Liberty Heights (1999) User Reviews

Barry Levinson's Funny, Poignant Look at Changing Times in an Era That Needed Change!

[dtb · 8/10 · 15 June 2004]

LIBERTY HEIGHTS (LH) is a fine addition to writer/director Barry Levinson's series of nostalgic autobiographical Baltimore-set films. This episodic but heartfelt comedy-drama, set in the mid-1950s, stars Adrien Brody and Ben Foster as brothers Van and Ben Kurtzman, who come of age while grappling with anti-Semitism, their loving dad's (Joe Mantegna) shady business dealings (he runs both a burlesque house and a low-profile numbers racket. My late dad, a bookie, would've loved this guy! :-), racism (Ben and his pretty black classmate Sylvia, appealingly played by Rebekah Johnson, start seeing each other on the sly), and classism (Van falls hard for blonde WASP dream girl Dubbie, who turns out to be a nightmare -- a tragic figure, in fact -- but is capably played by supermodel Carolyn Murphy in her first and, to date, only film role that I know of). While LH isn't quite as sharp and knowing as Levinson's modern classic DINER (with which LH would make an interesting double feature; the DVD includes the DINER trailer, by the way), it's rendered with great affection and attention to detail about the characters, their world, and the changing times they're living in. For me, the wittier moments really made the film -- Ben's anarchic streak livens things up, to say the least! Best Ben moments: 1) his scandalizing his family by dressing as Hitler on Halloween; 2) the act of defiance he and his friends eventually pull at the "NO JEWS..." pool; and 3) the tender yet chaste kiss he gives Sylvia at graduation, freaking out both sets of parents. LH is worth a rental, at the very least!

A Wonderful Story About Segregation and Love

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 6 October 2003]

In Baltimore, 1954, the Kurtzman family is a Jewish family living in the area of Liberty Heights. Ben (Ben Foster) is a rebel teenager, who has a crush on his black friend Sylvia (Rebekah Johnson). His college brother Van falls in love with Dubbie (Carolyn Murphy – why this gorgeous actress has just this movie in her filmography?), a very problematic girl. He becomes friend of Trey Tobelseted (Justin Chambers), a young man from a very wealth family and boyfriend of Dubbie. Nate (the excellent Joe Mantegna) is the father, who lives from an illegal lottery of numbers. Nate loves his family and keeps them apart of his legal problems. Ada (Bebe Neuwirth) is the mother, who keeps the tradition of their family. Little Melvin (Orlando Jones) is a drug dealer, who wins a fortune of US$ 100,000 (in 1954) in Nate's lottery, raising a serious situation in the plot.

This movie is wonderful: the soundtrack, photography and costumes are marvelous. The story, about segregation of Jews and blacks and love between races, is very beautiful. The viewer will not be disappointed with this entertainment. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Ruas de Liberdade" ("Liberty Streets")

Liberty Heights an unassuming gem.

[rejoefrankel · 8/10 · 11 December 1999]

Barry Levinson's LIBERTY HEIGHTS begins telling it's story through a variety of different viewpoints, and at the outset may give off the vibe of being somewhat unfocussed, but do not be misled by the elusive opening! Although unexceptional in terms of it's standard coming of age plotline, as the film progresses it becomes increasingly thoughtful and observant. It is the small details that make LIBERTY HEIGHTS seem so rich--and I wouldn't dream of giving any of them away--but needless to say, by the end of the film anyone who remembers their childhood fondly is bound to leave the theatre with a smile on their face. In a quiet and unassuming way, the movie manages to throw out many messages to its audience. Every single subplot in the film relates back to the family. Joe Mantegna plays the racketeering patriarch of a nice uppper-middle class Jewish family that resembles a lighter version of the Corleone's in THE GODFATHER. One of the sons falls for a Catholic girl, while the other pursues the black daughter of a prominent city doctor. They all live with their grandmother who is blinded to the "gentiles" by the Holocaust. The relationships between the youngsters naturally conflict with the views of their parents, and they are forced to form their own opinions on racial boundaries.

