I really enjoyed Idlewild. It (at the moment) is probably one of the 5 best films I've seen this year.

Cast is great, the movie is pretty nutty... if anything, the movie gets slightly less nutty later on and that's where it fumbles a bit.

The Outcast guys do a good job, especially the guy who plays Percival. The guy who plays Rooster mostly keeps up with Terrance Howard, who's really great here.

Music is pretty good, and some of the songs are pretty memorable. Macy Gray has a memorable performance, and Rooster (on stage) is quite a sight. The "I am the afterparty" song is great and bluesy.

Barber's style is somewhere between American Historical Period Pieces and sexy Spanish filmmaking. The love scene, which has incredible editing and music is one of the most passionate I've seen all year.

Seriously? I thought that was the worst part of the movie.

I *almost* liked this movie. I didn't dislike it. I just found myself getting bored quite a bit, even with the spunky style. I definately started checking my watch halfway through, and found I was becoming more and more rivetted in the musical bits and more and more bored during the "in between" parts.

Many people left this movie early. I didn't think it was that bad, and for anyone that stayed the closing credits was one of the highlights.

I'm with Dolce on this, I thought it was "almost" good. Really, the musical parts were great, especially the first few, and the in-between bits were just increasingly drier. I started checking my watch after about an hour as well, and I definately think around 20-30 minutes could have easily been shaved off. Sure, it would have clocked in as one of the shorter musicals, but it would have greatly helped the pacing of the film overall.

I'd go with a C+ as well. The potential is there, it just doesn't live up to it in the end.

I think you two are being too critical. Grease isn't exactly compelling when there isn't some spiffy, choreographed dance scene playing out, but I know you two like!

... I should see this. Soon. Hope it expands to my theater or I might have to pay to see it at another (gasp).

I never saw Grease..........................................

Meh. I didn't think it was really that great. I found it surprisingly dull and it was a lot less upbeat than I was expecting. The set design and acting are both very good, but the weak script sinks Idlewild.

I thought the absolute best thing about this film was newcomer Paula Patton, who was absolutely radiant.

C

I love Grease. I wasn't expecting something existential from the in-between moments, I just noticed that I was getting squirmy and having trouble sitting through them.

Say what you will, but all the in-between moments in Grease provided something new. From the sleep-over party, to the diner, to someone getting preganant, and a fun car race.

Idlewild gets props for production value and cinematography, but that didn't mean it managed to hold my attention completely. Like I said, there was nothing I could point to and say "this sucked" (well, except for the sex scene, and that scene where Paula is laying on a pillow and just looking all weepy and pouty for way too long ) but man I still kept wondering when it was just gonna end.

Meanwhile, the running time comes in at a short 90 minutes.

I need to see this. I loved the trailer and I think Outkast produces generally fun music.

That's another thing I thought was bizarre.

There, like...was no music.

I would not consider Idlewild a musical. I would've liked it more if it was.

How surprising Idlewild stinks. A good film isn't put on the shelf for two years.

Idlewild's a blast.

I dug it's hoppin' hybrid soundtrack and got caught up in it's retro soap opera plot.

Yow!

It's the first work I've noticed by Outkast, but I'd love to see another musical by them...

6 out of 5.

bradley and I agree on something that nobody else seems to like.

What am I doing wrong!??!?!

I thought it was nicely directed but amateurishly acted and written. Shame, too, because I think this could have been great.

The OutKast guys are adept actors but never particularly great. I think a lot of what doesn't work about the film -- besides its plotline and characters that didn't really engage me -- is the fact that the film is never about these two together; it's basically two stories running concurrently, both cliched and neither especially compelling. I think it really misses something in having the two leads interacting only briefly.

I liked the music (especially the first stage scene), but I was also never dazzled by it.

A reluctant C.

What did you think of Paula Patton?

She has impressed me and given solid performances in both Idlewild and Deja Vu (neither of which were well-written roles for her). I would consider her the breakthrough actress of this year, but that's just me.

Yeah, I liked her. Impressive debut.

Weirdly enough, at times she reminded me of...like, a...black Jennifer Garner. Or something. Something about her face, and her mannerisms. If that's not too much of a stretch. (It might be.)

She, unfortunately, though, had some of the film's worst dialogue to contend with.

Yow! Good call, Libs...

This movie was good, but still somewhat disappointing. Strange is really the best word to describe it. Andre Benjamin is easily the stronger actor out of the Outkast pair, and he does a great job - as does Paula Patton in a supporting role. But the story itself isn't that interesting and the musical numbers aren't that lively and often feel out of place. I enjoyed it though and would give it a slight recommendation.

B-

C+


Yeah that was kind of disappointing. I suppose after having seen some really good and vibrant musicals recently, my expectations were increased and this one failed to deliver. Visually it was pretty nice with some cool little ideas, but the whole film felt rather tedious and overlong. At least 20 minutes could have been edited out of it. Moreover, the acting by the leads was rather mediocre. The music scenes weren#t nearly as exuberant or energetic as in Dreamgirls or Hairspray and the plot left me cold too.

The only two stand-out's were Paula Patton in a pretty impressive film debut and Terrence Howard who seems to be great in pretty much every single movie he appears in. The guy's gonna win an Oscar one day, mark my words. He did a pretty good cold villain.