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On October 7, 2016, during the 2016 United States presidential election, The Washington Post published a video and accompanying article about then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and television host Billy Bush having 'an extremely lewd conversation about women' in 2005. Trump and Bush were in a bus on their way to film an episode of Access Hollywood (now Access), a show owned by NBCUniversal. In the video, Trump described his attempt to seduce a married woman and indicated he might start kissing a woman that he and Bush were about to meet. He added, 'I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.' Commentators and lawyers have described such an action as sexual assault.[1]
News of the recording broke two days before the second 2016 presidential debate between Trump, the Republican nominee, and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Trump gave a statement in which he apologized for the video's content, but attempted to deflect attention by saying that Bill Clinton had 'said far worse to me on the golf course'.[2] The recording provoked strong reactions by media figures and politicians across the political spectrum. Statements from Republican officials were varied. Some, including Trump's vice-presidentialrunning mateMike Pence, Senate Majority LeaderMitch McConnell, and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, indicated their disapproval of Trump's words but did not renounce their support or call for his resignation from the ticket. Other Republicans, most prominently former presidential nominee John McCain, stated that they would no longer support Trump's presidential campaign, and some called for his withdrawal from the ticket. House SpeakerPaul Ryan announced that he would no longer defend or support Trump's campaign, although he did not officially retract his endorsement of Trump. Bush resigned from his position as a host on NBC's Today show, while Trump received allegations of sexual misconduct from several women.
Morris From America Free Online
- 1Recording
- 3Reactions
- 3.2Involved parties
- 3.3Republican Party
- 5Effects and aftermath
Recording[edit]
The video was recorded in September 2005 in the NBC Studios parking lot while Trump was preparing to appear in an episode of the NBC soap operaDays of Our Lives. Access Hollywood,[3] a syndicated entertainment news program owned by NBCUniversal,[4] conducted a behind-the-scenes interview with Trump about the guest appearance in which Trump and Bush arrived in a tour bus for the Access Across America series of segments produced in commemoration of the program's 10th season. It features audio of Trump talking with Billy Bush, then co-anchor of Access Hollywood, on a bus embellished with the show's name. Trump and Bush were wearing microphones, which recorded their casual conversation. Trump was later described as 'apparently aware at the time that he was being recorded by a TV program'.[5][6]
According to an Access Hollywood spokesperson, there were seven other people on the bus: a camera crew of two, the bus driver, the show's producer, a production assistant, Trump's security guard, and Trump's public relations representative. Upon arriving at the lot, the camera crew was let off the bus so they could record Trump and Bush disembarking and meeting with Arianne Zucker, who portrayed Nicole Walker on the soap opera and appeared alongside Trump in the episode in which he guest starred.[7][8]
Contents[edit]
In the video, Trump tells Billy Bush about a failed attempt to seduce Nancy O'Dell, who was Bush's co-host at the time (circa 2005) of the recording:[9]
I moved on her, and I failed. I'll admit it.
I did try and fuck her. She was married.
And I moved on her very heavily. In fact, I took her out furniture shopping. She wanted to get some furniture. I said, 'I'll show you where they have some nice furniture.' I took her out furniture—I moved on her like a bitch. But I couldn't get there. And she was married. Then all of a sudden I see her, she's now got the big phony tits and everything. She's totally changed her look.[3]
Later, referring to Arianne Zucker (whom they were waiting to meet), Trump says:
I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful—I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the pussy. You can do anything.[3]
Publication[edit]
According to Access Hollywood, the discovery of the video was prompted by 'Mr. Trump's denial of claims contained in an Associated Press story in which 20 former Apprentice employees described Mr. Trump's behavior toward women as lewd and inappropriate.'[10] An NBC source said that an Access Hollywood producer remembered the conversation on Monday, October 3, and located it in the show's archives.[4][11] The celebrity news website TMZ reports a different chronology: when senior executives at NBC learned about the video, they thought it was too early in the presidential campaign season to release it with maximum effect, and (according to TMZ) those executives publicly said they learned of the video long after they actually learned about it.[12][13]
NBC discussed whether to release the tape and had lawyers review the legality of the publication, as is common among other news media due to the possibility that the involved parties might file a lawsuit if the video was released.[5] By Tuesday, October 4, NBC had drafted a story that it declined to broadcast for another three days.[5][14] On Friday, October 7, at around 11 a.m., an unidentified source gave a copy of the tape to Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold, who contacted NBC for comment, notified the Trump campaign that he had the video, obtained confirmation of its authenticity, and released a story and the tape itself by 4 p.m.[3][4] Alerted that the Post might release the story immediately,[4] NBC News released its own story 'mere minutes' after the Post story was published.[7]
By that evening, the Post's story had become 'the most concurrently viewed article in the history of the Post's website' with more than 100,000 people reading it on the afternoon of October 7. The Post'sservers went offline for a short period that day due to the surge in web traffic.[4] This story would later be one of the articles for which Fahrenthold received the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting.[15]
Reactions[edit]
Demonstrator in front of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. during the Women's March on Washington[16]
Reaction was swift, with Trump's general election opponent Hillary Clinton among the first political figures to respond to the tape, tweeting shortly after its release, 'This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president.'[17] Clinton's VP running mate Tim Kaine said of the tape, 'It makes me sick to my stomach .. I'm sad to say that I'm not surprised.'[18] At the second presidential debate two days later, Clinton said of the tape, 'With prior Republican nominees for president, I disagreed with them, politics, policies, principles, but I never questioned their fitness to serve. Donald Trump is different.'[19]
In the second episode of season 42 of Saturday Night Live (first aired on October 8), Alec Baldwin parodied the controversy as Donald Trump.[20][21][22]Samantha Bee, the host of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, reversed the gender roles in the video and issued an 'apology' for the parodied video on Twitter.[23] Singer-songwriter Carly Simon donated her 1972 song 'You're So Vain' for use in an anti-Trump advertisement – the first time she has ever allowed its use for political purposes – and announced her opposition to Trump in response to the tape.[24]
Media and legal profession attention[edit]
Touching a person's genitals without consent (also known as groping) is considered sexual assault in most jurisdictions in the United States.[25][26][27][28] Many attorneys and media commentators characterized Trump's statements as describing acts of sexual assault.[3][29][30]Lisa Bloom, a sexual harassment expert and civil rights lawyer, stated: 'Let's be very clear, he is talking about sexual assault. He is talking about grabbing a woman's genitals without her consent.'[29] Trump and some of his supporters claimed that Trump was not saying he committed a sexual assault, or denied that groping is sexual assault.[31][32][33] Journalist Emily Crockett says that this is further evidence of a trend to minimize sexual assaults against women.[34]
John Banzhaf, a George Washington University public interest law professor, stated, 'if Trump suddenly and without any warning reached out and grabbed a woman's crotch or breast, it would rather clearly constitute sexual assault,' as indicated in Trump's statement 'I don't even wait.' It has been argued, however, that despite Trump having stated 'I don't even wait,' his full remarks could imply something akin to consent. This is pointed out by Trump's full remarks having included the statement 'and when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.'[35]
