Freestyle
Enredo
Em meio a um verão sufocante em Los Angeles, as ruas ganham vida com os ritmos pulsantes do hip-hop. Nesse cenário vibrante, Freestyle acompanha a jornada de dois amigos, Marcus (interpretado por Meagan Good) e Eddie (interpretado por Malcom-Jamal Warner), enquanto navegam pelo traiçoeiro cenário do rap de rua e do submundo do crime. Marcus, um MC talentoso com paixão por freestyle, está prestes a lançar seu álbum de estreia. Seu amigo Eddie, um golpista de lábia solta, conseguiu garantir uma reunião com um importante executivo de gravadora, oferecendo-lhes a chance de levar sua música para o próximo nível. No entanto, a empolgação deles dura pouco, pois logo se veem envolvidos em um grande negócio de drogas que dá errado. À medida que as tensões aumentam e a situação sai do controle, Marcus e Eddie devem contar com sua inteligência, astúcia e malícia de rua para se livrarem dessa situação precária. Com as apostas mais altas do que nunca, eles devem confrontar seus próprios demônios e fazer escolhas difíceis para sobreviver e permanecer fiéis à sua visão artística. Ao longo do filme, Freestyle investiga as complexidades da vida urbana, explorando temas de identidade, comunidade e o poder da música para unir as pessoas. O filme apresenta um talentoso elenco, incluindo Michael Ealy, Loretta DeVine e Hosea Chanchez, que oferecem performances excelentes que adicionam profundidade e nuances à narrativa. Com seu realismo cru, energia contagiante e narrativa poderosa, Freestyle é um retrato inflexível da vida nas ruas, onde as linhas entre o rap e a realidade estão constantemente borradas. Enquanto Marcus e Eddie lutam para ficar um passo à frente do jogo, eles também devem enfrentar as duras realidades de seu mundo, onde lealdade, confiança e amizade são testadas das maneiras mais extremas.
Resenhas
Iris
A 'Thelma & Louise' style road trip of escape, except this time it's an unlikely duo of an older man and a younger woman who start off as adversaries. They go from mutual dislike to understanding, and ultimately, instead of finding solace in each other, they reconcile with themselves. A delightfully refreshing little French film.
Bella
11/30/2022 @ Palace IFC [hkfff]. While it follows a fairly typical road movie structure, the French flair for absurdity and humor, combined with beautiful scenery, keeps it fresh and a truly enjoyable watch. The ending was a delightful surprise. // The two leads delivered such charming performances.
Valentina
I'm absolutely in love with this kind of road movie. The scenery is stunning, and the story is familiar yet refreshing. It's got just the right touch of absurdity and humor, with a truly surprising ending. Benjamin Voisin is perfectly cast as the petty crook, and his acting is on point. Limoges even gets a shout-out! It's a shame I couldn't catch it in theaters when it was released.
Clara
The French Cultural Center. Hilarious! This road movie proves that solid writing can achieve both low-budget and critical acclaim. Even when kidnapped, the French still insist on using "vous" as a sign of respect, haha.
Ruth
The imagery is strong, but the premise feels a bit forced – the panic attack preventing her from leaving the car is somewhat difficult to relate to. Perhaps it shouldn't be approached from a purely realistic perspective; the motivation isn't the main point, but rather what happens once they hit the road. Being trapped in the car mirrors being stuck in life, and even with limited character development, the dialogue reveals a lot. It's a story of mutual redemption between two people who become like mother and son. The ending is a bit idealistic, but overall, it's handled in a balanced way. The scenes with the doctor are also quite funny.
Raelynn
A gritty and intense hip-hop drama, Freestyle delves into the dark underbelly of the street rap scene. The film's raw energy is infectious, with the lead characters' urgency and desperation palpable as they navigate the treacherous landscape of crime and music. The plot takes a stunning turn when a major drug deal goes awry, forcing the protagonists to confront their own morality and mortality. With its unflinching portrayal of urban struggle, Freestyle is a must-watch for fans of authentic, hard-hitting cinema.
