Music's School of Hard Knocks produces another alumna in "Filly Brown," a gritty and well-acted Latin hip hop variation of a long reliable formula.
Gina Rodriguez delivers a breakout performance in the title role, a tough, two-fisted rapper named Majo whose two goals in life intersect -- to become a star under the name Filly Brown, and make enough money to get her mom (the late Jenni Rivera) out of prison.
When Mom couples another plea for help with some scribbled down rhymes, the "lady on the mike," vows to make use Mom's words and make her move. She finds herself a DJ (Braxton Millz) who can produce "a mix that drips" and sets her eye on catching the attention of record label owner Big Cee (Noel Gugliemi).
"He liked what I spit," she enthuses. Then come the compromises -- the need to "sex it up" and "merch it up.
Gina Rodriguez delivers a breakout performance in the title role, a tough, two-fisted rapper named Majo whose two goals in life intersect -- to become a star under the name Filly Brown, and make enough money to get her mom (the late Jenni Rivera) out of prison.
When Mom couples another plea for help with some scribbled down rhymes, the "lady on the mike," vows to make use Mom's words and make her move. She finds herself a DJ (Braxton Millz) who can produce "a mix that drips" and sets her eye on catching the attention of record label owner Big Cee (Noel Gugliemi).
"He liked what I spit," she enthuses. Then come the compromises -- the need to "sex it up" and "merch it up.
- 4/18/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Debuting at Sundance last year, Youssef Delara and Michael D. Olmos’ Filly Brown featured a very memorable performance from leading actress Gina Rodriguez.
Comparable to a female-led version of 8 Mile, the drama is finally coming to the big screen this April, and now Apple have debuted the first trailer and poster ahead of its release this spring.
I was fortunate enough to see its UK debut at Sundance London last year – you can read our review here – and I’m really looking forward to seeing it again.
“Filly Brown is an inspiring and gritty portrait of a young artist’s striving to find her voice and seize her dreams without compromise. Majo Tonorio, a.k.a. “Filly Brown,” is a raw, young Los Angeles hip-hop artist who spits rhymes from the heart. With an incarcerated mother, and a father struggling to provide for his daughters, a record contract could be...
Comparable to a female-led version of 8 Mile, the drama is finally coming to the big screen this April, and now Apple have debuted the first trailer and poster ahead of its release this spring.
I was fortunate enough to see its UK debut at Sundance London last year – you can read our review here – and I’m really looking forward to seeing it again.
“Filly Brown is an inspiring and gritty portrait of a young artist’s striving to find her voice and seize her dreams without compromise. Majo Tonorio, a.k.a. “Filly Brown,” is a raw, young Los Angeles hip-hop artist who spits rhymes from the heart. With an incarcerated mother, and a father struggling to provide for his daughters, a record contract could be...
- 1/11/2013
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Leading star Gina Rodriguez has been attracting considerable and well-deserved attention for her brilliant breakout performance in Filly Brown, coming from an acting background to then shine as an aspiring hip-hop artist in co-directors Youssef Delara and Michael D. Olmos’ second film together.
The opening scene introduces us to Majo (Rodriguez), a.k.a. Filly Brown, rapping on a local radio station over one of the finest first songs I’ve heard in a while, at once feel-good but also tempered by the experience Majo brings to the mic as a young second-generation Mexican girl growing up in L.A.
With her mother in jail, and in need of money fast to re-open her case, Majo makes a series of decisions that see her sacrificing the honesty of her music she’d sworn to herself and fellow artist, DJ Santa (Braxton Millz), to stay true to. Yet she never loses...
The opening scene introduces us to Majo (Rodriguez), a.k.a. Filly Brown, rapping on a local radio station over one of the finest first songs I’ve heard in a while, at once feel-good but also tempered by the experience Majo brings to the mic as a young second-generation Mexican girl growing up in L.A.
With her mother in jail, and in need of money fast to re-open her case, Majo makes a series of decisions that see her sacrificing the honesty of her music she’d sworn to herself and fellow artist, DJ Santa (Braxton Millz), to stay true to. Yet she never loses...
- 4/29/2012
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
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