What is so refreshing about LIBERTY HEIGHTS is that it doesn't pull obvious punches or go for the cheap thrills that more sensationalized Hollywood films normally would. Not even in a subplot with an eccentric drug dealer do the characters resort to violence as might be expected with this sort of material. The characters in LIBERTY HEIGHTS are just ordinary people in relatively ordinary situations. It is not a fast paced film, some may find the midsection to be a little over-inflated. Personally I enjoyed the film a great deal. It grew on me to the point that by the end I was drawn to tears. Even fully aware of its old fashioned Hollywood corniness the movie touched a nerve with me. I found the performances very moving--in particular that of young Ben Foster, who we should exepect to see again in the near future. Adrien Brody is appealing and sympathetic as the eldest son. Bebe Neuwirth manages to create some interesting moments in her role as matriarch of the Kurtzman family--particularly in the final scene. LIBERTY HEIGHTS is not a perfect film to be sure, but in a season with a shortage of intelligent family oriented films LIBERTY HEIGHTS is a solid bet.

I am neither Jewish nor Baltimorian (?), but . . .

[gmr-4 · 4 July 2003]

this was a fine film, if not anything to blow one's hair back, leave one humming, or slipping into the dialogue. The story was set in the mid-1950s, accurately looks the part, and is actually three tales involving the three males in a middle class family.

Yes, there is the treatment of racism and the self-consciousness that it spawns on both sides, and yes, the death throes of anti-semitism (at least among decent people). A middle-aged man finds he has outlived the world in which he came to prosper, and does not know what to do. There is something else: the "grass is always greener" hypothesis in ethnic/social class mixing. One of the protagonists meets his "shiksa goddess" and her lot, longs to cross a divide he does his best to bridge -- and finds his betters have feet of clay for all their poise and social standing.

LIBERTY HEIGHTS is in the best sense a North American story. Leaving one's ghetto, the benefits of learning to do so, and creation of a better world. Note how toward the end, the flawed and even cruel W.A.S.P. society boy becomes better for having accepted the hand of friendship of someone his father might have avoided.

A great look into American culture and history

[bsinc · 7/10 · 6 November 2003]

I found "Liberty Heights" an immensely entertaining movie which shows great talent, especially actor-wise. The movie is a great portrayal of how things looked like in America in the 50's, showing religious, racial, social and other differences and also showing how these differences can easily be overcome once a person realizes(or as was the case in this movie-doesn't even consider) that different only and always means worse. Ben Foster steals the show from the first scene and Adrien Brody is in close second place. And because they had such screen persona, or power if you will, I found if distracting and a bit out of place when at the end the story shifted too much to Joe Mantegna, their movie father. I have much respect for the man, he's an immense and always fun-to-watch actor, but in this movie it was him that was overshadowed, which is ironic since HE was the one who usually did this. A great, lightheaded growing-up movie that begins and ends with a nostalgic note, once again making me wish I'd have a chance to live in that day and age. Much praise to Barry Levinson for composing "Liberty Heights". 8/10

A quiet, poetic coda to the Baltimore saga

[guiricinefilo · 7/10 · 29 August 2001]

While hardly the gems that are Diner, and especially Avalon, Levinson here offers another sweet meditation on his Baltimore roots. The love story between Ben and Sylvia is especially moving to every white boy who ever fell in love with a black girl before it was acceptable, and most of the credit goes to the enchanting Rebekah Johnson. Older brother Van's travels in WASPland are more cliche-ridden, though one must salute the acting of Adrien Brody and his friend Trey, who actually make their unlikely friendship believable. Trey's deb girlfriend is pure cardboard. The real standouts here are Joe Mantegna and Orlando Jones going toe-to-toe in dangerously caricaturish territory. Both manage to pull it off. One anachronistic comment- Scribbles calls one of Nick's men the Pillsbury Jewboy--far as I know that advertising icon didn't appear till 10 years after the film's 1954-55 setting. Again, no one will call this film a classic, but seen as part of a 4 film whole (Tin Men is more the aberration than Liberty Heights) it stands proudly and pulls at these 40 year old heartstrings from a very similar North Bronx background.

growing up Jewish

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 15 August 2010]

Van and Ben Kurtzman (Adrien Brody and Ben Foster) are two boys growing up in the '50s in "Liberty Heights," a 1999 Barry Levinson film. The film also stars Bebe Neuwirth and Joe Mantegna as their parents, and Orlando Jones as Little Melvin.

