The fact that this is a true story only makes it better. I found the characters in the boarding house to be entertaining and the manner in which the story was told kept me captivated.
Well developed characters and touching story. It truly highlighted the era and one woman's undying strength and service to others. Merkerson was spectacular along with so many others of the cast. Great ensemble.
Lackawanna Blues Summary:
A young boy grows up among a makeshift family of oddballs and dreamers in this adaptation of Ruben Santiago-Hudson's acclaimed one-man show. Ruben Junior (Marcus Carl Franklin) is a young boy who was born in the late '40s into a family that started crumbling not long after he was born. Ruben Junior's parents were from Lackawanna, a city in Upstate New York, and were living in a rooming house run by Nanny Crosby (S. Epatha Merkerson), whose place was a hub for the local African-American community. When Ruben Junior's parents split up, he and his mother return to Lackawanna and Nanny's rooming house; with mother overworked physically and in sad shape emotionally, Nanny takes Ruben Junior under her wing, and offers him the sort of nurturing she gives all her boarders. Nanny's house is full of people struggling for a fresh start in life, ranging from former convicts to recovering drug addicts, and she opens both her doors and her heart to them as they strive to make themselves better people. Ruben Junior finds a loving home amidst the colorful eccentrics in Nanny's circle of friends, but as America changes over the course of the 1950s and '60s, so does the neighborhood where Nanny and her tenants live -- and not for the better. Produced for the premium cable network HBO, Lackawanna Blues features a stellar supporting cast, including Delroy Lindo, Louis Gossett Jr., Rosie Perez, Jimmy Smits, Jeffrey Wright, Mos Def, and Ernie Hudson.
Nanny Crosby is an African American woman, who houses black folks who stop by for a while or for good. Incredible story of Rueben Santiago-Hudson's early years. great music.
This movie was Awesome! I love watching black movies like this about peoples lives! Was a great performance by all the actors and actresses. Get it and see it if you have not yet!
S. Epatha Merkerson deserved all the accolades she recieved for her role in this beautifully made T.V. film. Her performance is wonderfully done but the all star supporting cast are also steller as well. An engaging story that is also well written and directed.
All the actors did a phenomenal jobon this film. I have watched this movie god knows how many times I've watched this movie but it never gets old to me.
Excellent performances throughout this film.
S. Epatha Merkerson(of TV's Law and Order)was Emmy nominated for her stunning performance here,and it shows.
MCT:July 3, 2008
MCT:October 9, 2007
MCT:January 2, 2008
MCT:December 15, 2007
MCT:November 3, 2007
MCT:June 30, 2007
