Night Catches Us (2010)

In 1976, complex political and emotional forces are set in motion when a young man returns to the race-torn Philadelphia neighborhood where he came of age during the Black Power movement.

Director:

Tanya Hamilton

Writer:

Tanya Hamilton

Stars:

Kerry Washington, Anthony Mackie, Wendell Pierce

5 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Kerry Washington	...	Patricia Wilson
Anthony Mackie	...	Marcus Washington
Wendell Pierce	...	David Gordon
Jamie Hector	...	'DoRight' Miller
Amari Cheatom	...	Jimmy Dixon
Tariq Trotter	...	Bostic Washington
Nakia Dillard	...	T.T
William Zielinski	...	Frank Cherry
Ron Simons	...	Carey Ford
Thomas Roy	...	Old Man Harrison
Steve Kaufmann	...	Cop #2
Matthew Russell	...	Young Detective
Whitney Wilcox	...	Child in Kitchen
Tariq Rasheed	...	Neil Wilson
Kevin C. Walls	...	Police Officer

Storyline

In 1976, complex political and emotional forces are set in motion when a young man returns to the race-torn Philadelphia neighborhood where he came of age during the Black Power movement.

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Plot Keywords:

black panthers | 1970s | philadelphia pennsylvania | character name in title

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Taglines:

United by revolution, divided by the past

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexuality and violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 December 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Stringbean and Marcus

Filming Locations:

Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$13,562 (USA) (3 December 2010)

Gross:

$75,795 (USA) (18 February 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

SimonSays Entertainment, Gigantic Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The white Cadillac in the film is a 1969 Sedan DeVille.

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Goofs

The blue Chevy Caprice police car is a 1986-1990 model, even though the film is supposed to take place in 1976.

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Connections

Referenced in Teen Wolf: The Tell (2011)

User Reviews

The Night Caught Us All

There's a beauty that lies in these shots, I kept saying to myself as I watched Night Catches Us. Simplistically, yet wonderfully told, is a story we have no seen yet. A truth that existed in 1976, not only in Philadelphia, but in Detroit, Chicago, Oakland, New York City and many other cities and towns across the country. This truth told us that, while the panthers were growing larger and simultaneously being eradicated all across the country, there were those who had non-romanticized lives outside of their affiliation with the party.

While Mario Van Peeble's 1995 version of this truth was indeed true, we fell in love with the party, not with the individuals. We knew the workings of "the pig" and the maneuvers of the Panthers. Tanya Hamilton brings us to a neighborhood, to a house, to a family that wakes up, breathes and lives because they have to do these things to keep moving. Their sub story is their involvement with the Black Panther Party. Their true story is the one we don't see, but it's told to us in ways only a great filmmaker can tell it: between the lines, between the scenes. It lies in the perfect chemistry between Marcus (Anthony Mackie) and Patty (Kerry Washington). Rarely do we get lost in characters, forgetting the actor, and this was one of those rare occasions, and credit must be given to all for such a feat.

These were real lives we watched on screen, real emotions, real situations, realness. There was a raw love being shown that hasn't existed since Love Jones (Written and Directed by Theodore Witcher).

I would be extraordinarily surprised if Tanya Hamilton, the writer and director, was not an admirer of Charles Burnett, writer and director of Killer of Sheep.

I highly recommend this film and would love to one day work with Tanya Hamilton, the creative genius.