Why Do Fools Fall in Love? (1998)
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54% of critics liked it
(54 reviews) -
72% of users liked it
(8,644 ratings)
Gregory Nava directed this biographical drama on the brief but intense life of singer Frankie Lymon who stayed with the popular Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers group only for a year. Lymon was 13 years old when the group erupted from radios and jukeboxes with their 1956 hit, Why Do Fools Fall in Love?… More Gregory Nava directed this biographical drama on the brief but intense life of singer Frankie Lymon who stayed with the popular Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers group only for a year. Lymon was 13 years old when the group erupted from radios and jukeboxes with their 1956 hit, Why Do Fools Fall in Love? and appeared in the movie Rock, Rock, Rock (1956). After Mr. Rock and Roll (1957), Lymon turned solo, but then it all fell to pieces. Lymon's career was over by the time he was 18, and he died of a heroin overdose eight years later. Jumping from the '50s to the '80s, this film traces the rise and fall of Lymon (Larenz Tate) in a series of flashbacks as courtroom claims on Lymon's royalties are outlined by three women: Zola Taylor (Halle Berry) of the Platters R&B group; Elizabeth Waters (Vivica A. Fox), who turned prostitute to cover costs of Lymon's recovery from addiction; and schoolteacher Emira Eagle (Lela Rochon). Little Richard also makes a courtroom appearance, while Miguel A. Nunez Jr. portrays Little Richard in scenes set in the '50s. Shown at the 1998 Urbanworld Film Festival (NY). ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Directed By
- Gregory Nava
- Written By
- Tina Andrews
- Genres
- Drama, Musical & Performing Arts, Comedy
R,
- In Theaters
- Aug 8, 1998 Wide
- On DVD
- May 1, 2001
- Studio
- Warner Home Video
Critic Reviews
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Todd McCarthy, Variety
Too ill defined to emerge from the pack of box office also-rans.
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Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
A celebration of pop fantasies, a boyish rascal with a helium voice, and three pretty fools who fell in love with him.
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Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle
A fresh, enlightening example of how to take a tragic American show-business story and make it funny, warm and terrifically entertaining.
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Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
Though Nava's soapy directing style makes Fools watchable enough in a campy way, the film's unsophisticated nature undermines its better qualities.
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, Boston Globe
Filled with color and energy!
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Halle Berry
as Zola Taylor
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Vivica A. Fox
as Elizabeth Waters
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Lela Rochon
as Emira Eagle
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Larenz Tate
as Frankie Lymon
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Paul Mazursky
as Morris Levy
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Little Richard
as Himself
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Pamela Reed
as Judge Lambrey
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Alexis Cruz
as Herman Santiago
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David Barry Gray
as Peter Markowitz
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Miguel A. Núñez Jr.
as Young Little Richard
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Clifton Powell
as Lawrence Roberts
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Lane Smith
as Ezra Grahme
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Ben Vereen
as Richard Barrett
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Paula Jai Parker
as Paula King
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Marcello Thedford
as Coop
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Norris Young
as Jimmy
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J. August Richards
as Sherman
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Jon Huertas
as Joe
- Bill Burr
- Miguel A. Nunez
