ATL (2006)

User Rating:

4.6/10   

Director:

Chris Robinson

Writers (WGA):

Tina Gordon Chism (screenplay)
Antwone Fisher (story)

Release Date:

31 March 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

A New American Story

Plot:

As four friends prepare for life after high school, different challenges bring about turning points in each of their lives. The dramas unfold and resolve at their local rollerskating rink, Cascade. |

Plot Keywords:

High School | Rollerskating Rink | Twins | Acronym In Title | Dancing

Awards:

7 nominations

Cast

Greg Andrews	...	Jay
Monica Arnold	...	Waffle House Waitress (as Monica)
Brandon Bernard Benton	...	Student in Classroom
Adam Boyer	...	Bartender
April Clark	...	Tondie
Albert Daniels	...	Brooklyn
Steven R. Ewing	...	Fireman
Alvin Lee Fleming	...	Skateman
Big Gipp	...	Famous Customer (as Cameron Gipp)
Bart Hansard	...	Deputy
T.I.	...	Rashad (as Tip Harris)
Khadijah	...	Veda
Malika	...	Star
Bone Crusher	...	Bone Crusher (as Wayne Hardnett)
Monique Harris	...	Sexy Woman

Also Known As:

Jellybeans (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for drug content, language, sexual material and some violence.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #42542) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

1901 Metropolitan Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Sweet Tea Pictures LLC

Trivia:

The original title of the movie was going to be "Jellybean," which is the nickname of the character Ant.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: During the pool scene, the boom mic is visible in the reflection of New New's sunglasses.

Quotes:

[from trailer]
Rashad: [to his brother] You ain't gotta be a dope boy to have money.

Movie Connections:

References Bambi (1942)

Soundtrack:

Blackberry Molasses

Surprisingly strong film shows the flipside of the dirty dirty

I just got back from an advance screening of ATL--the movie that cannot be marketed as a roller skating flick because Roll Bounce "didn't make money."

OK, so I guess that's a major spoiler in Warner Brother's eyes. But I think it's kinda cool to see a PG-13 movie set in current times that shows young men and women battling with the process of growing up. If you've seen lots of movies like me, you'll know where ATL borrows it's cues from--the friendships of Juice, the house party from House Party, the fat girl from Cooley High a dash of Purple Rain the broad tapestry of Last Picture Show or American Graffiti and the swagger of Saturday Night Fever. It also owes a lot to John Hughes' early work. That being said, director Chris Robinson, in his feature debut, delivers strong visuals and an excellent soundtrack/score that constantly reminds you that these are real places, people and problems. He gets excellent performances from his cast--a mix of veteran actors and musicians in their film debuts.

The big plot twist in the story (which I won't give away) raises a very interesting question that the movie with as broad a scope as ATL has no way to answer--do these young girls project a "grown-up" attitude because it's fashionable or is it the only way to find love and attention from these young boys who are, in their own way, desperately in search of their own manhood without the guidance of true role models? ATL tels a very familiar story but with interesting hues and nuances that defy the typical "hood" flick. I encourage you to check it out in theaters.