Always Outnumbered (1998)

The former prisoner tries to save another's child from repeating of his way.

Director:

Michael Apted

Writers:

Walter Mosley (book), Walter Mosley (teleplay)

Stars:

Laurence Fishburne, Daniel Williams, Bill Cobbs

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Laurence Fishburne	...	Socrates Fortlow
Daniel Williams	...	Darryl
Bill Cobbs	...	Right Burke
Natalie Cole	...	Iula Brown
Laurie Metcalf	...	Halley Grimes
Alan Wilder	...	Anton Crier
Cicely Tyson	...	Luvia
Bridgid Coulter	...	Corina M'Shalla
Bill Nunn	...	Howard M'Shalla
Isaiah Washington	...	Wilfred
Bill Duke	...	Blackbird Wills
Kevin Carroll	...	Pegus
Jamaal Carter	...	Phillip
John Toles-Bey	...	Stoney Wiley
Brooke Marie Bridges	...	Winnie M'Shalla

Storyline

In Los Angeles, the hot-tempered collector of cans Socrates "Socco" Fortlow is an ex-con that has served a long sentence for killing a man and a woman. Now he is trying to build a new life and find a job. However he is discriminated against his age, color and background. His only friend is Right Burke, who is dying of cancer. He also helps a young woman that is having problems with her husband. When Socco meets the boy Darryl, he finds that Darryl lives with a foster family that does not take care of him. Further, he has just witnessed the murder of another boy by a small-time criminal. Socco helps the boy to grow-up while helps Burke and tries to find work at a supermarket.

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Plot Keywords:

gang | cancer | los angeles california | employment discrimination | racism | 

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Taglines:

In every man's soul hides a hero.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language, and some sexuality and violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 March 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Home Box Office (HBO), Palomar Pictures (II)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Vonte Sweet starred with Laurence Fishborne in Boyz N The Hood (1991) and with Billy Duke in Menace II Society (1993).

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Quotes

Socrates Fortlow: You and your friends did wrong, Daryl. Now, I'm just talking to you, one black man to another, alright, 'cause, see, if you don't know when you've done wrong, life ain't worth a damn.

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Connections

Spin-off The Right Mistake

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Soundtracks

Chain of Fools
Written by Don Covay (as Dan Covay)
Published by Fourteenth Hour Music Inc., Promptu
Performed by Aretha Franklin
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Timeless and classic; a hidden gem

I won't go into details of the storyline, as you can read that from other reviews. I will say that this is one of the best dramatic films I've seen that most haven't even heard of. It is a very moving story with many underlying plots that come together well and each stand out to be noticed. The acting was Grade A from everyone casted, the messages (and there were many) are relevant and stirring, and there just aren't enough good things to say about this film. I think that Larry Fishburne is one of our better black actors, I believe better than Denzel based on the variety of characters that Fishburne has played over the years, and this may have been his best work. His character and his acting is that strong in this film. If you've seen the movie "Pitch Black" with Vin Diesel (now that they've made a sequel 4 years later), you know that it was a slow, kind of boring movie, but Vin played his character Riddick with such coolness that his role made the flick. Fishburne does the same outstanding performance, but unlike Pitch Black, everything else about Outnumbered was strong in supporting the lead character. An excellent film that I would highly recommend.