OT: Our Town (2002)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Scott Hamilton Kennedy

Writer:

Thornton Wilder (play)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

Birth. Love. Life. Death. It's not just a play.

Plot:

Dominguez High, in the infamous Compton, CA, has not produced a play in over twenty years. With no money and no stage, two teachers and twenty-four students attempt to produce Thornton Wilder's American Classic OUR TOWN.

Plot Keywords:

High School | Father Son Relationship | Compton California | Stage Play | Rehearsal

Awards:

5 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Catherine Borek	...	Teacher and Director of the Play
Karen Greene	...	Teacher and Director of the Play
Ebony Starr Norwood-Brown	...	Herself / The Stage Manager
Archie Posada	...	Himself / George Gibbs
Armia Robinson	...	Herself / Emily Webb
Jackie Oliver	...	Herself / Mrs. Soames
Christopher Patterson	...	Himself / Mr. Webb
Jose Perez	...	Himself / Simon Stimson

Runtime:

76 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Compton, California, USA

Company:

A Stressbox Inc.

Trivia:

The original play "Our Town" opened at Henry Miller's Theater in New York City on 4 February 1938 and had 338 performances.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2004 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Sonar

It's all about the kids in the film

OT: Our Town is a documentary I'm glad I watched. It's an inspirational story in the vein of those dramas about teachers who make a difference in a falling apart urban school. But really, the kids are what make the movie work.

The filming and editing are good enough, nothing special. It also seems like the filming crew were dropped in the middle of the action with no time to get much back-story. The pieces of background and context they do get are really priceless.

It's nice to see the kids go through this play. To me, the most striking aspect was just how vulnerable and tender the kids actually are, despite the rough neighborhood and the rough situations life has given them.

There are some touching moments as the kids come together and connect with each other. They touch on some issues of feeling competent, dealing with romance, and negotiating relationships with parents. In some ways it's a bit cathartic like a "Breakfast Club" set in Compton instead of John Hughes' suburban Chicago. It's nice to see them come together, but just like The Breakfast Club you have to wonder if it will really last past the experience they had together.

Lets hope these kids remember their successes and go on to be successful and happy in life. They deserve it.