It brought further media comment on Trump's history of criticizing women for their looks, among other remarks criticized as sexist.[36][37] On October 8, CNN aired segments from multiple interviews Trump gave to The Howard Stern Show prior to his political career in which he made comments similar to those on the Access Hollywood tape.[38] In September 2004, Trump comments on his daughter Ivanka's body and, when asked, tells Stern that it is okay for him to call his daughter 'a piece of ass'.[38][39]
Involved parties[edit]
Billy Bush[edit]
While the controversy has focused mainly on Trump, Bush also faced backlash as a result of the tape,[40] mainly due to his statement that Zucker '[is] hot as shit' and his goading her into hugging Trump after they get off on the bus. Bush received online criticism and calls for his resignation from The Today Show, where he was an anchor at the time. The Washington Post stated, 'Bush's public image was damaged—perhaps beyond repair.'[40] There were so many negative comments on Bush's social media accounts following the tape's release that his Twitter account was taken down on the evening of October 7.[40] That evening, Bush issued an apology, saying, 'Obviously I'm embarrassed and ashamed. It's no excuse, but this happened eleven years ago—I was younger, less mature, and acted foolishly in playing along. I'm very sorry.'[40]
The controversy has led to speculation that Bush's spot on Today could be in jeopardy, both because of the backlash against him on social media and the possibility that the tape's release could create a toxic work environment between Bush and the show's mostly female production staff.[41]NBC executives confirmed on the evening of October 8 that Bush's job was safe and he would address the controversy on the October 10 episode of Today.[41]Politico noted that the audience of Today is disproportionately female so that a significant ratings drop in the wake of the controversy could still lead to Bush's dismissal.[41] On Monday, October 10, NBC reversed course and announced that Bush would be suspended from Today indefinitely pending further review;[42] as he was an anchor, his suspension was briefly addressed during that day's broadcast.[43] One day later, on October 11, multiple media sources reported that NBC was 'negotiating his exit'.[43][44][45] On October 17, NBC announced that Bush had resigned.[46]
Bush's status as a member of the Bush family (specifically, as the cousin of former President George W. Bush and the nephew of former president George H. W. Bush[43]) was also noted in the wake of the controversy. The Economist noted, 'Who would have thought that Mr. Bush, a presenter of NBC's Today news show, could end up playing a more influential role in this election than his cousin Jeb, whom many Republicans had expected to win it?'[47]
People and entities mentioned by Trump[edit]
Nancy O'Dell, the married woman that Trump spoke of, said:
Politics aside, I'm saddened that these comments still exist in our society at all. When I heard the comments yesterday, it was disappointing to hear such objectification of women. The conversation needs to change because no female, no person, should be the subject of such crass comments, whether or not cameras are rolling. Everyone deserves respect no matter the setting or gender. As a woman who has worked very hard to establish her career, and as a mom, I feel I must speak out with the hope that as a society we will always strive to be better.[9]
In response to having their product referenced by Trump on the tape, Tic Tac issued a statement on Twitter stating, 'Tic Tac respects all women. We find the recent statements and behavior completely inappropriate and unacceptable.'[48][better source needed]
Reacting to her unwitting role in this incident, Zucker wrote on TwitLonger, 'How we treat one another, whether behind closed doors, locker rooms or face to face, should be done with kindness, dignity and respect.'[49][50]
Republican Party[edit]
The incident was condemned by numerous prominent Republicans. Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus said, 'No woman should ever be described in these terms or talked about in this manner. Ever.' The RNC suspended all support of Trump's campaign shortly thereafter.[51][52] Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, tweeted, 'Hitting on married women? Condoning assault? Such vile degradations demean our wives and daughters and corrupt America's face to the world.' Ohio governor John Kasich, a former primary rival to Trump, called the remarks 'indefensible'; former Florida governor Jeb Bush, also a former primary rival, called them 'reprehensible'.[53]Senate Majority LeaderMitch McConnell also denounced the video, but continued to support Trump.[54]Paul Ryan, the House Speaker, disinvited Trump from a scheduled campaign rally,[55] announced that he would no longer defend or support Trump's presidential campaign, and in a highly unusual move he freed down-ticket congressional members to use their own judgment, saying 'you all need to do what's best for you and your district.'[54][56]
Many members of the Republican Party rescinded their endorsements as a result of the release of the video,[57][58] including Governors Bill Haslam[59] and Robert J. Bentley;[60] Representatives Bradley Byrne,[58]Jason Chaffetz,[61] and Joe Heck;[62] and Senators Kelly Ayotte,[63]Mike Crapo,[64] and John McCain.[65] Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had previously kept his opinion private throughout the campaign, released a statement: 'For the first time since I became a citizen in 1983, I will not vote for the Republican candidate for president .. As proud as I am to label myself a Republican, there is one label that I hold above all else — American.'[66] By October 11, 'nearly a third' of Senate Republicans said they would not vote for Trump.[67] Other Republicans expressed continued support for Trump,[68] including former 2016 Republican candidate Ben Carson,[69]evangelical leaders Tony Perkins and Ralph E. Reed Jr.,[70] and former Trump campaign managerCorey Lewandowski.[70] Other evangelical leaders, particularly the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Policy Director, Dr. Russell D. Moore, publicly rebuked evangelical leaders who still supported Trump.[71] In a tweet, Ted Cruz questioned why NBC, who had possession of the tape, sat on it for 11 years.[72]
Calls to drop campaign[edit]
Digital printing on crane lettra. By October 8, several dozen Republicans had called for Trump to withdraw from the campaign and let his VP running mate, Mike Pence, take over the Republican ticket.[73][74][75] Among those favoring a Pence takeover were former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr., U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Cory Gardner of Colorado and Deb Fischer of Nebraska, and U.S. Representatives Jason Chaffetz of Utah, Bradley Byrne of Alabama, Rodney Davis of Illinois, and Ann Wagner of Missouri.[75][57]
Pence himself released a statement on October 8, saying, 'As a husband and father, I was offended by the words and actions described by Donald Trump in the eleven-year-old video released yesterday .. I do not condone his remarks and cannot defend them.' However, he said he still supported Trump since he 'has expressed remorse and apologized to the American people.'[68][76][77]
Trump insisted he would never drop out.[78] As of October 8, depending upon the state:
- It was not possible to change the names on ballots at the late date for purely legal reasons.[79]
- Many general election ballots had already been printed, and it would be expensive to change them.[79]
- In states with early voting, thousands of ballots had already been cast.[79]
For these reasons, commentators said that it would have been very difficult, if not impossible, to replace Trump as the Republican nominee.[79][80]
Withdrawal of political support[edit]
As the day wore on, a growing number of Republicans went beyond criticizing Trump's remarks or rescinding endorsements of him and began calling for Trump to drop out of the presidential race, ceding the Republican nomination to another person.[74][75] On the afternoon of October 8, Trump responded with a tweet: 'The media and establishment want me out of the race so badly - I WILL NEVER DROP OUT OF THE RACE, WILL NEVER LET MY SUPPORTERS DOWN! #MAGA'.[81]
The Republican National Committee continued to support Trump,[82] and within the next couple of days, several of the Republicans who wanted Trump to drop out said that they were still voting for him.[83]Steve Bannon said in an interview on 60 Minutes that response to the controversy served as a 'litmus test' for Trump's Republican allies. For example, according to Bannon, Chris Christie was denied a Cabinet position because he said Trump's comments were 'completely indefensible'.[84]
Trump's responses[edit]
Donald Trump apologizes for sexist comments about groping women on YouTube via PBS Newshour, October 7, 2016 |
Trump acknowledged making the remarks, but tried to deflect by saying that Bill and Hillary Clinton had said and done worse.
