Harlem Aria (1999)

Chasing his dream, Anton leaves his aunt's home in Harlem for downtown New York City, where a quick-witted street hustler named Wes cons him out of his life savings. Homeless and ... See full summary »

Director:

William Jennings

Writer:

William Jennings

Stars:

Damon Wayans, Gabriel Casseus, Christian Camargo

2 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Damon Wayans	...	Wes
Gabriel Casseus	...	Anton
Christian Camargo	...	Matthew
Malik Yoba	...	Luke
Paul Sorvino	...	Fabiano Grazzi
Kristen Wilson	...	Julia
Eyde Byrde	...	Auntie
Nicole Ari Parker	...	Clarisse
Fenton Lawless	...	Sergeant Scanlon
Isiah Whitlock Jr.	...	Manny
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeremiah Alexis	...	Sentry
Patrick Clarke	...	Security Guard
Lee Michael Cohn	...	Policeman
Sheila Edmondson	...	Girl on the Rooftop
Buddy Fitzpatrick

Storyline

Chasing his dream, Anton leaves his aunt's home in Harlem for downtown New York City, where a quick-witted street hustler named Wes cons him out of his life savings. Homeless and empty-handed, Matthew, a street musician stalled in his own dreams, invites Anton to perform with him in the park. Amazed by Anton's singing talent, Matthew befriends him and attempts to keep him safe from Wes's enterprising exploitation. Caught in the middle, Anton's journey isn't an easy one. The three men's lives entwine and lead each down a path of destruction, truth and redemption.

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Plot Keywords:

new york city | harlem manhattan new york city | opera singer | opera | pianist | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong crude language

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 August 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Central Park Story

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alive Entertainment, Bent Nail Productions, In-Motion AG Movie & TV Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

William Jennings described the film's eventual theatrical release in 2010 as "a long tale of woe".

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Connections

References Hawaii Five-O (1968)

User Reviews

Feel-Good Film with Real Integrity

I saw this at the 2002 National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta. It's a beauty -- the quirky story line should appeal to all sorts of moviegoers, young and old, black and white, whatever. Writer-Director William Jennings' story will resonate with anyone who wants to believe we can overcome obstacles and achieve our dreams, even uncommon ones. That makes it sound saccharine, but bear in mind that Damon Wayans is in it! He helps make it a great blend of comedy, drama, and street "reality." Basically, the plot involves a young man in Harlem (Gabriel Casseus) who dreams of becoming an opera singer. He's developmentally disabled, a bit of a Forrest Gump, so misadventures ensue when he runs away from his domineering aunt. The characters are believable enough, the plot too, but nothing in the story line is easily predictable. That's part of this movie's enormous charm. It's hard to know what to compare this with -- Soul Food? Amelie? It's even harder to believe that the film hasn't yet found an American distribution deal. "Harlem Aria" is the best movie I've seen in a long time.