Fay (Milira)= grpws up in an impoverished Harlem family, that's pretty much caught up in a cycle of poverty that seems to doom her from the start. But she's ambitiouzs, she seriously wants to better her situation, and works for this goal, being on top of her class in high school and hoping for a four year scholarship to study business and ultimately make something out of herself, while all her friends and relatives seem to be resigned to their fate and don't even try to improve their lives. Enter suave Vaughn (Robert Laney), who just knocks Fay off her feet, and before you know it they are a couple. And he seems to be a nice guy, too. Sure, he deals in drugs, but isn't everybody in Fay's surroundings? Thing is, Vaughn isn't just a petty criminal, he means business, and lets nobody get in the way of his business, not even his lover ...

Now I'll give you this, the main story of Up in Harlem is a little bit hard to follow, as the plot is constantly broken up in subplots and often gives characters irrelevant to the main story a lot of space to unfold - and all this works for the movie, as it doesn't just tell its story in a straightforward way but paints a picture of the world film is set in and takes a pretty detailed picture of the plot's societal background. And sure, some clichées have been snuck into some of the subplots and backstories, but overall this seems like a very "real" film, also thanks to its gritty direction and down-to-earth acting, making this one a pretty worthwhile experience.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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