After the release of the Access Hollywood video, Trump's first public response came in the form of a written statement published on his campaign website:
This was locker room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago. Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course - not even close. I apologize if anyone was offended.[85]
Trump and wife Melania
Early on Saturday morning, October 8, Donald Trump issued a lengthier statement, released by video. In it, Trump said of the video's contents, 'I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize.' He went on to 'pledge to be a better man' and ended the video with the allegation that Bill Clinton, former President of the United States and husband of Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, had 'abused women', and that Hillary had bullied her husband's victims.[86] Trump's video ended with assurances that the Clinton allegations would be discussed in coming days.[87] Trump's statement was criticized severely by the media and members of the public as insincere, and an attempt to divert attention away from Trump's comments and onto unsubstantiated accusations against his political opponents.[87][88][89] Trump tweeted the next day: 'Certainly has been an interesting 24 hours!'[90][91] On October 10, Trump was also questioned about the tape during the second presidential debate of his campaign. He reiterated that it was 'locker room talk', then said, 'I'm not proud of it. I apologize to my family. I apologize to the American people.'[92]
Trump's wife Melania said, 'The words my husband used are unacceptable and offensive to me. This does not represent the man that I know.' She added that she hopes 'people will accept his apology, as I have'.[93]
In 2017, it was reported that Trump had questioned the authenticity of the tape in multiple private conversations that year, including one with a Republican senator, even though he had already acknowledged that the voice was his, and apologized, after the tape was revealed.[94][95]
In January 2017, shortly before his inauguration, Mr. Trump told a Republican senator that he wanted to investigate the recording that had him boasting about grabbing women's genitals.[96]
Effects and aftermath[edit]
The Clinton–Trump debates[edit]
The release of the tape led to a renewed anticipation towards the October 9 debate between Trump and Hillary Clinton, as it would be the first time for each candidate to directly address the controversy. Less than two hours before the debate began, Trump held a surprise press conference in St. Louis with Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, and Juanita Broaddrick, who have previously accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct, and Kathy Shelton, a rape victim whose rapist had been represented in the 1970s by Hillary, an appointed public defender. Describing the conference as his 'debate prep', Trump described the women as 'courageous' and 'victims of the Clintons', with each of the women repeating their grievances with the Clintons.[97] At the conference, Trump refused to answer journalists' questions about the Access Hollywood tape.[97] Clinton's campaign dismissed the conference as 'an act of desperation' and denounced Trump's 'destructive race to the bottom'.[97] First Lady Michelle Obama said referring to the controversy, 'It has shaken me to my core in a way that I couldn't have predicted.'[98]
During the debate itself, co-moderatorAnderson Cooper pressed Trump about whether the conversation on the tape meant that Trump had committed sexual assault. Trump said it 'was locker room talk' and 'I'm not proud of it,' and said he wanted to move on to other things, but finally responded 'I have not.'[30] It was later revealed that Trump had arranged for the women to sit in his family box and that they were to walk into the audience at the same time as Bill and confront him on live TV, but debate officials intervened and prevented the planned stunt from happening.[99] The Associated Press later reported that Willey and Shelton had previously been financially compensated by Trump ally Roger Stone during the campaign.[100]
Assault stories[edit]
Shortly after the story first broke on October 7, Canadian writer Kelly Oxford posted on Twitter, 'Women: tweet me your first assaults. they aren't just stats.'[101] Within hours, the tweet had gone viral, receiving thousands of responses, many of them relating to stories of sexual assaults on women. Over 30 million people viewed or replied to Oxford's tweet within a week.[101]
Response of athletes and coaches[edit]
News report of voter reactions by Voice of America
Numerous professional athletes and coaches rejected Trump's claim that what he said on the tape was 'locker room talk', saying that such comments were not normal or acceptable.[102][103][104]Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said, '[If Trump's comments are locker room talk] that's a new locker room for me.'[105]Oakland AthleticspitcherSean Doolittle tweeted, 'As an athlete, I've been in locker rooms my entire adult life and uh, that's not locker room talk.'[102][105]Kansas City Chiefswide receiverChris Conley tweeted, 'Just for reference. I work in a locker room (every day) .. that is not locker room talk. Just so you know..'[102][105]Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brett Anderson tweeted, 'What kind of fucked up locker rooms has Donald Trump been in..'[105]NBApoint guardKendall Marshall tweeted, 'PSA: sexual advances without consent is NOT locker room talk.'[102][105][106]LA Galaxy midfielder Robbie Rogers tweeted, 'I'm offended as an athlete that @realDonaldTrump keeps using this 'locker room talk' as an excuse.'[106] Olympic hurdler and sprinter Queen Harrison tweeted, 'Locker room talk,' 'Boys will be boys,' 'Harmless banter.' These are not valid excuses for behavior. Never have been, never will be.'[106]Atlanta Falconstight endJacob Tamme tweeted, 'It's not normal. And even if it were normal, it's not right.'[102][106] These responses also prompted the creation of the hashtag #NotInMyLockerRoom.[102]
Eleven months after the footage was leaked, retired professional boxer Floyd Mayweather defended Trump's comments stating, 'People don't like the truth .. He speak like a real man spoke.' He added, 'So he talking locker room talk. Locker room talk. 'I'm the man, you know what I'm saying? You know who I am. Yeah, I grabbed her by the p---y. And?'[107][108]
Anti-Trump memes and campaigns[edit]
The backlash from the comments prompted a 'Pussy Grabs Back' hashtag urging women to vote against Trump on Election Day. Anti-Trump memes featuring cat imagery spread on social media. The Guardian wrote that an image of a snarling cat became a 'rallying cry for female rage against Trump'.[109][110][111]
Trump's denial that he ever kissed or groped women without consent led to more accusations by several women that Trump sexually assaulted them.[112][113] Trump's campaign denied the allegations.[114]
In response to the recording, Shannon Coulter started a viral campaign called #GrabYourWallet, which urges individuals to boycott various companies that sell Trump related products.[115] Various companies have since dropped Trump's products in response to the boycott, including Shoes.com, Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, and Neiman Marcus.[116]
Alleged other tapes[edit]
On October 9, former staffers of Trump's reality show The Apprentice and journalist Geraldo Rivera said that they both individually have more damaging tapes of Trump, but did not say if they would be released to the public.[117][118] Rivera later stated that he had searched his files and that he could not find anything relevant to the scandal.[119]
Since the tape's release, Bill Pruitt, a producer of the first two seasons of the television series The Apprentice, claims there is recorded behind the scenes footage of Trump saying things that are 'far worse'. NBC's news division does not have access to the archives of the series. Another Apprentice producer, Chris Nee, claimed on Twitter that Trump said 'the N-word' in the archived footage.[120][121] Nee later deleted the tweet.[122][123] A GoFundMe campaign was launched on October 9 with the goal of raising $5.1 million to release more tapes. The campaign is known as the 'Trump Sunlight Campaign'. Nee wrote on Twitter to Mark Cuban that there is a $5 million penalty fee if the footage is leaked.[121][124][125][126][127][128] A few days later, the campaign managed to raise just over $32,000.[129]David Brock said he would pay the penalty to release tapes from The Apprentice.[130][131]
Use as a criminal defense[edit]
In October 2018, a Florida man was arrested and charged with abusive sexual contact, after groping a woman aboard a Southwest Airlines flight. The woman told police when the plane landed that the accused had attempted to touch her breasts twice during the trip.[132] When questioned by police he referenced a quote ['Grab them by the pussy'] from the tape, and that the President of the United States says it's okay to grab women by their private parts.[133]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
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The long-time variety show kicked off with a debate sketch between Mike Pence and Tim Kaine. In the skit, Beck Bennett's Pence argues that Trump has never said anything bad about women before getting cut off by a CNN breaking news alert.
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External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Donald Trump and Billy Bush recording. |
- Amanda Taub (October 10, 2016). 'Special Tax on Women: Trump Tape Is a Reminder of the Cost of Harassment'. The New York Times. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
- 'Transcript: Donald Trump's Taped Comments About Women'. The New York Times. October 8, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Donald_Trump_Access_Hollywood_tape&oldid=905139602'
This is not a film about race or racism. Could easily have been donewith two white leads instead of black leads. It's a film about a 13year old boy discovering sexuality and entering an adult world by wayof a love interest, as well as how his father deals with this withouthis wife. Great acting by them both and the lead female. Subtle but notoverly complex screen play. Interesting and not trying to be overemotional. Not a superb film but worth watching. I really liked the waythey portrayed the father's efforts to do well by his son and managehis adherent behaviour without alienating him. Son was also notreckless but simply unaware of the world he was growing into.
This is not a film about race or racism. Could easily have been donewith two white leads instead of black leads. It's a film about a 13year old boy discovering sexuality and entering an adult world by wayof a love interest, as well as how his father deals with this withouthis wife. Great acting by them both and the lead female. Subtle but notoverly complex screen play. Interesting and not trying to be overemotional. Not a superb film but worth watching. I really liked the waythey portrayed the father's efforts to do well by his son and managehis adherent behaviour without alienating him. Son was also notreckless but simply unaware of the world he was growing into.
This is not a film about race or racism. Could easily have been donewith two white leads instead of black leads. It's a film about a 13year old boy discovering sexuality and entering an adult world by wayof a love interest, as well as how his father deals with this withouthis wife. Great acting by them both and the lead female. Subtle but notoverly complex screen play. Interesting and not trying to be overemotional. Not a superb film but worth watching. I really liked the waythey portrayed the father's efforts to do well by his son and managehis adherent behaviour without alienating him. Son was also notreckless but simply unaware of the world he was growing into.
