Just Another Story, it was worth it.

For those that must know, the movie is entirely composed of nonsensical stereo-type-with-a-cliché-twist characters (a grandma that listens to gangster rap), completely uninspired and inauthentic dialog, and a nonexistent plot.

The movie is a cheap knock-off of 8 Mile. Do yourself a favor, and watch that instead!

For a young kid, the director/write/actor did a hell of great job. One of the most honest and thoughtful movies about growing up that i ever saw. The movie is set in the urban New York hip-hop culture, and that is something that i don't even remotely connect, but even so this movie made me remember and think about what i feel in everyday life. This to me is pure genius, to make movie that is about such a localized culture, and yet carries a feeling and a message that reaches across to everyone. Maybe some of the acting wasn't perfect, maybe the hip-hop wasn't the best I ever heard, but the writing and directing efforts overwhelm that.

Not a whole lot happens, in fact it almost seems like a day in the life of GQ, but it's fun to watch because all the characters are likable and the music is good. Watching it I was wondering how much of it was based on GQ's real life. He is really talented and I would like to see what he could do with a bigger budget. Jaclyn DeSantis is also talented and gorgeous.

Just Another Story could have been a day in my life growing up. The humor, the friends, the social commeraderie, all felt so much like how my upbringing was, except it was in California and not New York. As I watched the film, I thought of the kids I grew up with, and learned about life with, but that didn't command my enjoyment of the film, merely accentuated it.

"Have you ever been loved?" "I don't know..."

Just Another Story is a juicy, honest look at a day in the life. sometimes life is very satirical, and in my mind is so many people's true stories. The little things that occur that are tiny gems on the path, that are so quickly forgotten, are portrayed in exquisite and well timed detail. Relationships are so nice when you look at them without your specs on, from far away, thru the window.. but when you getup close, start coloring in the lines, you see relationships are really hard, complex, demanding of sacrifice, and effort. Battling with relationships, you can't be expected to be a master, of emotions, of mind, the complexity, the honesty can't exist without trust, communication, "if you're a mouse on the move then I'm a bounding cat."

Nice film.

Thumbs up for GQ and Just Another Story.