Film: Prince of Broadway
Cast includes: Prince Adu, Karren Karagulian (Take Out) Aiden Noesi
Director: Sean Baker (Take Out)
Genre: Drama/Humor (2008)
In brief: “Hello Beautiful… anything you need… I’ve got Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci…” Lucky’s a street hustler of counterfeit designer goods. “Authentic hand-stitched Chinese shit” is what Lucky sells. He takes customers to Levon’s back room, where he sells the latest handbags, sneakers, etc. It’s not an easy life, but Lucky works hard. And for an illegal African immigrant, without a work permit, he does OK. When his ex-girlfriend Linda shows up, she’s got a little surprise for Lucky. It’s an 18-month-old baby. “Look. That’s your son. I need you to take care of him for 2 weeks.” “Are you crazy?” Lucky Yells. Maybe she is. She’s got a new boyfriend who doesn’t want the kid.
Lucky never knew he had a son. And if he did have a son, the kid certainly wouldn’t look like the one Linda unceremoniously drops off. For starters, Lucky’s black… as in dark-skinned African. The kid’s white… well, not actually “white,” but he’s pretty fucking light. After frantically trying and failing to find Linda, Lucky takes the kid home. “This is my house. Don’t touch my porn. Don’t touch my frige.” Clearly, Lucky is clueless. His new girlfriend has little sympathy. “What’s his name?” she asks. Well, that’s a good question. Lucky has no idea, and the kid’s too young to tell him. Lucky can’t leave the kid at home… so he takes him to work everyday. “He white. You black,” his fellow hustlers point out… as if it’s not obvious. “What the fuck am I doing with you?” Lucky cries. Lucky just wants to get rid of this no-name baby. But as much as Lucky resists the idea of fatherhood, we notice the acquisition of all kinds of kid stuff as time goes by… clothes, a stroller, toys, etc. Is the kid going to grow on Lucky? Is Linda ever going to take him back? Is the kid ever going to have a name?
You could hardly buy a new car for what it cost to shoot this film. It’s very, very independent… but that’s by choice because Sean Baker chooses to make films about people and subjects that are best told as independents. Most of the actors are non-actors, and that gives the film such authenticity that, at times, it feels like a gritty documentary. With a long list of impressive film festival wins, Prince of Broadway is finally being released. It’s a far better story than its low-budget style would suggest. Unexpected fatherhood is a topic that Hollywood has done many times, but Prince of Broadway is a much more authentic take on the subject. It has many wonderful and heart-warming scenes, but it never feels anything but real.
3 popped kernels
The performances are amazing... the narrative is well developed
Popcorn Profile
Primary Audience: Grown-ups
Gender Appeal: Any audience
Distribution: Art house
Mood: Somber
Tempo: In no hurry
Visual Style: Amateur video
Character Development: Intense
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Thought provoking
