| Photos (see all 6 | slideshow) | Videos |
| Melissa Martinez | ... | Maria Hernandez | |
| Anna Simpson | ... | Joycelyn Clifton | |
| Kerry Washington | ... | Lanisha Brown | |
| The Jackie Robinson Steppers Marching Band | ... | Themselves | |
| Marlene Forte | ... | Pilar Brown | |
| Raymond Anthony Thomas | ... | Carl Brown (as Ray Anthony Thomas) | |
| Rosalyn Coleman | ... | Dawn Clifton | |
| Carmen López | ... | Rita Hernandez (as Carmen Lopez) | |
| Tyrone Brown | ... | Mr. Miller | |
| Lorraine Berry | ... | Kim | |
| Natasha Frith | ... | Keisha | |
| Chuck Cooper | ... | Benjamin | |
| Iris Little Thomas | ... | Clinic Counselor | |
| Kim Howard | ... | Eleanor | |
| Juan Romero Jr. | ... | Samson | |
| D'Monroe | ... | Terell | |
| Shortee Red | ... | Alex (as Reginald Washington) | |
| Tommy Axson | ... | Cam | |
| Tyrus Cox | ... | Anthony aka The Playa | |
| Tahiem Washington | ... | Troy Harper | |
| Starla Benford | ... | Woman with Flowers | |
| Greg Haberny | ... | Cute 'Guapo' Guy | |
| Lisa Collins | ... | School Registrar | |
| Eric Byrd | ... | Malik (The Party Kisser) | |
| Sidney O'Loughlin | ... | Rasheed | |
| Shannon Phillips | ... | Party DJ | |
| Madeleine T. Gamble | ... | Steppers Booster | |
| Devin Gray | ... | Natasha Up in the Window | |
| Derrick Williams | ... | Rodney | |
| Syron Martin | ... | Ice Cream Scooper | |
| Jan McLaughlin | ... | E.R. Doctor | |
| Carlos Valerio | ... | Bodega Proprietor | |
| Xiomana Martinez | ... | Bodega Proprietor |
Directed by | |||
| Jim McKay | |||
Writing credits(in alphabetical order) | ||
| Jim McKay | written by | |
Produced by | |||
| Tyrone Brown | .... | associate producer | |
| Ashaki 'Saki' Fenderson | .... | associate producer (as Ashaki Fenderson) | |
| Alexa L. Fogel | .... | co-producer | |
| Joseph Infantolino | .... | co-producer | |
| Caroline Kaplan | .... | executive producer | |
| Susannah Ludwig | .... | associate producer | |
| Jim McKay | .... | producer | |
| Paul S. Mezey | .... | producer (as Paul Mezey) | |
| Jonathan Sehring | .... | executive producer | |
| Michael Stipe | .... | executive producer | |
| Diana E. Williams | .... | producer | |
Cinematography by | |||
| Jim Denault | |||
Film Editing by | |||
| Alexander Hall | (as Alex Hall) | ||
Casting by | |||
| Alexa L. Fogel | |||
| Karen Gilman | |||
| Jane Lew | |||
Art Direction by | |||
| Liba Daniels | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Tiel Roman | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Esther Desty | .... | hair stylist | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Ashaki 'Saki' Fenderson | .... | assistant director | |
Art Department | |||
| Rachel Garrity | .... | property master | |
Sound Department | |||
| Stephen Altobello | .... | dialogue editor | |
| Cruz Angeles | .... | boom operator | |
| Rachel Chancey | .... | foley editor | |
| Robert Fernandez | .... | sound re-recording mixer (as Rob Fernandez) | |
| Ginger Geary | .... | foley artist | |
| Jason Kaplan | .... | dialogue editor | |
| Jeanette King-Segnini | .... | audio post coordinator | |
| Booker T. Mattison | .... | boom operator | |
| Jan McLaughlin | .... | sound recordist | |
| Sidney O'Loughlin | .... | adr assistant | |
| Dave Paterson | .... | supervising sound editor | |
| Jay Peck | .... | foley artist | |
| Reilly Steele | .... | sound re-recording mixer | |
| James Ziegler | .... | sound consultant: Dolby (as Jim Ziegler) | |
Visual Effects by | |||
| Eva Rais | .... | opticals | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Claire F. Cario | .... | first assistant camera | |
| Elizabeth Casinelli | .... | gaffer | |
| Thomas LeGoff | .... | still photographer (as Tom Legoff) | |
| Sylvia Plachy | .... | still photographer | |
| Gabrielle Russomagno | .... | still photographer | |
| Victor Sira | .... | still photographer | |
| Joia Speciale | .... | additional assistant camera | |
| Aurelia Winborn | .... | additional assistant camera | |
| Franz Wise | .... | gaffer | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Sharika Niles | .... | wardrobe supervisor | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Don Ciana | .... | color timer | |
| Charly Huser | .... | color timer | |
Music Department | |||
| Julie Panebianco | .... | music supervisor | |
Other crew | |||
| Sturgis Adams | .... | production assistant | |