Coming of age, told a little differentEnjoyment23 August 2016
I do not understand why this movie is getting such a low rating when it easily deserves more.
Usually when I watch a 'coming of age' movie I immediately see what the outcome will be, they mostly go along the same line but with Morris from America I didn't get that. What I got was much better. Albeit some missing plot holes but nothing that hurt the over all story.
The movie gives you that coming of age story without the tacky, over played scenarios. Where those movies fail, this movie excels. I never got that feeling. The feeling of a fairy tale life for lack of a better term. It's funny, nostalgic, romantic, emotional, entertaining but over all, it feels REAL.
I have never seen Craig Robertson (Curtis) play this type of role and I am happy I did because he did very well, especially with a cast full of rookies. I hope to see more of this from him in the future. Markees Christmas was surprisingly good but I could not end this without saying something about Lina Keller and Carla Juri. They both played their roles flawlessly and Keller's role was not an easy one.
Definitely give this a watch, it is obviously not of the same caliber as The Breakfast Club but it does entertain. I am sure you will not be disappointed.
Usually when I watch a 'coming of age' movie I immediately see what the outcome will be, they mostly go along the same line but with Morris from America I didn't get that. What I got was much better. Albeit some missing plot holes but nothing that hurt the over all story.
The movie gives you that coming of age story without the tacky, over played scenarios. Where those movies fail, this movie excels. I never got that feeling. The feeling of a fairy tale life for lack of a better term. It's funny, nostalgic, romantic, emotional, entertaining but over all, it feels REAL.
I have never seen Craig Robertson (Curtis) play this type of role and I am happy I did because he did very well, especially with a cast full of rookies. I hope to see more of this from him in the future. Markees Christmas was surprisingly good but I could not end this without saying something about Lina Keller and Carla Juri. They both played their roles flawlessly and Keller's role was not an easy one.
Definitely give this a watch, it is obviously not of the same caliber as The Breakfast Club but it does entertain. I am sure you will not be disappointed.
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Beautiful coming of age movie - Morris from America!Permalink
karanvalecha31 August 2016
Just watched Morris from America even though it got a 5.6 on IMDb. I usually try and not watch movies below 6 as i end up getting disappointed, but Morris from America was different. It was surprisingly short and beautiful!
As the title says its about the romantic and coming-of-age misadventures of a 13-year-old African-American boy who moves to Germany with his dad and tries to fit in with the other German kids. He falls for a girl at a youth club and through her own growing up pangs encourages him to open up a little and share his rapping.
We've all had that one childhood crush that we fondly remember - puppy love! The director has beautifully narrated a story that captures the essence of growing up and not fitting in, our first crush and pains with our parents and their side of the story and made a pint size gem! So don't go by the rating and watch it when you have the time and want to remember that feeling of puppy love and not really fitting in!
As the title says its about the romantic and coming-of-age misadventures of a 13-year-old African-American boy who moves to Germany with his dad and tries to fit in with the other German kids. He falls for a girl at a youth club and through her own growing up pangs encourages him to open up a little and share his rapping.
We've all had that one childhood crush that we fondly remember - puppy love! The director has beautifully narrated a story that captures the essence of growing up and not fitting in, our first crush and pains with our parents and their side of the story and made a pint size gem! So don't go by the rating and watch it when you have the time and want to remember that feeling of puppy love and not really fitting in!
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Not about race, about growing upPermalink
wotiva19 August 2016
This is not a film about race or racism. Could easily have been done with two white leads instead of black leads. It's a film about a 13 year old boy discovering sexuality and entering an adult world by way of a love interest, as well as how his father deals with this without his wife. Great acting by them both and the lead female. Subtle but not overly complex screen play. Interesting and not trying to be over emotional. Not a superb film but worth watching. I really liked the way they portrayed the father's efforts to do well by his son and manage his adherent behaviour without alienating him. Son was also not reckless but simply unaware of the world he was growing into.
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Not an accurate portrayal of German societyPermalink
wirthstefan19 August 2016
Warning: SpoilersThe vile and demeaning review from Sven B. prompted me to write my first review at IMDb. This is in now way an accurate portrayal of German society and as a German citizen I am quite appalled that the production is apparently almost completely German-based. Talk about shooting yourself in the head :) (Mild spoilers ahead) They have chosen the most stereotypical actors you could imagine playing a 'snitching', self-absorbed female tutor, a male teacher who doesn't know the first thing about respect or empathy as well as an ultra-mean girl, who loves nothing more than to play games with people and not the good ones. She gains a little more character towards the end although it doesn't help much. If you have never been here you can really get the impression from this movie that all Germans are Nazis with a big stick up their ass. And that may be true for ignorant folks in the Sächsische Wald or elsewhere who never met a foreigner or experienced something different beyond the scope of their own village or for people who are simply nihilistic and irredeemable. But I would like to believe and I have seen it often that there are a lot of Germans out there who appreciate the togetherness of different cultures although it's yet far from the melting pot story in the US, which is also not without its problems. So I guess my point is, this movie just shows that the world is full of mean people at every corner but Germany shares this with I guess almost any place in the world by now.
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Regardless of inaccurate depiction of Germany..Permalink
alex-vaewsorn21 August 2016
Really lovely film about growing up, feeling different, parenting and American vs. world culture. Spot on performances from Robinson and Christmas.
It might be misogynist and construed as anti-European, but I thought of it more from Morris's perspective. He's young and confused, so why not depict the world as a hostile place. It shows Germans being strangely ignorant, fetishizing Black people and being rude, so. this isn't a movie for Germans. .Should have at least had the tutor be a German. But it's a great movie about a young American.
Killer soundtrack, visually on point, strong leads. My apologies to Germany, but I loved it.
It might be misogynist and construed as anti-European, but I thought of it more from Morris's perspective. He's young and confused, so why not depict the world as a hostile place. It shows Germans being strangely ignorant, fetishizing Black people and being rude, so. this isn't a movie for Germans. .Should have at least had the tutor be a German. But it's a great movie about a young American.
Killer soundtrack, visually on point, strong leads. My apologies to Germany, but I loved it.
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omg so goodPermalink
Dollyrkr20 November 2016
I am beyond baffled at this nonsensical 6 rating. wtf?? This is genius. This is cultures clashing, this is the study of sexism/racism/coming of age/culture is not your friend having it's DAY. this is gorgeous. It's like the realest episode of Skins (UK) ever. honestly just the scene where the kid makes a fake girlfriend and dances with it and humps it is absolutely NECESSARY and so cinematic it reminded me of when I used to make sweet love to my stuffed monkey Gargantua, which is the stuffed animal my grandma gave me before I was even born. This film is truth. This film is straight and gorgeous and it won me over in the first 3 minutes because that is exactly how I would parent. And I'm a 43 year old single, childless white woman. I love this film, this film is everything. Haters can suck it.
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Morris in GermanyPermalink
watucker8123 August 2016
Morris from America is a coming of age story of a black kid growing up in Germany, what part, honestly I forgot (my German doesn't exist). The movie was great. It's a coming of age story and who doesn't like that. I liked how Morris is constantly trying to find his footing in Germany. He's angry but he still find a small glimpse of hope in his new found friend, Katrin. Katrin is what I'm guessing is a typical German teenage girl. She hates her mom, does what she isn't supposed and has a strange thing for Morris. By no means is this a love story. If anything it was a cautionary tale of what unrequited love can do to someone. All in all it was a decent move and worth the watch.
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Terrific Craig Robinson as supportive parent isn't enough to compensate for role of surly son and tale of teenage angstPermalink
Turfseer24 February 2017
You might remember Chris Hartigan from his second feature a few years ago, This is Martin Bonner, an offbeat indie about a volunteer counselor for a Christian-based group who has a mentoring program to rehabilitate convicts. And now Hartigan has a new offbeat film on the unusual topic of an African-American father and teenage son, living in Heidelberg, Germany.
Kudos to Hartigan for coming up a setting that we rarely get to see— i.e., African-Americans interacting with foreigners. The protagonist is Morris Gentry, the teenage son of Curtis Gentry, a coach employed by a German soccer team.
