A Raisin in the Sun (2008) (TV)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Kenny Leon

Writers (WGA):

Paris Qualles (teleplay)
Lorraine Hansberry (play)

Release Date:

25 February 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An African-American family struggles with poverty, racism, and inner conflict as they strive for a better way of life. Based on the play by Lorraine Hansberry.

Plot Keywords:

African American | Working Class Family | Mother Daughter Relationship | Family Relationships | Mother Son Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Paula Boudreau
Alexandra Cheron	...	Anna
Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs	...	Walter Lee Younger
Elle Downs	...	Cocktail Waitress
Ron C. Jones	...	Willy
Sanaa Lathan	...	Beneatha Younger
Justin Martin	...	Travis
Audra McDonald	...	Ruth Younger
Bill Nunn	...	Bobo
David Oyelowo	...	Asagai
Phylicia Rashad	...	Lena Younger
John Stamos	...	Carl Lindner
Paul Stephen	...	North Shore Businessman
Emily Swiss	...	Priscilla
Sean Patrick Thomas	...	George

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Sony Pictures Television

Trivia:

TV version of the Tony award-winning 2004 play revival, with same director and most of the lead-cast: Kenny Leon, Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs , Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald, Sanaa Lathan and Bill Nunn.

Goofs:

Continuity: When they are packing up the apartment, Momma is working on putting sticks around a small plant to protect it to wrap it. The number and location of the sticks are not in sync with the timing.

Quotes:

Asagai: There is something wrong when all the dreams of a household depend on a man dying.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2009) (TV)

A Raisin in the Sun marks my farewell comment for Black History Month

This entry of the 2008 TV movie version of Lorraine Hansberry's play "A Raisin in the Sun" that just aired on ABC four days ago, is my final entry on African-Americans in film and television in chronological order for Black History Month. Nearly the entire cast of the recent Broadway revival of this still-resonant drama-Phylicia Rashad, Sean Combs, Audra McDonald, Sanaa Lathan, and Bill Nunn-reprise their roles here. They're all great as well as Sean Patric Thomas, David Oyelowo, Paul Stephen, and, as Carl Linder-the man who tries to buy the Youngers out of their new house, John Stamos. Rashad and McDonald, both of whom won Tonys for their performances, should repeat at the Emmys this fall. Combs, usually known as Puff Daddy/P. Diddy/Diddy, holds his own with the experienced veterans here. Scenes such as Rashad slapping daughter Lathan after the latter denounces God or Combs doing his "shufflin' Negro" act near the end to everyone's disgust still packs a wallop. And writer Paris Qualles, whose work I just watched on The Rosa Parks Story, and director Kenny Leon open up the play's locations and expand on the dialogue considerably well. What else can I say except it's been a wonderful journey watching how much African-American performers and filmmakers have evolved over the nearly 90 years with nearly 100 listings here at IMDb during this special month. With the writer's strike still in effect at the beginning of it, I thought this was as good a time as any to celebrate some of the most acclaimed and popular celebrities America and the world has ever known. With that, I'll just say thanks for anyone who's read this and my other BHM comments and gave me favorable and even not-so-favorable marks as a result. Oh, and feel free to read and mark my other non-BHM comments as well!