Crown Heights
Who in the world could go from being an All-Pro NFL defensive back to an all-star, layered actor? Nnamdi Asomugha. He accomplished just that with his third feature film, Crown Heights. The film, directed by Matt Ruskin (The Hip Hop Project, Booster), tells the real-life story of Colin Warner (a wonderful Lakeith Stanfield), an 18-year old immigrant falsely accused of murder.
Within the first ten minutes of the film, he is imprisoned. The first half of the film, once he is in prison, struggles to find its way. Plot points are brushed over, and there are numerous time jumps that are spaced unevenly. Granted, it is based on a true story, so it may have been a little difficult to execute, but the editors could have done a slightly better job at making the time jumps less jarring.
During this first half of the movie, bad things happen to the characters, and they are just taken for granted. There isn't any real conflict, and the deeper themes of racism and the corrupt justice system are not fully explored.
Ruskin also doesn't do a great job of finding a balance between showing prison life and the efforts on the outside to free Warner. The prison sequences feel a little forced, as well as some of the emotional beats.
However, once Asomugha's character, a work friend of Warner's, enters the story, things really start to pick up. His attempts to free his friend are convincing and portrayed with a slight hint of hopefulness, but not too much to overwhelm the themes of helplessness and incompetence.
The best scenes in the movie are of the legal battle, including gathering evidence, finding witnesses, and interviewing them. From a directing standpoint, the narration of the witnesses with partial flashbacks to the crime are highlights.
The two consistently great parts about the film are the music and the acting. First off, the music is great. It fits with the story and any scene set to a tune is automatically improved. Ruskin seems to be trying harder when he has music to listen to.
The other great thing that really lifts this movie out of averageness, even in the first half, is the superb acting. Asomugha, as I mentioned above, is on his way to becoming a standout actor. He has the chops to do it, and his portrayal is emotional without being overdramatic. He is relatable while also being noble. This is part of the reason the first half drags. He doesn't really have much to do. Stanfield, however, carries the first part. He is vulnerable but still strong, and portrays Warner well. Natalie Paul, playing Warner's wife, is another standout. She plays her part softly and subtly.
Overall, this film is worth the watch. Its deep-reaching themes are more timely now than ever, and besides that, it is an exemplary showcase of how good acting and direction can bring to life even the most procedural of stories.
I, for one, am thankful that Asomugha transitioned from football to acting.
{★★★☆}