Movie Review: ATL

I'm on a roll yall...TWO movies before they hit DVD?!

My review: 4 out of 5 Stars

This was actually a good movie. I was really surprised that I left the theater pleasantly surprised. I would recommend anyone to see it...Only don't see in on a weekend. It was hella high schoolers in the theater...I was like "Damn don't yall got curfews...This a 10:30 show?!" Of course every girl (including me) in the theater sighed when T.I little skinny self hit the screen. While he won't be getting the Best Actor Oscar anytime soon, he did a pretty good job unlike some rappers/actors **cough Busta, Fiddy, Puff cough** I honestly felt that, in a sense, he was just being himself. He wasn't trying to be all hard, he was just mellow and cool. He really didn't say a lot in the movie. It was almost like when he did speak, it was for a purpose and pretty much stood on it's own. That's just me but I actually liked T.I.

He was, however, too damn old looking to play a high schooler. Damn the "21 year old sophomore" look some guys had in high school. You know the one, the one who had a full mustache and beard by 14? Looking like a damn predator and sh*t by the time they're a junior. T.I just looked too damn old! Cute but too old to be in high school.

Ant (Diana Ross son/Chris Brown Twin) was a little cutie. I won't tell you what happened to him but I felt for the little guy. Sometimes though I felt like they forgot about him and just stuck him back in the story. But he was good as well. Funny and like a typical awkward teen trying to fit in the best way he know how. Reminded me so much of my little brother.

I even liked Big Boi. He looks like a drug dealer don't he? He looks like he be selling that yay on the low. One classic scene was when T.I and Big Boi get into it. *pause* Now you know Big Boi's big ass would sling T.I's little bite size ass somewhere. He killed me with his "Little Big Brother" line. *dead*

Bubba (Dude from Forrest Gump, I always forget his name...That n*gga is Bubba to me) was funny as hell as Rashad's (T.I) and Ant's uncle. His one bowl rule *classic*

Was it me or did it seem like there was a cameo from everybody from Atlanta? I was waiting for Jermaine Dupree, 112, and T-Boz and Chili to pop out the wood works. There was Monica as a waitress, Jazzy Pha as the DJ of Cascade, and Bone Crusher as a drug dealer?, not to mention Goodie Mob...And Jason Weaver.

Where the hell were they doing auditions? Where the f*ck did Jason Weaver come from? While he was funny as hell in the movie, dude is old as f*ck. Playing a 21 year old high school senior (At least they got someone's age frame right...Although he was lookin 31 and not 21) with gold fronts. He was amusing to see on the screen though. I still remember him as Michael in The Jackson Movie though.

Was it me or did Esquire look a lot like Ralph Tresvant's son? Is that his kid in real life?

I could go on and on about the characters but I don't wanna give the movie away. It was cute. T.I and New New (and T.I chasing away some chicken head broad who was a real get down with the crew) was cute and I really loved the little southern accents going on in the movie. There's a little "surprise" in the middle with T.I and New New that I didn't see coming but I understood the underlining issue with that. The movie was just refreshing. I laughed during scenes that should have been laughed at instead of vice versa. Although...T.I coulda got like that scar (or bumps?) on his lips cleared up or better covered with makeup or something. And a wife beater should have been stricken from his wardrobe. Baby needs a good meal.

I don't know if that's how the ATL really is, I've only been there on vacation and that was some years ago, but it gave a feel that it was a pretty accurate depiction of Atlanta. There wasn't all that gang banging and cursing sh*t, no real emphasis on street life, no random sex scenes. It was just about kids struggling to make it through life.

I loved the visual effects as well and the skating scenes were by far my favorite. It was if there were no cameras watching and everyone was being natural. Cascades seemed like it was the spot to go on Sundays. No shooting, no fights outside, just Black people getting together to have a good time.

People can write it off as another "hood" movie but I think it was a little more than that. It was worth my $8.25 (student discount baby!). It didn't suck and the acting was not bad.

I was kinda pissed that in the credits, Monica who appeared in the movie all of two minutes was listed before T.I, who was in damn near every scene of the movie and the credit were not listed in alphabetical order or according to appearance!

So go see the movie!!