Most critics agree that the talented comedian, Craig Robinson, steals the show as Morris' father, who tries to be a good parent to his rebellious son, played by Markees Christmas. Curtis' life is made much more difficult by the lack of presence of his wife, who passed away before father and son find themselves on foreign soil. Curtis is asked to perform a balancing act with Morris, unsure as to how much discipline he should dole out. He is overprotective precisely because of both of their vulnerable positions as African-Americans—veritable strangers in a strange land. The main point is that this is a father who cares about his son and Robinson does a great job conveying his commitment and sensitivity.
While Morris is the victim of racial stereotyping by a coterie of obnoxious German teens who hang out at a local cultural center (they disparagingly refer to Morris as 'Kobe Bryant' before they discover he's not a basketball player), Morris wins few points also with his surly disposition. The coming of age plot feels familiar after Morris falls for a slightly older German girl, Karin, another rebellious teenager who also has stereotyped impressions of black people—she dubs Morris a 'gangsta-rapper' and eventually dumps him for a German boy who rides a motorcycle.
Most of the German kids here don't come off well at all and only Morris' tutor, Inka, provides a positive role model for the beleaguered teenager. While I appreciated Hartigan's positive focus on the father- son bonding, Markees Chirstmas is saddled with a character that lacks the requisite charm. In the end, Hartigan's plot of a teenager's lesson learned isn't enough to compensate for all of Craig Robinson's good work as the supportive parent.
Kudos to Hartigan for coming up a setting that we rarely get to see— i.e., African-Americans interacting with foreigners. The protagonist is Morris Gentry, the teenage son of Curtis Gentry, a coach employed by a German soccer team.
Most critics agree that the talented comedian, Craig Robinson, steals the show as Morris' father, who tries to be a good parent to his rebellious son, played by Markees Christmas. Curtis' life is made much more difficult by the lack of presence of his wife, who passed away before father and son find themselves on foreign soil. Curtis is asked to perform a balancing act with Morris, unsure as to how much discipline he should dole out. He is overprotective precisely because of both of their vulnerable positions as African-Americans—veritable strangers in a strange land. The main point is that this is a father who cares about his son and Robinson does a great job conveying his commitment and sensitivity.
While Morris is the victim of racial stereotyping by a coterie of obnoxious German teens who hang out at a local cultural center (they disparagingly refer to Morris as 'Kobe Bryant' before they discover he's not a basketball player), Morris wins few points also with his surly disposition. The coming of age plot feels familiar after Morris falls for a slightly older German girl, Karin, another rebellious teenager who also has stereotyped impressions of black people—she dubs Morris a 'gangsta-rapper' and eventually dumps him for a German boy who rides a motorcycle.
Most of the German kids here don't come off well at all and only Morris' tutor, Inka, provides a positive role model for the beleaguered teenager. While I appreciated Hartigan's positive focus on the father- son bonding, Markees Chirstmas is saddled with a character that lacks the requisite charm. In the end, Hartigan's plot of a teenager's lesson learned isn't enough to compensate for all of Craig Robinson's good work as the supportive parent.
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A great coming of age story and an even better fish out of water story.Permalink
subxerogravity24 August 2016
Morris from America is about a black kid from the states trying to survive in Germany after the death of his Mom and forced to live with his Dad who coaches football in the country.
Although living with Craig Robinson as your dad was made to be a joyous experience. Mr. Robinson was a great supporting actor for this movie. He comes on the scene and shares time with this new kid in the acting scene,Markees Christmas and the chemistry of father and son between them sparks magnificently. Such a touching relationship between father and son put on camera. You could tell that from the moment these two come on the screen in the first scene and Robinson tries to convince his son that his Old School Hip Hop was the joint, It set the tone for what I knew was going to be a humorous and touching connection.
The adventures of Morris from America follows Morris as he attempts to learn the language and learn the culture of Germany. It's a hard task with Morris missing his home and his mom and having to deal with the stereotypes place upon him for being an African American.
In a sub plot that reminds me of Melvin Van Peoples' The Story of A Three Day Pass, Morris develops a crush on an older hot blonde whose giving him mixed signals.
Lucky for him, he has the love and support from his father and his German language tutor, both looking out for his best interest.
Morris From America is one of the best movies about growing up there ever was, using an extreme metaphor of a kid alone in a land of a different language to relate to all of us.
http://cinemagardens.com
Although living with Craig Robinson as your dad was made to be a joyous experience. Mr. Robinson was a great supporting actor for this movie. He comes on the scene and shares time with this new kid in the acting scene,Markees Christmas and the chemistry of father and son between them sparks magnificently. Such a touching relationship between father and son put on camera. You could tell that from the moment these two come on the screen in the first scene and Robinson tries to convince his son that his Old School Hip Hop was the joint, It set the tone for what I knew was going to be a humorous and touching connection.
The adventures of Morris from America follows Morris as he attempts to learn the language and learn the culture of Germany. It's a hard task with Morris missing his home and his mom and having to deal with the stereotypes place upon him for being an African American.
In a sub plot that reminds me of Melvin Van Peoples' The Story of A Three Day Pass, Morris develops a crush on an older hot blonde whose giving him mixed signals.
Lucky for him, he has the love and support from his father and his German language tutor, both looking out for his best interest.
Morris From America is one of the best movies about growing up there ever was, using an extreme metaphor of a kid alone in a land of a different language to relate to all of us.
http://cinemagardens.com
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The ending sucks so bad.Permalink
elmeralmonte22 August 2016
Warning: SpoilersThe story is okay, I liked it but the ending terribly sucked. The ending, was not even an ending.. Maybe its an episode. Haha, I don't know..
The movie story gets you interested at first and at the end it gets you even more interested on whats going to happen next and THE END. It was so disappointing.
Even it was an episode (tv-series) I would not look at the second part of this movie. If anyone else pays for it.. Its a waste of money. I never have done a review on a movie before but I felt so bad about that wasted hour of my life I just had to do it. Im sorry for being so harsh on my first review.
The movie story gets you interested at first and at the end it gets you even more interested on whats going to happen next and THE END. It was so disappointing.
Even it was an episode (tv-series) I would not look at the second part of this movie. If anyone else pays for it.. Its a waste of money. I never have done a review on a movie before but I felt so bad about that wasted hour of my life I just had to do it. Im sorry for being so harsh on my first review.
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Nice glimpse into expat life in GermanyPermalink
kariann-marti3 August 2018
I admittedly loved this mostly for the use of German and the German feel, as I used to live as an expat in Germany, and my daughter was young there.
I enjoyed the father-son relationship and seeing the boy struggle with who he was and how he felt about the girl.
I enjoyed the father-son relationship and seeing the boy struggle with who he was and how he felt about the girl.
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Average Drama! 5/10Permalink
leonblackwood25 September 2017
Review: I quite enjoyed this simple but entertaining movie, which is based on an American thirteen year old, Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas), who lives with his single dad, Curtis (Craig Robinson), in Germany, after losing his mum. With his dad teaching football, Morris is taught German on a daily basis, and his tutor recommends a summer school, so he can meet other teenagers and make some friends. Although he is the only black student in the school, he soon becomes friends with a young girl called Katrin, (Lina Keller), who leads him up the wrong path, and has a boyfriend. He teaches her about rap music, and she takes him to some wild parties, behind his dad's back. Katrin then pushes him to rap at a talent competition, and his adult language gets Morris kicked out of the school. With his dad away, Morris goes to another wild party with Katrin and a few of her friends, and after an alteration with her boyfriend, he becomes stranded in the middle of nowhere, so he calls his tutor for help, who calls his dad against his wishes. Its quite a simple tale but it's one that every teenager can relate to. The acting is pretty average from the whole cast but the relationship between Curtis and Morris is quite sweet, even though Morris finds it hard to be honest, because of his love for Katrin. Its not the type of movie that will become a worldwide hit but it's a good insight into how difficult it is, for different cultures to mix. Average!
