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ATL Movie Review
Article by:
brooklyniteOne
 Lets just say Downtown Atlanta was well plastered with promotional signs for T.I. leading up to the premiere of the movie 'ATL' and the release of his album "King." I will spare you the Joan Rivers red carpet who showed up and who-wore-what nonsense though before the movie started T.I. himself walked to the front of the theater and said "This is the best representation of Atlanta in a movie up to now." I do agree actually.
In the context of hip-hop, and ghetto culture the movie 'ATL' does a good job at representing 'A-Town.' The movie which claims to be loosely based on the childhoods of record producer Dallas Austin and TLC member Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins and their Sunday nights spent at the roller rink is clearly shot in Atlanta. Those who really know Atlanta will recognize many of ghetto and other landmark spots like the Rib Shack at the corner of Martin Luther King (there’s one in every hood) Drive and Ashby street and Tire Shop on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway (Formerly known as Bankhead). Director Chris Robinson does a great job without excessive visual effects for which other urban film directors have been criticized.
The plot presents nothing particularly out of the ordinary or groundbreaking though the charm of the movie is relayed through the characters that are well developed and believable. There's ‘New-New’ the cutie, the hardheaded younger brother of T.I.'s character, the friend "Brooklyn" (no relation) who uses every opportunity to remind everyone of his Brooklyn roots. I must say that hit home. New Yorkers and specifically Brooklynites really do that, and some are more obnoxious than others. In any case, T.I.P. Harris is believable in his role and does a good job. I expect we will see more of him on the big screen in the future. There's nothing overtly stereotypical about any of the characters. The refreshing thing about the film is actually that T.I.'s character instead of being a stereotypical ghetto type actually is an archetypal character in the movie. ‘ATL’ is worth checking out. I am sure the film will open up doors in Hollywood for T.I. and the rest of the cast.
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