| Tommy Axson | .... | production assistant | |
| Ivan Bess | .... | production assistant | |
| Andrea F. Cannistraci | .... | legal services | |
| Mekita Coe | .... | production assistant | |
| Lisa Collins | .... | rough-cut screener | |
| Lisa Collins | .... | script reader | |
| Katie Connor | .... | production assistant | |
| Joslyn G. Eccles | .... | key production assistant | |
| Rachel Garrity | .... | key production assistant | |
| Tom Gilroy | .... | rough-cut screener | |
| Tom Gilroy | .... | script reader | |
| Markus Jengkens | .... | production assistant | |
| Brian A. Kates | .... | rough-cut screener | |
| Brian A. Kates | .... | script reader | |
| Sharika Niles | .... | key production assistant | |
| Hans Probst | .... | opticals | |
| Josh A. Rubin | .... | location manager | |
| Attika Torrence | .... | production assistant | |
Thanks | |||
| Stephanie Black | .... | special thanks | |
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| bittersweet movie every teen in the hood should see | coolcleangreen |
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| News articles | IMDb Drama section | IMDb USA section |
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"Some day, we'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun. Some day, when the world is much brighter"- The 5 Stairsteps "O-o-h Child"
Movies about Black teenagers usually involve inner city gangs dealing drugs or committing violence to a hip-hop soundtrack. Films about the everyday problems of ordinary inner city teens are hard to find, yet there is an undiscovered gem that I would like to recommend. Our Song, by Jim McKay is about three girls in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn who learn that their high school will be closed for asbestos removal and must decide on their future direction, one that may involve going their separate ways. The story is told from the point of view of a 15-year old, not from an adult reminiscing about the past as in most coming of age movies. Avoiding the mandatory street slang and excessive use of F-words, it delivers an honest and loving portrait of three friends at a crossroads in their life. The girls: Lanisha (Kerry Washington), Joycelyn (Anna Simpson), and Maria (Melissa Martinez) are in their sophomore year at the local high school. They are active members of the Jackie Robinson Steppers, a real-life marching band whose rehearsals for a Labor Day parade provide discipline and purpose to their lives.
Similar to David Gordon Green's George Washington but less stylized, the film showcases non-professional black and Latino actors with Kerry Washington as the standout. While the performances have some amateurish moments, I became so involved with the story that I forgot the girls were even acting. Maria, whose father is in jail, has learned that she is pregnant by Terrell, a local student. She wants to have the baby in spite of the fact that she is only 15 and knows that Terrell is probably not going to be of much help. Joycelyn works in an up-scale dress shop but dreams about becoming a singer. In a very poignant scene in her bedroom, she pretends to be talking to her fans, then lies down in bed to recite one of her poems. She is close to Lanisha and Maria at the beginning but drifts off to make friends outside of the neighborhood. None of the girls receive much support at home and Maria is too afraid to even tell her mother about her baby. Yet, the single moms are not typical movie deadbeats or alcoholics. They are warm and loving parents whose time with their children is limited because of the pressure of supporting the family.
Lanisha's parents are divorced but she is able to visit her father, a doorman in a luxury apartment building and talk about music. Her mother is comforting when Lanisha learns that a friend in the neighborhood has committed suicide, a somewhat melodramatic plot point in an otherwise realistic film. As the summer winds down, the girls drift apart and each decides on a different course. There are no big dramatic moments, however, only the sad recognition of the inevitability of change. Though we do not have blinders on about the frustrations that may await them, we identify with their hopes and dreams without dwelling on the negative. Our Song is an emotionally satisfying film about growing up in the projects that refuses to see life in any terms other than possibility.