Review: Idlewild

My first thought when I left the theater after seeing Idlewild was man Hip Hop has really become a social and economical force. I think about all of the artists who have used Hip Hop and probably influenced it also. For example we have Jay-Z in the United Nations and P Diddy doing whatever it is he does.

My point is that Outkast came from doing Players Ball to this masterpiece of a movie. They really took a risk here, they could have done a "8 mile" type movie but instead decided to do something that was risky and innovative. This could have bombed spectacularly but instead the result was Idlewild. A beautifully constructed movie even down to the opening title. They story focuses on Rooster player by Antwan "Big Boi" Patton and Percival played by Andre "3000" Benjamin. Both Rooster and Percival grow up during the 1930's in rural Georgia, they play roles not really that much removed from where they are current musically. Rooster is the showman, the hustler doing what it takes to make money, while Percival is the reluctant artist.

The story revolves around a nightclub/whorehouse in Idlewild, Ga., circa 1935 whimsically called Church. Club manager Rooster (Patton) must confront a vicious gangster (Terrence Howard) who controls the flow of liquor to the club, while keeping girlfriends out of sight of his rightly suspicious wife Zora (Malinda Williams).

Rooster's childhood buddy Percival (Benjamin), a mortician by trade, plays piano at the club. He gets drawn out of his shell by the otherworldly beauty of the club's new and mysterious singer Angel (Paula Patton), forcing him to choose between her and his domineering father (Ben Vereen).

Big Boi had a better performance with a very less demanding role, he was basically playing hisself in the movie. While Andre 3000 had an very complex character that daddy issues, woman issues and every other issue you can think about.

While some people are calling this a musical, I don't really feel that way. The music scenes were cut in to the movie in such a way that it felt organic. This wasn't an extended rap video and while Outkast has always pushed the musical envelope they have pushed movie envelope in this. The direction was done by Byran Barber who was done his share of videos for Outcast

IDLEWILD
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures and HBO Films present a Mosaic Media Group/Forensic Films production

Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Bryan Barber
Producers: Charles Roven, Robert Guralnick
Executive producers: William Green, Robin O'Hara, Scott Macaulay
Director of photography: Pascal Rabaud
Production designer: Charles Breen
Music: John Debney
Costumes: Shawn Barton
Editor: Anne Goursaud
Cast:
Percival: Andre Benjamin
Rooster: Antwan A. Patton
Angel: Paula Patton
Trumpy: Terrence Howard
Ace: Faizon Love
Zora: Malinda Williams
Mother Hopkins: Cicely Tyson
Taffy: Macy Gray
Percy Senior: Ben Vereen
MPAA rating R
Running time -- 121 minutes