Reviews
For Jimmy Brown (2001)
a stark moving work
For jimmy brown is subtle film about the brief relationship between two unrelated men. A younger white guy stumbles upon an old black guy and is told to leave him alone. What blossoms is a stark and understated relationship while the younger guy is dying, which is accentuated by the way his pushups rapidly decline towards the end. The title `for' jimmy brown refers to the soccer jacket that Gabriel leaves Jimmy after his death. Jimmy Brown is played by veteran stage actor Dennis Lebby who gives a great monologue to an empty bed at the end of the film. Brian Jun plays Gabriel, while as a director provides fluid camera moves to tell this flawless story. This is unlike many short films...it is stripped of virtually everything, shot in black and white which is a metaphor for the two men, one white, one black. I've been told that this film was rejected from Sundance, which I cannot believe because while very simple, it tells a rather complex story. The acting is excellent, the cinematography flawless, and the editing is great too. Try to catch this film if you can.