Review: JASON'S LYRIC
berardinelli,james
JASON'S LYRIC
Rating (0 to 10): 9.1
Date Released: 9/28/94
Running Length: 1:59
Rated: R (Language, violence, nudity, sex, mature themes)
Starring: Allen Payne, Jada Pinkett, Forest Whitaker, Anthony
"Treach" Criss, Suzzanne Douglas, Bokeem Woodbine
Director: Doug McHenry
Producers: Doug McHenry and George Jackson
Screenplay: Bobby Smith Jr.
Cinematography: Francis Kenny
Music: Afrika and Matt Noble
Released by Gramercy Pictures
Doug McHenry's tale of life for an urban black family is an
extraordinary achievement, filled with passion, romance, and complex
tragedy. JASON'S LYRIC is not so much a poem as a saga, and there is no
part of this motion picture that ever feels contrived or forced.
For those in search of a "real" movie amidst more traditional movie
fare, JASON'S LYRIC is the perfect solution. It packs the emotional
punch of BOYZ 'N THE HOOD, has the same unflinching perspective as MENACE
II SOCIETY, and adds to these one of the most heartfelt, genuine romances
in recent films. Gone are the fanciful trappings of a SLEEPLESS IN
SEATTLE. JASON'S LYRIC shows how it is when people really fall in love.
This film is about many kinds of love, and the rage and jealousy
that often go hand-in-hand with them. Only the strongest of emotions can
provoke a violent reaction, and this is a truth that JASON'S LYRIC
illustrates. A common adage states that there's a fine line between love
and hate. If that's true, the characters in this film cross over and
back several times.
Unlike many similarly-themes films, this one does not take place in
New York City or Los Angeles. Instead, the setting is Houston. We are
introduced to the two young sons of Gloria Alexander (Suzzanne Douglas):
Jason (played as an adult by Allen Payne), the elder, and Joshua (played
as an adult by Bokeem Woodbine), the younger. As children, the two are
forced to defend their mother when their drunken father Maddog (Forest
Whitaker) storms into the house in a rage.
A decade and a half later, Joshua has become a criminal and Jason is
living life on the "straight-and-narrow." The two could not be more
dissimilar, but the ties binding them are stronger than their
differences. Until Jason falls in love, that is. The object of his
affection is Lyric Greer (Jada Pinkett), the sister of a local drug
kingpin (Anthony "Treach" Criss). As soon as Joshua recognizes that this
woman could come between his brother and him, he develops an powerful
dislike of her.
As rich a story as this is, it would never have attained such an
impact without a spate of strong performances. From Bokeem Woodbine, who
plays the haunted, angry Joshua, to Forest Whitaker, as a man whose soul
was lost in Vietnam, to Suzzanne Douglas, the torn mother, there isn't an
instance of weak or sub-par acting. Allen Payne and Jada Pinkett,
playing the title characters, possess that rare chemistry that so many
screen couples lack. Their interaction drives JASON'S LYRIC to its
inevitable climax.
The cinematography is accomplished, framing every scene effectively,
often making the scenery an extra character. When Jason and Lyric have
their first tender moment, the nearby lake is as much a part of the
moment as the two people. Colored flowers and breezy fields present a
contrast to the grit and grime of the inner city.
Whether love is healing or destructive, any giving of this emotion
demands opening one's heart, and an open heart can easily be broken.
JASON'S LYRIC is about consequences - those that come about as a result
of trusting, loving, and even living. The result showcases the talent of
all involved, and weaves one of 1994's rare unforgettable stories.
Copyright 1994 James Berardinelli
- James Berardinelli (bla...@cc.bellcore.com)
Brian Kholdi
movies I've seen in 1994, coming very close to Beverley Hills cop 3.
The script was tedious. The movie had potential, but dragged too
long. And as every black movie goes, eveyone and their mothers
died in the end. Thumbs down.
- Brian
James Berardinelli
>SPOILER-
>
> >The script was tedious. The movie had potential, but dragged too
> >long. And as every black movie goes, eveyone and their mothers
> >died in the end.
>Maybe you should go see the movie again. Payne and Pinkett (the 'good'
>guys) live, while Woodbine, and a number of other bad guys die. Also
>the main baddie Anthony "Treach" Criss lives.
Actually, Payne's Jason is the only "main" character to survive (unless you
count Suzzanne Douglas' Gloria). Jada Pinkett's Lyric is killed by Joshua.
The scene at the end where she appears to be alive is Jason's fantasy.
Reference the opening scene if you doubt this. After the story has been told,
he's all alone on the bus.
- James Berardinelli (bla...@cc.bellcore.com)
gt3...@prism.gatech.edu
Hmm, I guess I missed that. Actually makes the ending a little better in my
opinion.
Dan
>- James Berardinelli (bla...@cc.bellcore.com)
--
Daniel Jude Bredy
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
uucp: ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!gt3655a
Internet: gt3...@prism.gatech.edu
gt3...@prism.gatech.edu
>You gotta be kidding! Jason's Lyric was by far one of THE worst
>movies I've seen in 1994, coming very close to Beverley Hills cop 3.
>
I didn't think it was quite that bad. It dragged, yes, and I just
did not by the relationship between Payne and Pinkett (though I enjoyed
Payne's performance. Also I noticed that they had a hard time maintaining
their southern accents. But it did not rank close on the bad movie
scale with "Blown Away" and Beverly Hills Cop 3. In short I thought it
was OK, not great or even very good.
SPOILER-
>The script was tedious. The movie had potential, but dragged too
>long. And as every black movie goes, eveyone and their mothers
>died in the end.
Maybe you should go see the movie again. Payne and Pinkett (the 'good'
guys) live, while Woodbine, and a number of other bad guys die. Also
the main baddie Anthony "Treach" Criss lives.
By the way, have you ever heard of a Spoiler warning?
Thumbs down.
>
>- Brian
Dan