Explicit Ills (2008)

54% of critics liked it
(24 reviews)
34% of users liked it
(104,480 ratings)

The beauty of hope and the power of unity form the foundation of this tale of youthful love, drugs, and poverty in the City of Brotherly Love. Seven-year-old Babo suffers from asthma, and lives with his mother in a dangerous section of North Philly. In an attempt to impress a girl who's well out of… More The beauty of hope and the power of unity form the foundation of this tale of youthful love, drugs, and poverty in the City of Brotherly Love. Seven-year-old Babo suffers from asthma, and lives with his mother in a dangerous section of North Philly. In an attempt to impress a girl who's well out of his league, their scheming neighbor Demitri attempts to pass as a brainy bookworm. Meanwhile, as well-off art student Michelle falls into a drug-ridden affair with her dealer, Jacob, Kaleef and Jill struggle to save their marriage while bringing "produce to the people," and their teenage son, Heslin, bulks up for the World's Strongest Man competition. Rosario Dawson, Naomie Harris, and Paul Dano star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 27 min.
Directed By: Mark Webber
Written By: Mark Webber
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Mar 6, 2009 Wide
On DVD: Jul 14, 2009
Studio: Peach Arch Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times
A movie that too often feels comprised of arty public service announcements can only be considered a lost opportunity.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
Despite a good cast, Explicit Ills is about as phony as it gets.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Gorgeous to look at and touchingly sincere, Mark Webber's directorial debut makes a considerable impact despite its evident flaws.
Manohla Dargis, New York Times
There is much to argue with, and much to regret, about a film whose director thinks he needs to drop an anvil on our heads when art would suffice.
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
Two of the cast members shine: Lou Taylor Pucci as a drug dealer who finds a new lover and baptizes himself in substance abuse, and Rosario Dawson as a mother trying to care for her asthmatic son with no health insurance.
Aaron Hillis, Village Voice
The film is confidently polished and thankfully more sweet-tempered than preachy, given that every narrative thread has an underlying theme of social injustice.
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
suffers from a simultaneous affliction of overwriting and underwriting
Brent Simon, Shared Darkness
Though lyrical, earnest and well photographed, Explicit Ills is ultimately more intriguing than good. Its narrative grip is far too loose.
Bill Gibron, Filmcritic.com
all social smoke and mirrors.
Clay Cane, BET.com
In an era of low-blow comedies and fluff action flicks, this movie will inspire you to be aware, conscious and sensitive.
Ron Wilkinson, Monsters and Critics
A good first effort with heart felt acting but this film does not provide the thrills and spills some expect from inner city explorations
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Webber is good with his actors, but he tries to do too much, depict a portrait of the lower-depths in Philadelphia, present a cautionary tale and call to arms, and also suggest a personal memoir or living in this particular city.
Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru
An impressive directorial debut that manages to be a throughly compelling, honest and socially conscious drama
Mark Keizer, Boxoffice Magazine
Initially promising but ultimately maddening.
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine
Mark Weber's Explicit Ills has a tenderness that belies its fiery left-leaning political views about urban poverty and social injustice.
Matt Pais, Metromix.com
A serious social drama without insight, a unique point of view or, seemingly, much of an understanding of its own issues.
Alison Willmore, Time Out New York
The film's cast and the fluid camerawork are as hip as can be, and in this age of Obama, so is the sentiment -- unflinching but optimistic.
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
Elusive narrative strands sorted out with surprising and uplifting clarity. And a determined socially conscious focus on the dismal, all too explicit diseased state of profit-ized health care in a country where patients are 'customers, not sick people.
Pete Vonder Haar, Film Threat
I'm looking forward to seeing what Webber comes up with next.