Idlewild (2006)

A musical set in the Prohibition-era American South, where a speakeasy performer and club manager Rooster must contend with gangsters who have their eyes on the club while his piano player ... See full summary »

Director:

Bryan Barber

Writer:

Bryan Barber

Stars:

André Benjamin, Big Boi, Paula Patton

5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
André Benjamin	...	Percival Jenkins
Big Boi	...	Rooster (as Antwan A. Patton)
Paula Patton	...	Angel Davenport
Terrence Howard	...	Trumpy
Faizon Love	...	Sunshine Ace
Malinda Williams	...	Zora
Cicely Tyson	...	Mother Hopkins
Macy Gray	...	Taffy
Ben Vereen	...	Percy Senior
Paula Jai Parker	...	Rose
Bobb'e J. Thompson	...	Young Rooster
Patti LaBelle	...	The Real Angel Davenport
Ving Rhames	...	Spats
Jackie Long	...	Monk S. Dupois
Oscar Dillon	...	Bobo

Storyline

A musical set in the Prohibition-era American South, where a speakeasy performer and club manager Rooster must contend with gangsters who have their eyes on the club while his piano player and partner Percival must choose between his love, Angel or his obligations to his father.

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Plot Keywords:

speakeasy | gangster | photo album | hip hop | oral sex | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Musical | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, sexuality, nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [es] Paramount Pictures [fr]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 August 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

My Life in Idlewild

Filming Locations:

Burgaw, North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$5,745,780 (USA) (25 August 2006)

Gross:

$12,549,485 (USA) (29 September 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Atlas Entertainment, Forensic Films, HBO Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The working title of the film was Speakerboxxx, named after Outkast's 2003 album.

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Goofs

During the first big song sung by Big Boi, the camera is on Andre playing the piano. A few seconds later, you see Big Boi dancing around the stage, but there is no one at the piano.

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Quotes

GW: At the end of the day Wilbur you ain't nothing but a thief

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Crazy Credits

The credits play over a musical dance number by Percival

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Connections

Featured in Music Movies: Idlewild (2013)

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Soundtracks

"She Slowly Lives in My Lap"
Written by André Benjamin
Performed by Outkast
Courtesy of LaFace Records/Zomba Label Group

User Reviews

This movie is fun.

It is a highly stylized slice of life. As usual, reading through the comments left here, I'm finding that many just can't leave their pretense at the door. It would seem that any film with an all African-American cast set in the American south is required to beat us over the head with an idea we are all (I would hope) aware of. ie; Jim Crow sucked. Instead, this film simply portrays people with hopes and dreams, faults and virtues, capable of love and hate, good and evil. in other words, people. Not "black people". That was refreshing. (and, IMHO, a far stronger statement than one could ever make through heavy-handed symbolism) Is the film perfect? Far from it. The plot is in many ways pedestrian. The film telegraphs plot twists rather than foreshadowing them. However, are there flashes of brilliance? Good Lord yes. These are two astonishingly talented men (Andre and Big Boi) and simply as a showcase for that talent, this film succeeds. If you just sit down and let the film wash over you, you will enjoy. If you over-think, and ask it to be something it isn't, you won't. It's that simple.