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Actors: Adrien Brody, Ben Foster, Orlando Jones, Bebe Neuwirth, Joe Mantegna, Rebekah Johnson, David Krumholtz
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Liberty Heights |
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The fourth in writer-director Barry Levinson's series of loving looks at his native Baltimore (following "Diner," "Tin Men," and "Avalon"), this 1999 film takes place over the course of the year between the fall of 1954 and fall of 1955. Ben, a high school senior, befriends a black student named Sylvia. His older brother Van crashes a party in the WASP section of town and falls for a blonde debutante. Both Jewish boys see new worlds open and barriers hold them back: Sylvia gives Ben tickets to see James Brown and Dubbie, the debutante, shows Van she is not exactly the girl he took her for. Meanwhile, the boys' father Nate (Mantegna) sees his burlesque house losing business to TV, loses his shirt to a small-time pusher named Little Melvin (Jones), and is forced to go into partnership with the criminal. Anti-Semitism, race relations, the coming of age (and rock and roll!), and fathers and sons are all explored here, in a somewhat ambling, sweet, and not-too-intense fashion.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Liberty Heights |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about
books by breaking them down into many different literary
elements, all of which are searchable (click here). |
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 1930's-1950's
Romance/Love/Hugging
Yes
Kids growing up/acting up?
Yes
Kids:
- general coming of age story
Ethnic/Regional/Gender story?
Yes
Main Char. ethnic: (if not US Caucasian)
- Jew, regular
Culture clash?
- being oppressed by outside culture
Culture of surrounding area:
- American suburban
Lover is...
- of another race (interracial loving!)
Age group
- trouble in high school
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- student
Age:
- a teen
Hair color?
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard wavey
Body type
- (man) average
Events of movie makes character more...
- caring
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Jewish
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- healthy but a geeky weakling
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn curly
Body type
- (man) average build
How much in movie?
- 60%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Black
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- criminal
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 20%
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Black
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
City?
Yes
City:
- wealthy
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
- school
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Movie makes you feel...
- thoughtful
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- kissing
- sex under blankets
Any profanity?
- Occasional swearing
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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