Round-Up: This movie was directed by Chad Hartigan, 35, who also brought you All The Stage Is A World, Date and This Is Martin Bonner. I personally haven't heard of them films before, so this is the first movie that I have seen from this director. He certainly got the most out of Markees, in his first feature film, and he showed a different side to Craig Robinson, who is known for his comedic roles but the film is pretty small in scale and it didn't get wide distribution. Its a shame that this movie will go under the radar because I have seen worse, in this genre.
Budget: N/A Worldwide Gross: $100,000 (Terrible)
I recommend this movie to people who are into their comedy/romance/dramas, starring Craig Robinson, Markees Christmas, Carla Juri, Patrick Guldenberg and Lina Keller. 5/10
Round-Up: This movie was directed by Chad Hartigan, 35, who also brought you All The Stage Is A World, Date and This Is Martin Bonner. I personally haven't heard of them films before, so this is the first movie that I have seen from this director. He certainly got the most out of Markees, in his first feature film, and he showed a different side to Craig Robinson, who is known for his comedic roles but the film is pretty small in scale and it didn't get wide distribution. Its a shame that this movie will go under the radar because I have seen worse, in this genre.
Budget: N/A Worldwide Gross: $100,000 (Terrible)
I recommend this movie to people who are into their comedy/romance/dramas, starring Craig Robinson, Markees Christmas, Carla Juri, Patrick Guldenberg and Lina Keller. 5/10
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My talent is leavingPermalink
nogodnomasters4 September 2017
Warning: SpoilersCurtis (Craig Robinson) is a football (soccer) coach in Germany. His wife is gone and he is a single parent trying to raise 13 year old Morris (Markees Christmas). Morris has a private tutor (Carla Juri) and is crushing on a 15 year old girl he met at the teen activity center. However Katrin (Lina Keller) is being his friend part time, as she still wants to maintain her social standing with her own group, less accepting of Morris.
This is a coming of age drama. I was expecting a cultural difference, stranger in a strange land type of comedy and it wasn't there. It was closer to a tragedy with Curtis not getting father of the year award. Morris has a potty mouth, and I am not sure how a 13 year old singing X-rated rap lyrics and rather poorly, is entertaining. Morris is willing to be emotionally abused, just to be near Katrin. What was their target audience? Guide: F-word. No sex. Magazine nudity.
This is a coming of age drama. I was expecting a cultural difference, stranger in a strange land type of comedy and it wasn't there. It was closer to a tragedy with Curtis not getting father of the year award. Morris has a potty mouth, and I am not sure how a 13 year old singing X-rated rap lyrics and rather poorly, is entertaining. Morris is willing to be emotionally abused, just to be near Katrin. What was their target audience? Guide: F-word. No sex. Magazine nudity.
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Probably not what you're looking forPermalink
Ch_Kings2 April 2017
If those of you that reads the review are like me, and wish to see a semi-realistic good feel coming of age movie, then this one is probably not what you're looking for.
Morris from America is a original concept but a wasted potential. It is quite similar to the recent year 'realistic dramas' which I've grown tired of. I watch movies to escape reality, not to re-live my own life. Not that I'm a African American living in Germany, but the 'nothing special happens' is what most of us have in real life, and that's why we enjoy watching movies that has elements of 'unrealistic situations' in it.
This movie is just a flat take on youth. The characters are shallow, and predictable. The acting is overall decent, but not anything special. Save yourself the time, and continue looking for a good- feel movie. Because this wont give you that.
Morris from America is a original concept but a wasted potential. It is quite similar to the recent year 'realistic dramas' which I've grown tired of. I watch movies to escape reality, not to re-live my own life. Not that I'm a African American living in Germany, but the 'nothing special happens' is what most of us have in real life, and that's why we enjoy watching movies that has elements of 'unrealistic situations' in it.
This movie is just a flat take on youth. The characters are shallow, and predictable. The acting is overall decent, but not anything special. Save yourself the time, and continue looking for a good- feel movie. Because this wont give you that.
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Film Review: Morris From AmericaPermalink
lucasnochez9 February 2017
Funny enough, but ever since my success with my review of the highly stylized and powerful street-drama Kicks, it seems that I have become the unofficial urban/hip-hop critic of the city of Toronto. Which isn't a bad thing, especially when you are reviewing some kick ass, cutting edge coming-of-age stories.
Coming-of-age stories are a dime-a-dozen in independent American cinema, let alone for films that have been accepted in the official line-up of the Sundance Film Festival. I mean, Sundance, almost being the unofficial 'coming-of-age' film festival, is not only known for its dedication and glorification of youthful coming-of-age stories, but also discovering new, almost obscure talent, both behind the scenes, and in front of the camera. If you don't believe me, think of Quvenzhané Wallis from Beasts of the Southern Wild, RJ Cyler in last year's Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Gabourey Sidibe in Precious and director Damien Chazelle to name a few. Luckily for us, Chad Hartigan's newest film, Morris From America is a very authentic tale of of an outsider of a very urban-contemporary America, growing up in the very proper and white-washed setting of Germany.
Morris From America begins with three of its most powerful characters; Markees Christmas playing the young Morris Gentry, Craig Robinson as his father, Curtis Gentry, and the powerful and overwhelming music of hip-hop. As Morris rocks his head to The Sun Rises in the East's (considered one of the quintessential hip-hop albums of all-time) track Come Clean by Jeru The Damaja, Morris complains to his father that the beat is a little slow, it lacks a hook and the song, overall, is very boring. Outraged with his son's taste in music, Curtis ground Morris for having poor taste in music. Our next shot of Mo in his room, is a tour poster of up and coming rapper from Los Angeles, Schoolboy Q, that hangs at the very centre of his room, showing Mo's love and appreciate for new age hip-hop. At this exact moment, it becomes quite clear and evident that Mo's analysis of his father's song is very much an analogy of Hartigan's newest film as well as a very clear clash of how the differences of opinions, experiences and tragedy affect two very formidable men following the tragedy of their lead female matriarch.
We never really find out what happens to Mo's mom throughout the film. Essentially, the tragedy of her absence, although quite pivotal to our main protagonists, isn't the driving point behind their actions. Sure, there's a scene where Curtis calls a European phone sex line, one of the many scenes where he finds himself stuck in an empty and cold home, lusting for attention and meaning. Robinson's longing for love is one of the many factors that make his role as Curtis one of the mot memorable of his career, especially set against that of Mo, whose friendship and crush for his only friend Katrin (Line Keller) is the driving force of Mo's motivations. Katrin, who sets course a path for Mo that not only allows him to grow up quicker than most thirteen year-olds, but also allows him to experience the stark cultural differences of growing up in a predominantly white Germany, against a childhood and adolescence in urban America.
As the very simple narrative of Morris flows through each and every scene, it seems that writer/director Hartigan is interested in one thing, and one thing only, and that's the authenticity of his star and his characters and most of all, their raw and highly relatable experiences. During the early drafts, Hartigan had a script in mind that included a white father and son, but it wasn't until Robinson and Christmas involvement that the characters were changed to a African-American father/son duo, navigating life away from the United States with a very interesting and dynamic one/two punch. Never glorifying or emotionally manipulating the trauma of Curtis' and Mo's loss; never romanticizing Katrin and Mo, and never polishing Mo and Curtis' bonds, Morris From America is your average joe character film tightened by simple and real people narrative choices.
Making his transition in Germany as painless and smooth as possible for his son and himself, Curtis enlists the help of a German student/tutor Inka (Carla Juri). Inka and Mo share some tender scenes of truth and heartache, sometimes simplifying one another's life through the simple stories surrounded by their love lives. Mo, who has taken a liking to Katrin, discovers aspects of himself he never knew he was capable of; while Inka makes some serious life choices, thanks to the stark truth and frankness of Mo's young adolescent, real world perspectives, sometimes blending in aspects of an episode of 'Kids Say the Darnest Things' for good measure. Luckily for us, the film isn't without its strong female characters, allowing Inka and Mo's relationship to progress into the most maternal relationship we get from the film, yet her choices in the film play a very stark bad cop to Mo's father Curtis, who is sometimes good cop, more often then not, cool cop. Inka provides a much needed female presence in the film, that binds the family-esque flow of Morris.
