Blackalicious
Written and directed by Erick Caminero
Starring Robin Blotnick and Taryn Harris

Film review by DavidChiu

Race and relationships both are hardly dealt with in movies and if they are, they are sometimes reduced to cliches and stereotypes. Not with Erick Caminero's brilliant short film Blacklicious . Don't be put off by the porn- or horror-sounding title or the latest exploitation film--it's a funny and cutting look at perceptions of how blacks and whites (should) act in the dating game.

The film starts out with a white male Robert (Robin Blotnick) who goes on a date with black Shaneequa (Taryn Harris). Right off the bat Robert plays this raunchy hip-hop tune on his car radio, thinking it would impress Shaneequa, but she seemed immune to that. Strike one for Robert. The two go to this friend's party where Robert continues to try to woo Shaneequa with his supposed blackness; Shaneequa's attention is focused on alternative music and dancing with the other females in the apartment. Robert seeks advice from Charles (Dreamfirstborn, Jew) on how to act slick and street, but Charles' smooth talking doesn't work on Shaneequa. At the end of the party as they are walking, Robert gives up trying and acts his usual, whitebread self; but in an interesting twist, Shaneequa spots a Kennedy Fried Chicken which finally arouses and brings out the "black" in her that Charles was looking for.

Though only ten minutes, this film takes a fresh and interesting spin on racial stereotypes and how we expect other people of color to act. The performances by Blotnick as the clueless Robert and Harris as the hipster chick Shaneequa were dead on and spontaneous in their characters' portrayals. As a writer and director, Caminero approaches the film with a freshness, telling it 'as it is'--there wasn't a moment in the film where the action flagged or the dialogue sounded forced. Simply put, it was funny.

Blackalicious could definitely benefit beyond being just a ten-minute film. Hollywood should come calling--race and love doesn't have to be taboo if done the right way.


Palindrome Pictures presents:
Blackalicious

starring:

Robin Blotnick as Robert

Taryn Harris as Shaneequa

Dreamfirstborn, Jew as Charles

Lisa Cupido as Kay

Written, Directed & Produced by
Erick Caminero

Associate Producer:
Taryn Harris

Director of Photography:
Steve Carrillo

Edited by
Robin Blotnick

Production Assistant:
Fabian Quintero

wan2 C it!

Wow!

I can't wait to see this either!

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