Morris from America

As a coming of age story, I’m not sure this is much different from what we’ve seen in the past. Then again, Morris is one of two black people studying German and attending a German high school. That factoid does make it quite different, even though the basics of sexual curiosities and partying are the same. Unfortunately for this film, I saw a much better coming-of-age film at the end of 2016 called Moonlight. This one paled in comparison.

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There are spoliers ahead. Morris and his dad are in Germany. His father tells him they are the only two black men in the area. Morris, being around 14 or so, has to learn the German language and get along with a pretty abusive group of teens. You can feel his frustration day by day. He has his rapping that keeps him entertained. When a school talent show comes up, he decides to try out. The result is anything but productive.

The father and son have a unique relationship. The father will not deny when he has said curse words and punished his son for rapping them. His reasoning is slightly different though for his son. He wants his son’s raps to be rooted in reality and not in hip hop profanity. It’s almost as if however the father wouldn’t mind the profanity if the son really were living out the lyrics.

I have to be honest, I had a hard time finishing this one. There is a girl, as his father says there always will be, she is very odd. She asks Morris how long his dick is at one point and then next minute she’s kissing another guy in front of him. She’s a very dangerous person. At the same time, she seems to care for Morris so it’s complicated. As a coming of age drama with some comedy, I’d recommend it to young adults. There is some rave dancing and drug use and some of this is interesting to watch and listen to. Ultimately though, I think just a handful of people will enjoy and “get” this film. I can’t really tell you their exact demographic but I’m sure they’re out there. As for me? I would pass on this one.

Author: Damien Riley

Damien Riley is a singer-songwriter from the High Desert of Southern California, known for his original music, books, a blog, and the podcast "Riley on Film". He is currently seeking West Coast venues for live concerts and stand-up routines. View all posts by Damien Riley