Coming-of-age stories are a dime-a-dozen in independent American cinema, let alone for films that have been accepted in the official line-up of the Sundance Film Festival. I mean, Sundance, almost being the unofficial 'coming-of-age' film festival, is not only known for its dedication and glorification of youthful coming-of-age stories, but also discovering new, almost obscure talent, both behind the scenes, and in front of the camera. If you don't believe me, think of Quvenzhané Wallis from Beasts of the Southern Wild, RJ Cyler in last year's Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Gabourey Sidibe in Precious and director Damien Chazelle to name a few. Luckily for us, Chad Hartigan's newest film, Morris From America is a very authentic tale of of an outsider of a very urban-contemporary America, growing up in the very proper and white-washed setting of Germany.
Morris From America begins with three of its most powerful characters; Markees Christmas playing the young Morris Gentry, Craig Robinson as his father, Curtis Gentry, and the powerful and overwhelming music of hip-hop. As Morris rocks his head to The Sun Rises in the East's (considered one of the quintessential hip-hop albums of all-time) track Come Clean by Jeru The Damaja, Morris complains to his father that the beat is a little slow, it lacks a hook and the song, overall, is very boring. Outraged with his son's taste in music, Curtis ground Morris for having poor taste in music. Our next shot of Mo in his room, is a tour poster of up and coming rapper from Los Angeles, Schoolboy Q, that hangs at the very centre of his room, showing Mo's love and appreciate for new age hip-hop. At this exact moment, it becomes quite clear and evident that Mo's analysis of his father's song is very much an analogy of Hartigan's newest film as well as a very clear clash of how the differences of opinions, experiences and tragedy affect two very formidable men following the tragedy of their lead female matriarch.
We never really find out what happens to Mo's mom throughout the film. Essentially, the tragedy of her absence, although quite pivotal to our main protagonists, isn't the driving point behind their actions. Sure, there's a scene where Curtis calls a European phone sex line, one of the many scenes where he finds himself stuck in an empty and cold home, lusting for attention and meaning. Robinson's longing for love is one of the many factors that make his role as Curtis one of the mot memorable of his career, especially set against that of Mo, whose friendship and crush for his only friend Katrin (Line Keller) is the driving force of Mo's motivations. Katrin, who sets course a path for Mo that not only allows him to grow up quicker than most thirteen year-olds, but also allows him to experience the stark cultural differences of growing up in a predominantly white Germany, against a childhood and adolescence in urban America.
As the very simple narrative of Morris flows through each and every scene, it seems that writer/director Hartigan is interested in one thing, and one thing only, and that's the authenticity of his star and his characters and most of all, their raw and highly relatable experiences. During the early drafts, Hartigan had a script in mind that included a white father and son, but it wasn't until Robinson and Christmas involvement that the characters were changed to a African-American father/son duo, navigating life away from the United States with a very interesting and dynamic one/two punch. Never glorifying or emotionally manipulating the trauma of Curtis' and Mo's loss; never romanticizing Katrin and Mo, and never polishing Mo and Curtis' bonds, Morris From America is your average joe character film tightened by simple and real people narrative choices.
Making his transition in Germany as painless and smooth as possible for his son and himself, Curtis enlists the help of a German student/tutor Inka (Carla Juri). Inka and Mo share some tender scenes of truth and heartache, sometimes simplifying one another's life through the simple stories surrounded by their love lives. Mo, who has taken a liking to Katrin, discovers aspects of himself he never knew he was capable of; while Inka makes some serious life choices, thanks to the stark truth and frankness of Mo's young adolescent, real world perspectives, sometimes blending in aspects of an episode of 'Kids Say the Darnest Things' for good measure. Luckily for us, the film isn't without its strong female characters, allowing Inka and Mo's relationship to progress into the most maternal relationship we get from the film, yet her choices in the film play a very stark bad cop to Mo's father Curtis, who is sometimes good cop, more often then not, cool cop. Inka provides a much needed female presence in the film, that binds the family-esque flow of Morris.
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Touching, sympathetic film, with unfamiliar looking charactersPermalink
huh_oh_i_c30 November 2016
Warning: SpoilersNow, this is not Will & Jaden Smith, looking & being cool, and attractive. Nope, this about two overweight black males, father and son, and while the father is likable (and excellent in Mr. Robot) he's no fashion model. That's the first unfamiliar aspect. The film is of course mostly about Morris, seldom has the word 'misadventures' been so applicable to a movie.
The second unfamiliar aspect is that father and son Gentry live in boring, nice middle class housing, this is not what is usually seen when we see black people in mainstreaam film. It's usually the 2 extremes, very rich or very poor. There's hardly any serious drama about the non-struggling black middle class, from the suburbs. There's a reason for that: in America, blacks have been RE-segregated to the wrong sideof the tracks, mostly, and there's not a lot of black drama out there. Even this one is both an indie flick AND European made, my point being: big Hollywood bucks aren't going into this type of film.
So, the story is about 13 year old Morris, living in Germany, which seems quite strange to him, he's a fish out of water. He doesn't speak the language which isolates him from other people, especially kids his age. His language tutor sends him to a youth home, to meet other kids. This is something with middling success: he doesn't feel like socializing and the German kids react to him in a stereotyping way ('hey come play basketball, Kobe Bryant', which is both an insult and a compliment at the same time). I will give the German kid credits for making an effort, but I totally understand Morris' hostility, he's out of his element and suspicious. He does befriend a super hot blond girl, Katrin, even though it's unclear why exactly she likes Morris, he's not all that charming towards her. But, their friendship grows, which is a good thing.
Overall, the characters do not do stupid crap, like in most movies these days, and everyone's actions make sense in the context of the story. The teacher does overreact a bit to Morris' rap, but I get that. She acts responsible in calling the father to go pick Morris up. The father getting mad at Morris' being braggy and not true to himself is one of the best scenes.
And when Morris rejects the German boys attempt to include him, their counter rejection is also understandable. When Katrin pranks Morris at the first party, he reacts in a hurt way, which I also get: she thinks this is funny, but he isn't in a self assured place to appreciate the prank. The Germans aren't portrayed stereotypically: The DJ boyfriend getting mad at Morris intruding on him and his girl, I totally get that. He WAS nice to Morris. The only ones which are a bit iffish are the Youth Home leader who clearly lacks people skills to deal with an uprooted 13 year old who's angry about that, and the flutist bully, whose character is too flat.
But other than that: normal people reacting normally.
It's an excellent film, well acted, precisely because it's unusual and it deviates from the mainstream. 10 for 10.
The Melancholic Alcoholic.
The second unfamiliar aspect is that father and son Gentry live in boring, nice middle class housing, this is not what is usually seen when we see black people in mainstreaam film. It's usually the 2 extremes, very rich or very poor. There's hardly any serious drama about the non-struggling black middle class, from the suburbs. There's a reason for that: in America, blacks have been RE-segregated to the wrong sideof the tracks, mostly, and there's not a lot of black drama out there. Even this one is both an indie flick AND European made, my point being: big Hollywood bucks aren't going into this type of film.
So, the story is about 13 year old Morris, living in Germany, which seems quite strange to him, he's a fish out of water. He doesn't speak the language which isolates him from other people, especially kids his age. His language tutor sends him to a youth home, to meet other kids. This is something with middling success: he doesn't feel like socializing and the German kids react to him in a stereotyping way ('hey come play basketball, Kobe Bryant', which is both an insult and a compliment at the same time). I will give the German kid credits for making an effort, but I totally understand Morris' hostility, he's out of his element and suspicious. He does befriend a super hot blond girl, Katrin, even though it's unclear why exactly she likes Morris, he's not all that charming towards her. But, their friendship grows, which is a good thing.
Overall, the characters do not do stupid crap, like in most movies these days, and everyone's actions make sense in the context of the story. The teacher does overreact a bit to Morris' rap, but I get that. She acts responsible in calling the father to go pick Morris up. The father getting mad at Morris' being braggy and not true to himself is one of the best scenes.
