Knights of the South Bronx (2005) (TV)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Allen Hughes

Writers (WGA):

Jamal Joseph (teleplay) and
Dianne Houston (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

6 December 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A business man decides that he wants to teach school in the inner city and chooses a tough school in the South Bronx...

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Ted Danson	...	Richard
Malcolm David Kelley	...	Jimmy
Keke Palmer	...	Kenya Russell
Clifton Powell	...	Cokey
Devon Bostick	...	Darren
Brian Markinson	...	Arnie
Kate Vernon	...	Richard's wife
Alex Karzis	...	Kasparov
Karen LeBlanc	...	Dolly
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Philip Akin	...	Asst. Princpal Hill
Cameron Ansell	...	Jimmy's Opponent
Brandon Bally	...	Peach Thug #2
Gabe Bettio	...	Parent #1
Brad Borbridge	...	Player #3
Kedar Brown	...	Cop #2
Jason Burke	...	Peach
Alessandra Cannito	...	Renee's Opt.
Nicholas Carpenter	...	Dawson's Opt. (#2)
Shemar Charles	...	Kid #1
Jeff Christensen	...	Bike Shop Owner
David Clement	...	Gnarly Old Player
Raven Dauda	...	Brenda
Yucini Diaz	...	Renee Soto
Craig Eldgride	...	Cop #1
Gary Gerbrandt	...	MD's Opt.
Joan Gregson	...	Elderly Rich Woman
Geri Hall	...	Tournament Player
Michael Hanrahan	...	Tournament Official (DLS)
David Macniven	...	Kasparov's Manager
Costin Manu	...	Player #2
Yves Michel-Beneche	...	MD
Quincy Nanatakyi	...	Peach Thug #1
Antonio Ortiz	...	Dawson
Scott Paterson	...	Ballplayer
Melissa Peters	...	Terry
Brendan Price	...	Dawson's Opponent
Michael Rawlins	...	Lucien Dennis
Jennifer Robertson	...	Parent #2
Sandi Ross	...	Pnicipal Nettie Weston
Alex Scrymgeour	...	Parent
Michael Segovia	...	Jimmy's chess opponent
Tom Slater	...	Tournament Official (Hunter)
Manny Sobral	...	Boxer
Stephen Suckling	...	Jimmy's Opt. (#2)
Spencer Van Wyck	...	Dawson's Opponent
Eric Weinthal	...	Coach
Mark Whelan	...	Tournament Official

Runtime:

USA:89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

A&E Television Networks

Trivia:

It took producer Diane Nabatoff 5 years to get this movie made

Goofs:

Continuity: During Dawson's first tournament game, two different chess clocks are used: a tan BHB and a dark brown USCF

Quotes:

Parent: Which kid is yours?
Richard: All the black and Puerto Rican ones.

Pleasant enough -- no surprises.

The genre of "inspired and unusual teachers who impact the lives of their students" goes back at least to "Goodbye Mr. Chips" (1939) and perhaps farther than that. Many of us still remember our reactions to "To Sir, With Love" (1967) and "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" (1969). The present effort, based on the founding of "Chess in the Schools" by David MacEnulty, doesn't rank with these "greats," but it's a respectable sentiment piece and makes up for its formulaic plot to some extent with notably excellent acting. I think Ted Danson is generally underrated, and his performance here is skillful and convincing. I don't know what the real-life MacEnulty was like, but I can imagine him being just about like Danson's portrayal. The five young people who constitute the "Knights" chess team are the heart of this movie, and all are serious actors, though a bit long-in-the-tooth to be in the fourth grade. One gets so accustomed to that misrepresentation, especially in American films, that it goes almost unnoticed. If you watch enough movies, you start to wonder why the real kids you know are so LITTLE! Anyway, this is a not-bad film with a good story to tell, and it won't give anybody nightmares.