G (2002)

User Rating:

4.5/10   

Director:

Christopher Scott Cherot

Writers:

Andrew Lauren (story) and
Charles E. Drew Jr. (story) ...

Release Date:

28 October 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

"G" is a Gatsbyesque love story set against Hip-Hop's invasion of the Hamptons.

Plot Keywords:

Hip Hop | The Hamptons | Black Romance | Great Gatsby | Modern Day Adaptation

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Richard T. Jones	...	Summer G
Blair Underwood	...	Chip Hightower
Chenoa Maxwell	...	Sky Hightower
Andre Royo	...	Tre
Andrew Lauren	...	Adam Gordon
Laz Alonso	...	Craig Lewis
Lalanya Masters	...	Nicole Marshall
Nicoye Banks	...	B. Mo Smoov
Jillian Lindsey	...	Daizy Duke
Sonja Sohn	...	Shelly
Marcia Wright	...	Ladara
Damian Young	...	Gene Underhill
Alex Carr	...	Bill
Renet Kyles	...	Monica (as Ronette Kyles)
Johnny Russo	...	Ramon

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexuality and brief violence.

Runtime:

Canada:97 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | USA:96 min (Tribeca Film Festival) | Argentina:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:18A (Ontario) | UK:15 | Argentina:16 | Germany:12 | Singapore:M18 | Iceland:16 | USA:R (PCA #38639)

Company:

Andrew Lauren Productions (ALP)

Quotes:

Summer G: Don't let nobody take nothin' from you; handle your business...

Movie Connections:

Version of The Great Gatsby (1974)

Soundtrack:

Ro's

Nothing can touch Fitzgerald

Like this review, G could never capture the eloquence of F. Scott Fitzgerald. What made this movie good was the skeleton provided by Fitzgerald, what made this movie bad was the adaptation. This film had its share of corn. What the first half of the century called "melodrama" we call corny. So that is due to no fault of the producer or the screenwriter. At the same time, the timelessness of the story is what will capture the attention of the audience. On some level we all love a little melodrama. Those who have read the novel will enjoy finding the urban parallels. I was even motivated to read the book again after the screening.

The enigmatic Gatsby found a counterpart in Summer G without as much mystery. Richard T. Jones is very good at playing the strong silent type. Chenoa Maxwell's Sky Hightower captured the desperate innocence of the classic's Daisy. And Blair Underwood's Chip Hightower was a Tom like no other. There was a little unnecessary comic relief and a few extra characters all building to a crescendo and an almost operatic ending.

It's difficult to adapt classic novels. This is not the first attempt for The Great Gatsby. Robert Redford and Mia Farrow attempted in 1974. I found that version very boring. So in comparison G was much better but the corn factor was a little extra. All in all much more good than bad.