And when Morris rejects the German boys attempt to include him, their counter rejection is also understandable. When Katrin pranks Morris at the first party, he reacts in a hurt way, which I also get: she thinks this is funny, but he isn't in a self assured place to appreciate the prank. The Germans aren't portrayed stereotypically: The DJ boyfriend getting mad at Morris intruding on him and his girl, I totally get that. He WAS nice to Morris. The only ones which are a bit iffish are the Youth Home leader who clearly lacks people skills to deal with an uprooted 13 year old who's angry about that, and the flutist bully, whose character is too flat.
But other than that: normal people reacting normally.
It's an excellent film, well acted, precisely because it's unusual and it deviates from the mainstream. 10 for 10.
The Melancholic Alcoholic.
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Strong performances and an interesting storyPermalink
Horst_In_Translation21 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers'Morris from America' or 'Morris aus Amerika' is a German/American co-production from this year and there is also lots of English and German language in here as the action takes place in Germany, but the main character is American. Just like his dad. I as a German was familiar with Löbau and Juri as well as Craig Robinson from the international cast. The writer and director is Chad Hartigan who has also acted in several projects in the past, but maybe this work here and the awards recognition it received so quickly will maybe encourage him to keep making more films in the future. The film runs pretty much exactly for 90 minutes, so it is neither too long or short really. The heart and soul of this one is really Markees Christmas, a definite contender for the best child performance of the year I think. He did really well here and I was as surprised as I was impressed. It's the story of a boy who lost his mother (before the film began) and who lives with his father somewhere in Germany.
A big part of the film is about the two being black. But I personally really did not feel this was the center of the story. There are some not so creative moments like the part about the marijuana or also comments like 'Blacks are good dancers', but if you manage to ignore these few weak occasions, you will be in for a pretty good watch. It's a solid coming-of-age story about first love, even if unrequited, but also about friendship. I not only liked the way the title character was written, but also the way the big supporting players were written. Lina Keller plays Katrin and she feels very authentic. Not only do we see a strong performance, but we also see a character that has excellent shades. Early on, you still don't know if she is friend or for with the water gun scene and the Ecstasy reference, but she really likes Morris, even if not in a way he hopes she would. She definitely wants to be his friend and her struggles also have a lot to do with the problems she has with her own parents. She just wants to be loved and appreciated like most girls that age really, but the question if she is looking in the right places is eventually not answered because this movie is about Morris and not about her. And I really need to mention Craig Robinson, who proves here that he is also great with dramatic material, even if he keeps mixing it up with the somewhat entertaining approach he gives to Morris' dad. But the phone sex scene and also the speech at the end in the car show how good he is as these were some of the best moments of the film. It's nice to see he already won at Sundance for it and maybe more awards will follow. I would like it.
Overall, the film needed a bit to get going and really get me invested, but that's sometimes the case and the way you care for the characters around the 30-minute mark and afterward makes it a deserving watch I believe. The only major letdown here was probably Carla Juri, who not only plays a character that added almost nothing to the story (at least the way she portrayed it), but the approach she gave it (restrained yet hammy) was sometimes pretty painful to watch. I have seen the actress in other works in the past already and there is always something that rings fairly false to me. Also looking at what she starred in I always get the impression that she is all about rising on the career ladder and not really about giving convincing portrayals. But like I said, aside from her, the film is almost entirely a success. There are some great moments towards the end (the rap performance, the talk in the car, the letter) that I actually wished they could have gotten some of these in earlier in the film instead bringing us one after the other in the last 20 minutes, but it is all fine I guess. I certainly recommend the watch and this is finally a film about Black people that also offers something more than boring and uninspired race bait, maybe because it eventually is not about the characters' color at all. I certainly recommend the watch.
A big part of the film is about the two being black. But I personally really did not feel this was the center of the story. There are some not so creative moments like the part about the marijuana or also comments like 'Blacks are good dancers', but if you manage to ignore these few weak occasions, you will be in for a pretty good watch. It's a solid coming-of-age story about first love, even if unrequited, but also about friendship. I not only liked the way the title character was written, but also the way the big supporting players were written. Lina Keller plays Katrin and she feels very authentic. Not only do we see a strong performance, but we also see a character that has excellent shades. Early on, you still don't know if she is friend or for with the water gun scene and the Ecstasy reference, but she really likes Morris, even if not in a way he hopes she would. She definitely wants to be his friend and her struggles also have a lot to do with the problems she has with her own parents. She just wants to be loved and appreciated like most girls that age really, but the question if she is looking in the right places is eventually not answered because this movie is about Morris and not about her. And I really need to mention Craig Robinson, who proves here that he is also great with dramatic material, even if he keeps mixing it up with the somewhat entertaining approach he gives to Morris' dad. But the phone sex scene and also the speech at the end in the car show how good he is as these were some of the best moments of the film. It's nice to see he already won at Sundance for it and maybe more awards will follow. I would like it.
Overall, the film needed a bit to get going and really get me invested, but that's sometimes the case and the way you care for the characters around the 30-minute mark and afterward makes it a deserving watch I believe. The only major letdown here was probably Carla Juri, who not only plays a character that added almost nothing to the story (at least the way she portrayed it), but the approach she gave it (restrained yet hammy) was sometimes pretty painful to watch. I have seen the actress in other works in the past already and there is always something that rings fairly false to me. Also looking at what she starred in I always get the impression that she is all about rising on the career ladder and not really about giving convincing portrayals. But like I said, aside from her, the film is almost entirely a success. There are some great moments towards the end (the rap performance, the talk in the car, the letter) that I actually wished they could have gotten some of these in earlier in the film instead bringing us one after the other in the last 20 minutes, but it is all fine I guess. I certainly recommend the watch and this is finally a film about Black people that also offers something more than boring and uninspired race bait, maybe because it eventually is not about the characters' color at all. I certainly recommend the watch.
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Great movie! I can relatePermalink
mtemba26 December 2016
As someone who lived overseas for two years as an African American adolescent and had to adjust to a new culture, living with my dad and just trying to fit in while being myself, this movie spoke so much to me. I appreciated the simplicity of the film which made it even more real for me. Character development was great and there was a good sense of not knowing what was going to happen next. The actor who played Morris was excellent as well as the actress who played his friend. The movie ran just the right amount of time and the ending was great. In all just a great indie movie. Again I feel like I lived it so I guess I'm bias in my rating.. The movie awesome!
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Good Story With Strong PerformancesPermalink
themovieparadise5 December 2016
What drew me into this movie was just how damn likable Markees Christmas was as Morris. He brought a relatability and a charisma to the character that made him a perfect lead character. I wouldn't say this was my favorite child actor performance of the year, but Christmas did an excellent job carrying the film, especially since this was his big screen debut. But I thought Craig Robinson was the highlight of the movie. He was truly fantastic. He was a great anchor of the film, perfectly playing a father struggling to still connect with his aging son. A lot of Robinson's acting is subtle. He gives just a little indication of what he's thinking, and it goes a long way for inferring what's going on in his head. Robinson proves himself in this film to be more than just a comedic talent, but to also have some dramatic chops. I would love to see him explore that avenue more in his movies.
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solid coming-of-agePermalink
SnoopyStyle20 October 2017
13 year old Morris Gentry is the new kid in his Heidelberg, Germany school. He likes to rap with his soccer coach widower father Curtis (Craig Robinson). Father and son struggle to make new friends. Morris speaks limited German and has private lessons with Inka. Classmate Katrin takes a liking to him but he gets picked on by the bullies. She volunteers him to rap in the school talent show which only exacerbates his teacher's dislike. He gets pulled into her world of drugs and parties.
Markees Christmas is a young amateur in the lead role. There's a quiet charisma about him. The story is pretty simple. There is a healthy dose of subtle racism and it's your basic White Girl Siren. Craig Robinson surprises me with a bit of German although he's not doing really big acting. It's a nice solid coming-of-age story.
Markees Christmas is a young amateur in the lead role. There's a quiet charisma about him. The story is pretty simple. There is a healthy dose of subtle racism and it's your basic White Girl Siren. Craig Robinson surprises me with a bit of German although he's not doing really big acting. It's a nice solid coming-of-age story.
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