Crossover

For all who have cried for quality urban film-making free from gangsta, thuggin, and drug related themes…keep looking.

Detroit is a city rich in culture, history, ethnicity and empowerment but in recent years has developed an unfortunate reputation that upsets many natives. Those with a voice, the politicians, the rappers, even the filmmakers try desperately to reverse that negative image much to their credit. Writer and Director Preston Whitmore II, a loyal patriot indeed, attempts an urban tale about street ball, dreams fulfilled, and dreams deferred. It seemed like every few minutes there was a needless montage of city landmarks that were not part of the storyline. A gimmick that seemed patronizing at best, insulting at worst. I too love my city and I understand patriotic sympathies. However, they simply have no place on the celluloid. If a filmmaker wants to show the good of the city make a good movie! But that was just part of my problem with Crossover. It wasn't dramatic enough to be taken seriously and not funny enough to be a comedy. The funniest thing in the movie was the main character Tech (Mackie) spending half the movie studying for his GED. The plot was mediocre and the acting simply ghastly. Wayne Brady (who said he could be a leading man?) has to prove he's black to all his critics and quite unconvincingly portrays Vaughn, part businessman, part thug who has more than a legitimate interest in street ball. The cookie monster is a scarier underworld figure. Wesley Jonathan who was absolutely priceless in Rollbounce was less than thrilling-- almost boring. And Eva Pigford's play acting of the femme fatal just ruined a character that might have been interesting.

Crossover (or Crapover as I was calling it by the end) was a film that probably looked good on paper but lost its focus somewhere between the pitch and the production. I often advise urban screenwriters to beware of this potential peril. It's a death sentence to the film, but more importantly it is another unwanted blemish on the genre of film that is blemished enough.

As of this point, I have done more reviews on IMDb than anyone. And, in recent months I've taken my love for foreign, classic and independent films and set it aside for a strange little obsession--bad films. I have made it a point to try to see as many of IMDb's Bottom 100 films as I can. There is no way I can see them all--a few are not available and some are simply not available in the US. During my little experiment, I have so far seen about 50 of the films and have noticed a trend. Many of these Bottom 100 are Black-American films and some are actually pretty good--such as "I Can Do Bad All By Myself", "Phat Girlz", "Feel the Noise" and this film. This leads me to wonder two things--either I like them because they appeal mostly to 45 year-old men like me or there are a lot of people out there that seem to have it in for films with Black casts--especially urban films. I can't say what is going on, but even if these are bad films (which they aren't in my opinion), there is no way they should be ranked lower than all the films of Ed Wood, Al Adamson or William Grefe. The difference between these Black-themed films and the ultra-low budget schlock films is enormous!

The film is about two young men, Tech and Cruise. Tech is a bit of a loser. Not a horrible person, but someone whose life seems to be going nowhere. Cruise, on the other hand, has a chance to play basketball for UCLA while he works on a Pre-Med degree. Two friends whose lives are going in opposite directions. However, just because things appear this way doesn't mean there won't be a lot of surprises on the way to the end of the film.

The film featured a lot of street-style basketball. And I have to be honest, basketball is among my least favorites sports to watch--right up there with golf and lacrosse! Yet despite this, the action was exciting and there was enough to the plot to keep me interested--especially in the lives of these men. The writing, while not great (there are a few clichés here and there--especially the one girlfriend and the need to tack on an epilogue during the credits), it is very good and kept me guessing. Also, there have been a few knocks about the acting--and I can't see why. Some jumped on Wayne Brady--who was not bad at all here. In fact, I just don't get all the hostility towards the movie. What's to hate about it?

You know what's funny? I'll tell you...this movie. Once again drum roll please....Or, should I say DRUMLINE please. Drumline type movie that bombed like all of the rest. Nothing was good about this movie except the end credits where some persons name was my name and it made me as giddy as a school girl. I thought I was renting a movie about a poltergeist, but that didn't happen. But I was wishing that I was in the grave at the end of it. It's kind of strange that director's would take on something of this crappy caliber and try to make something of themselves. Writing was dumb, actors were...you know, and the scenes just made me want to take a bath and scrub myself from all of the bull that I've encountered.

This movie was a Crossover that is for sure. I broke my ankle on purpose just to try and get through the painful story line and horrible streetball action. If you want to see streetball just rent the And1 Mix Tape tours, even though they are a jumble of random moves, they are still better action then Crossover. This acting was not good either. The character development and personalities are cliché. And why now is Wayne Brady trying to get this tough guy persona. Ever since the Chappelle show appearance he is now all of a sudden more sinister. All in all this was not a good movie, I guess you can tell from my vote 1 out of ten, and that is 1 is just because there is nothing lower.

Fantastic movie? Fantastic? Are you kidding me? This "fantastic" movie has an average rating of 1.1, with 1 being the lowest rating on IMDb after over 1,200 votes. Fantastic? Fantastic trash, maybe.

The acting was bush league, and the plot was lame. All this is is just more of this same old tired and boring urban-up-and-comer-defeat-the-odds-make-a-life-from-nothing worship garbage.

I can't believe I wasted my time with this movie.

Voters rated "Gigli" higher than this, which should give you an idea of exactly how bad this movie is.