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*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Excellent, Touching and Soulful Film This film is fresh. Coming out of Washington DC, it tells a familiar tale of personal discovery and conflict, decisions and priorities set against a uniquely DC music scene. Refreshing in that it does not trivialize the experience of young people by putting them all into the same box. Acting is excellent and the omnipresent musical backdrop is great. Definitely worth seeing this film!!A number of first-timers were involved in Jazz in the Diamond District, a coming-of-age film set in Washington, so perhaps they can be forgiven for not realizing how tired this general plot line is: one or more young people see stardom as a way up and out, and have enough talent that they might make it, but drugs, guns and/or pregnancy intervene. Some dreams will be realized, some dashed, but audiences, having been dragged through this story too many times, won t care which. That said, there are a couple of reasons to stick with this film. The main one is the music, which isn t jazz (that refers to Jasmine, a singer who s looking for her break) but the Washington brand of funk known as go-go. The club scenes pulsate with it, and it gets in your bones quickly. Also worthwhile are some attention-getting performances by unknown actors. André Strong, as the frontman of a go-go group, has some crackling scenes with a far more experienced actor, Wood Harris, the band s booker. And Erica Chamblee (who conceived the story) is intriguing as Jasmine s younger sister, Leah, who has performing dreams of her own. Ms. Chamblee is good enough that she almost makes you believe that a teenager could grow up in a tough city like Washington and still be as naïve as Leah is.
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