Oct 07 2018

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Hollywood Shuffle Movie Review

Posted at 2:35 PM under Assignments

“Hollywood Shuffle” is an all right movie to watch but the comedy itself is very dry and hard to follow. For someone who likes to have a lot of laughs when watching a comedy film, there were only a couple of places where anyone can agree to have a chuckle or smile. It is not a movie that I will generally watch.

The movie gives a more profound message about how black actors are treated in being cast in films. The words “not black enough” is heard throughout the film. These words show how white directors, writers, and casting directors expect the black stereotypes out of black actors that are portraying in movies.

This film is about a black wannabe actor, name Bobby Taylor, played by Robert Townsend, who’s trying to make it in Hollywood by landing any role. The roles for black actors in Hollywood are gangsta stereotypes. Bobby wants to make his characters that are the opposite of what Hollywood expects from black male actors. He daydreams about the roles he wants to play throughout the movie.

The movie is a satirical comedy film that is about the racial stereotypes of black actors in television and movies. Robert Townsend is the director of the film. Townsend also co-produced with Lydia Nicole. He also co-wrote it with Keenen Ivory Wayans. Wayans also appears in it too.

The film is rated R for adult situations and language. The movie was released in theaters in wide-screen on March 20, 1987. The film also released on DVD on July 24, 2001. The cast of this film is called “The Hollywood Shuffle Players.” The players include Helen Martin, Anne-Marie Johnson, Starletta DuPois, and David McKnight.

The acting was excellent by the entire cast, especially Robert Townsend. Townsend gives the perception that this can happen to anyone when someone is trying to make it in Hollywood. Townsend also shows that he is leading the cast throughout the movie. This leading is good because the cast can carry themselves on their own and the spotlight is on Townsend. The plot is realistic because anyone that tries to make it in Hollywood is struggling to have a chance to show their talents in auditions and casting calls. It also shows how actors try to make ends meet while trying to find a role that can make their careers skyrocket.

The dialogue is mostly stereotypically for how African-Americans talk to one another and how white people would talk to blacks. It shows how stereotypically Hollywood was back in the 1980’s and what they were expecting from black actors. The cinematography was in mostly in color, and the camera shots were excellent, especially the close-up shots. The music fit perfectly with the movie. In the scenes that needed a particular type of music, the music was perfect and put into the right parts.

My biggest problem with the movie is trying to understand the jokes in the film. For someone who doesn’t get it, it is tough to tell what’s funny and what’s not funny. For someone who’s watched many satirical comedy movies, this movie will make you laugh a lot. I liked how the plot is connecting like a puzzle. Having a scenario like that makes the film easy to watch and understand what’s happening.

For a movie that had a budget of $100,000, the production is excellent. The film was very successful in the box office by making about $5.229 million. People who love satirical comedy are the targeted audience for this movie. For people who aren’t into satirical comedy, this movie is easy to follow, but they will not understand or get the jokes. This film receives two and a half out of four stars.

This movie is memorable by how it was made and put together. It is one that you will not forget. The jokes will go over your head, but the film itself will stick in your mind for a while after seeing it. The film will make you have your daydreams be similar to the movie. The message about the racial stereotypes against any black actors in Hollywood shown in the entire motion picture.

 

One response so far

One Response to “Hollywood Shuffle Movie Review”

  1. fuglsangon 15 Oct 2018 at 4:14 PM 1

    What if you flipped the first and second grafs, Reilly? The second graf could lead what the movie’s “intentions” were. Then follow up with how you responded to those.

    The middle section is nicely summarized. I think when you get to not understanding the jokes, it might just be a matter of audience and experience. This is a bit of an “insider” film in that you need to know something about movie-making, and about the “black experience.” Though I found it funny, I expect an African-American viewer would find it funny (or sad) for very different reasons.

    Some good use of factual details.