Zebrahead

This is a tight film. In fact, except for perhaps the last 20 minutes, the film is near-perfect. Michael Rapaport is absolutely excellent in the lead role, the best role I've seen him in, save Higher Learning. And N'Bush Wright and DeShonn Castle were also excellent in their parts. Ron Johnson was convincing as the aptly named 'Nut' as well. The film was heartfelt, with enough light attitude to balance the darker and more serious side.

The few issues I had were: The Kevin Corrigan 'I live in industrial Detroit and look what those evil companies have done to the neighborhood' scenes were completely unnecessary. They had nothing to do with the film except perhaps looking cool. We already know from the setting and characters that it's not exactly pretty and that it's a rundown neighborhood. Also, Zach's father was a little too lucid with Zach, especially concerning his own sexual prowess/conquests. he *is* still the boy's father. Also, the last 20 minutes were overdoing it. Until then time flew by, the film is very close to air-tight for the first hour and twenty, but then it started to drag. The film had pretty much said it all, we didn't need the whole premise explained to us as though we were mindless.

This is *not* another Jungle Fever, nor is it another Higher Learning; which is both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because it's a separate entity, it stands well on its own and deals with a too-familiar situation with originality and strong acting performances. Bad because the script could have been tighter; even though it was very well scripted, there were some scenes that didn't need to be there, others which could have been written better. The cinematography was also lacking; this film could have been shot with much more gusto, even without being fancy.

Overall: Considering this is a low-budget film with no-name actors (at the time, at least) and little other than Oliver Stone's name to back it, it does a damn fine job. There are improvements that would have helped, but its strong enough to stand on its own...better than many major films can. It's not as good as the aforementioned Jungle Fever or Higher Learning, but in a way its more raw in a good way. If it wasn't so preachy and if it was about 10-20 minutes shorter (with a better conclusion) it would easily rate and eight or nine. As it stands: 7/10.

'Zebrahead' is an excellent, little known movie that manages to realistically portray racial issues in a contemporary teen movie without being saccharine or too preachy. Michael Rapaport, best known for playing supporting roles of losers in movies like 'True Romance', 'Cop Land' and 'Kiss Of Death', is given a strong leading role here and does very well with it. Surprisingly it was his movie debut and he rarely been given a part as good as this since. N'Bushe Wright, best known for 'Blade', is also excellent as his love interest Nikki, and the late Ray Sharkey ('Who'll Stop The Rain?') is first rate as his womanizing father. The rest of the supporting cast, mostly all young and unknown, are all very good, and the strange cameo by Kevin Corrigan ('Bandwagon', 'Buffalo '66') is unexplained but fascinating. Writer/director Anthony Drazan went on to make the equally overlooked 'Imaginary Crimes' and 'Hurlyburly'. All three movies deserve a lot more attention.

Take Save The Last Dance minus the dance and do a role reversal and you get ZebraHead. This movie which touches on interracial dating was one of the best little seen films of 1992. Micheal Rappot as Zack proved his leading man stauts at early age in this powerful film. I think if the film were released today it'd be just as powerful. If you haven't seen it you should.

A well-intentioned and rather interesting study into condemnation and the culture of the youth in the 1990s, there is however little that is done with the material. Too much time is spent on showing why the relationship is not approved, and the film spends too little time showing how and why the relationship has resulted. The film has some important things to say in terms of prejudices in society, but, it never manages to present them in a way so that they do not seem hackneyed. Either way, some fine acting - from both the leads in particular - solidifies the movie when the other elements do not suffice.

Initially I suspected that this might be another rather typical examination of racial strife in high school, almost of an ABC Afterschool special caliber. However, it was quite impressive in its portrayal not only of racial tensions but of the quality of friendship between two young men. Michael Rapaport typically flashes a somewhat limited range in his roles (he has most certainly been typecast by now) but his performance here has exceptional moments - particular in the last scene of the film where his emotion is tangible without being overdone.