Changing the Game

This film was one that was one of the most pleasant surprises I've seen this year. I really did not know what to expect. What I got was one of the most ambitious and satisfying journeys in film that I have seen in a very, very long time. Protagonist Darrell Barnes takes us on a journey from childhood to adulthood where he learns that the unforgiving streets of North Philadelphia and the corporate private rooms of Wall Street are cut from the same corrupt cloth with many memorable characters in between. The film, for an independent, is truly ambitious in every regard. The cast is eclectic and consummate, and one scene in particular brought me to tears with its realism and heartfelt emotion. I also commend the chutzpah to pull of that very clever surprise ending. Kudos to the filmmaker and the entire production team from top to bottom for not being afraid to venture into unchartered independent film territory and pull it off so well.

Twiintone Entertainment gives this film two thumbs up.. The Twiins enorse Rel Dowdell's writing and directing. Looking forward to seeing it again! I thought the characters really brought our the time period of the 80's, in the early parts of the film, and the casting was great. The end really surprised me, and I'm glad to see that it was a story with a message. Being a native of Philadelphia, Im glad that Rel Dowdell actually filmed here, in our hometown. I thought the locations that he picked were excellent, and even the soundtrack and score made me feel the film like I was actually there. Being a screenwriter and actor myself, I'm very hard to impress. Rel, job well done!

The filmmaker did an amazing job showing the harsh reality of the streets and its similarities to the harsh reality of corporate America. Lies, deceit, lust, backstabbing and murder are not only found in the streets - its found in corporate boardrooms all over the world. Irma P. Hall's character moved me! I believe that when you give your children the right foundation, they will stay on the right path. Even if they go off path for a moment, they will find their way back.

This film should be seen by all those looking for a creatively written and well developed plot. This film has a few surprises in store for the viewers. Many times I predicted one course of action and the film went in another direction. BRAVO Sean Riggs provides a convincing performance of the main character from the teen through adult years. This is not your typical independent film. I was pleasantly surprised by it.

One of the major keys to a great film, is a solid story directed by an able hand, since if the plot is delivered adequately the viewer is almost able to visualize internally without a screen. Fortunately in the case of the Rel Dowdell directed film, "Changing the Game," the viewer is granted the benefit of a well crafted screenplay (Rel Dowdell & Arron R. Astillero), delivered by an able cast, captured with entrancingly and captivating visuals, which echo back to such early independent classic black films as Larry Cohen's "Black Caesar" and Ivan Dixon's "The Spook Who Sat By the Door."

"Right now I'm on my way to your trough to eat your breakfast, since you don't have sense enough to eat it yourself." Templeton

Set in the colorful yet gritty North Philadelphia backdrop, Changing the Game begins with a young Darrell Barnes (Jakobi Alvin), adeptly reading the above quote from E.B. White's children's classic "Charlotte's Web" in front of his mildly attentive elementary class, while doting instructor Mrs. Davis (Suzanne Douglas) looks on admiringly. It is Mrs. Davis interest in Darrell's background, added with her compliment heavy motivation, which gives the sense that she was integral in shaping Darrell's early academic aspirations. Forward to the drug infused, crime ridden mid 1980s, Darrell (Sean Riggs) is now an accomplished and intelligent high school senior with intentions of attending college for business. It is at these formative beginnings, where Barnes's life and death circumstances and personality shaping people, such as his shrewdly tactical, highly ambitious, long time friend and street hustler Dre (Dennis L.A. White) as well as his morally influential and religiously devout guardian Grandma Barnes (legendary Irma P Hall), begin to give the viewer a more concise image of the potentially multi dimensional character Darrell may truly be.

I do not wish to give many of the plot details due to the fact that Changing the Game is a film that must be watched carefully in order to understand the nuances and depth of Darrell's and his surrounding character's roles in the story-line. I will only share that this is a not the typical cliché shoot em up, hood tragedy flick. Not only does it subtly touch upon the struggles and ills of a desperate impoverished ethnic community, it also ventures off into the social and political dynamic of higher learning institutions, the typically white male dominated American corporate boardroom and the more ethnically and culturally diverse international business environment. There is an interweaving of classical literature such as Machiavelli's "The Prince," which only embellish and compliment an already intriguing story about a not so common man, facing all too familiar circumstances with an intelligently creative and militarily calculated ambition. Those aforementioned qualities alone have made this a film that must be watched more than once to gain full appreciation of how dynamic Darrell Barnes' character is. 8/10

"Changing The Game" really surprised me. The characters instantly won my heart. I found myself crying within five minutes of the start of the film. That does not happen every day. Love and compassion for humanity jumped off the screen from the start. The film was well written and the cinematography was exceptional. The tone was properly set at the beginning. I must commend the writer on a job well done. The characters were well developed. People from all walks of like should be able to relate to them. I was able to follow the film, but was unable to predict what was going to happen. The film made me reflect on societal issues and the roles we play. It gave me hope in knowing we have power to change the game. Everyone should see this film and celebrate those who dare to dream.