This movie is great on many levels.
Soundtrack - Bill Lee, Spike Lee's father, crafts a soundtrack of layered jazz sounds. This is my second favourite movie soundtrack (the first being another Spike Lee movie, Mo' Better Blues).
Brooklyn - Lee is going to make movies set in Brooklyn, but not the Brooklyn we expected - nope, a fresh, edgy happening environment with fresh, edgy, happening people. (And these first two points also apply to Mo' Better Blues. My favourite soundtrack and a spectacular view of Brooklyn and the non-stereotyped culture of some black folks - seeing adult Denzel out playing catch with his father, who is still present and with whom they talk about life, was particularly uplifting, as was his cycling with Spike...but I digress)
Female lead - While it might not ace the Bechdel Test (although it comes close), this is Spike Lee's first feature length movie and he chooses to tell a story that centres on a woman. That's an avant garde move right there.
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Reply by Renovatio
on February 8, 2018 at 10:46 AM
This was ok for an early movie... Good to see that his filmmaking improved a lot since then...
Reply by tmdb53400018
on February 8, 2018 at 3:19 PM
What I like most about it are all the elements that you won't get from a lot of later Lee joints... his efforts at overt feminism for example, or the jazz score that helps create a unique setting, or how about the intriguing black woman character who plays the stringed instrument? Love it
R.I.P. Mark E. Smith
Reply by Renovatio
on February 8, 2018 at 6:13 PM
I see your point... makes sense...