Synopsis:
A heartwarming and crowd-pleasing coming-of-age comedy with a unique spin, Morris from America centers on Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas, in an incredible breakout performance) a 13-year-old who has just relocated with his single father, Curtis (Craig Robinson) to Heidelberg, Germany. Morris, who fancies himself the next Notorious B.I.G., is a complete fish-out-of-water budding hip-hop star in an EDM world. To complicate matters further, Morris quickly falls hard for his cool, rebellious, 15-year-old classmate Katrin. Morris sets out against all odds to take the hip-hop world by storm and win the girl of his dreams.
Written and directed by acclaimed up-and-coming filmmaker Chad Hartigan (This is Martin Bonner), Morris from America won two prizes at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the Waldo Salt Screening Award and a Special Jury Award for Robinson, who has been receiving tremendous praise for his touching and nuanced performance in his first serious role. Poignant and funny in equal measure, Morris from America is a delightfully original take on growing up, following your dreams, and finding your voice.
What We Thought:
The more I think about Morris From America the more I like it. I liked it as I watched it, but as I thought about it and discussed it with others, it got even better.
At first it comes across as your standard “fish out of water” story with Morris and his dad Curtis living in Germany so Curtis can be a soccer coach. Morris is a young black kid living in a predominantly white German town. He’s into hip hop and freestyling and the kids around him aren’t. They tease him and treat him as an outcast till he falls for an older girl. He starts going to parties and trying to make friends, but never quite fits in.
It all feels familiar, but it’s definitely not unoriginal. Part of it is because the film is so damn realistic. Morris is your typical kid with typical kid problems especially being the new kid. He doesn’t speak German. He isn’t into the same things as the others. He’s authentic and realistic. He feels like a real person.
That’s what makes the movie so good. Again, the more I talked about it with others and thought about it, it’s one of the most realistic and authentic movies I’ve seen in a long time. Morris is a kid. Plain and simple. He has problems. He likes girls. He loves music. He doesn’t always get along with his dad. That’s Teenager 101 right there. Markees Christmas, who plays Morris, nails teen angst, nails wanting to fit in, nails having a crush on a girl and not understand girls. Keep an eye on this kid, he’s good.
The biggest surprise might be Craig Robinson though. I’ve liked Robinson for years, but he’s known more for things like The Office and Hot Tub Time Machine than he is for serious roles. He’s pretty great as Curtis. There’s a scene towards the end when he has a heart to heart with Morris about girls and how he met his mother that was a perfect father/son conversation. It was the dad in the car with his son talking about girls and love and it was 100% authentic and natural. That scene sold me on the film.
Morris From America has gotten good buzz through the film festival circuit and I can see why. It’s one of the most authentic, grounded, realistic, and honest films you’ll see this year. Because of that it is…
RECOMMENDED!
Cast & Crew:
- Craig Robinson
- Markees Christmas
The Nerds Templar 