MacArthur Park

I was pulled into the story immediately. The camera work and pace are crisp, the editing precise. The story flows with strong characterizations that are not stereotypical. This is a population I work with and MP does not glorify the lifestyle but does give a perspective from the inside.

Actor Billy Worth (The Lost Boys) tries his hand at writing and directing and put our a film that gives a great slice of life in a park in Los Angeles.

Thomas Jefferson Byrd (Girl 6, Bulworth) leads a great ensemble cast that takes us into a world where crack is king, and life is moment to moment. Some get out on their own, while others are helped out by a blade or a bullet.

Byrd gets help by a great cast that includes Julie Delpy (Before Sunset), Jungle Julia (Sydney Tamiia Poitier), and Cynda Williams (One False Move, Mo' Better Blues).

Really enjoyable.

I viewed this film at the Urbanworld Film Festival in New York City. Mr. Wirth was present and introduced the film. He held a Q and A session after the showing. The film has some humorous lines in the beginning and then takes off into a realistic look at the darker side of life. The sound track adds to the intensity and reality of this film. Mr. Wirth knows when to zoom the camera in for heightened emotions regarding character inter-reactions. This film deals with homelessness and substance abuse in an inner city park in a no nonsense manner. It is based on the journal of Tyrone Atkins, a man who documented his own personal struggles. You may not like the subject but the acting and directing are wonderful, you feel like you are right there in MacArthur Park. I feel that the general public needs to know that this film is based on fact and at the end people need to know that Mr. Atkins has become a productive member of society.

Although I have lived in Los Angeles for 7 years now, I never knew anything about MacArthur park. I knew that places like that existed and that there are dark places in society that most of us would consider hell. I knew that there were people that have lived in such places and were able to escape that world. I have a lot of respect for those that have made it out. I had heard about this movie but I never saw it. It was not until a co-worker of mine asked me if I had ever seen the movie. I told him I had not and he told me it was "his" movie. I was hesitant to believe him but he told me he wrote the screenplay. I looked it up and there it was; Tyrone Atkins. "Cody" as he goes by, gave me a copy of the movie and I was rather impressed with it. I totally recommend this movie. Very gritty movie. There is a whole different world out there that most people tend to ignore and we cannot forget how fortunate and blessed we are until you see people who truly have lost it all.

Whats wrong with Hollywood, when films like PootieTang make it to theaters and we cant see films with valid messages. It's a damn shame! Billy Wirth did a phenomenal job, as well as Tyrone Atkins, Tami Anderson, & Miguel Nunez to name a few. People is high positions need to make proper decisions- if not theaters, at least video distribution. The public needs to witness this film.