Just rented the DVD and saw/heard the movie in 5.1 surround. Since I was at Crown Heights two weeks before and two weeks after the riot in 1991, I can vouch for some of the movie's authenticity. Despite any shortcomings the entirety of this production is so grand it is a highly meaningful and noble enterprise.
Howie Mandel plays a legitimate serious role (wow!). He captures joys and struggles in Crown Heights that occur in that locale even until this day. The relationship between the Minister and Rabbi Howie - and between the Black and Orthodox teenage boys - is in fact realistic
both in their frustrations, upsets and cooperative unification in behalf of common aims. The final dance scene says it all.
And what's so strange about that? Blacks and Jews have worked well together before, and with the energy in "Crown Heights," they will do so again. As the Rebbe proclaimed, "We are all part of one community under one G-d."
Jeremy Paul Kagan put an excellent TV movie together. Now let's see an extravaganza big screen version. How about it, Steven Spielberg and Jeremy Kagan?
Peace. Love. Mazel Tov! ~ Dr.Cliff
Howie Mandel plays a legitimate serious role (wow!). He captures joys and struggles in Crown Heights that occur in that locale even until this day. The relationship between the Minister and Rabbi Howie - and between the Black and Orthodox teenage boys - is in fact realistic
both in their frustrations, upsets and cooperative unification in behalf of common aims. The final dance scene says it all.
And what's so strange about that? Blacks and Jews have worked well together before, and with the energy in "Crown Heights," they will do so again. As the Rebbe proclaimed, "We are all part of one community under one G-d."
Jeremy Paul Kagan put an excellent TV movie together. Now let's see an extravaganza big screen version. How about it, Steven Spielberg and Jeremy Kagan?
Peace. Love. Mazel Tov! ~ Dr.Cliff