The film shows both the prevailing anti-Semitism and racism of the times, but some of it is done with humor. When Ben and a young black girl (Rebekah Johnson) become friends, she ends up hiding him in her bedroom closet - though they were just listening to music - because her father won't let her have white friends. Then Van can't understand why his mother won't let him out of the house dressed as Adolf Hitler on Halloween. And the boys have a special way of handling a pool that doesn't allow Jews.

Very effective performances from all involved, with Joe Mantagna wonderful as the patriarch of the family, who runs a burlesque house, then gets into numbers, and encounters a headache named Little Melvin.

Though phrases like "colored" and "Jew me down" are used in "Liberty Heights" to show the strength of prejudice, sadly, while people may be more careful of their language today, some of these feelings are still held by many. One only has to hear the drunken outbursts of Mel Gibson or the tirade from Michael Richards to know it's so.

So the more things change, the more they remain the same. The boys in "Liberty Heights" look for love, get into trouble, and learn responsibility, just as kids do today. Nevertheless, Levinson paints a great picture of life in the '50s and people's beliefs. Very good.

Real story w/real people

[SamRag · 8/10 · 12 August 2002]

From time to time one comes across remarkable films like Liberty Heights where simple story is told in extraordinary manner. This film is about the Jewish Kurtzman family, but we follow the father and his two sons as three separate stories. Each one of them having their own struggle and challenges to face. What struck me as the most amazing part of the story was the easiness of it, how it flowed and gently tackled serious issues in the community of that time. It portrait itself in a realistic manner, where there were no real baddies or large showdown, just people going through life. The performance of the actors was brilliant, with Joe Mantegna (the father), showing once more what a talent he is. This film won't leave anyone untouched. 8/10

A nice movie

[CharltonBoy · 7/10 · 22 June 2002]

Liberty Heights is not an action movie, it isnt a film filled with stars , it does not have a twist and it isnt a film that makes you cry but it is a good movie. This is the story of a Jewish family , mainly the father and his two sons and basically how they live their lives. The father runs an illegal gambling racket ut gets into serious trouble, the older son is infactuated by an unabtainable girl who turns out to be more trouble than it's worth and the younger son befriends a black girl much to the disgust of both their parents. The film is funny in parts and does have a dig at the jewish,white and black groups without actually shoving political or moral messages down your throat. A nice movie. 7 out of 10.

Nostalgia, many plot threads and evocative

[wisewebwoman · 8/10 · 9 June 2001]

This movie is challenging on many levels and best of all is it does not insult the viewer's intelligence with pat plot lines and easy resolutions. It is very much a slice of life movie and provokes serious thought about growing up and the meaning of prejudice and racial barriers. It is a lovely film and I have resolved to see some other efforts from Barry Levinson as his is a rare talent. He lovingly captures Baltimore in the fifties in all its facets of neighbourhoods, the cast is stellar, not a false note among them, the music is wonderful and all the plot lines come together. I felt sad that it was over, I found myself quite involved with the characters who were multi dimensional with teasing snippets of background as in the disturbed Dubbie saying to Van she did not like spending time with her father and his boyfriend. And Sylvia's family being black and wealthiest by far than the others and she was following her mother and grandmother into a Black College so she could preserve the continuance. 8 out of 10. Recommended.

Charming but scattered

[FlickJunkie-2 · 6/10 · 14 September 2000]

Barry Levinson writes and directs a story about growing up Jewish in Baltimore, MD in the 1950's, a topic he knows a lot about being a native of that city born in 1942. As a period piece, this is outstanding. As a comedy/drama, it has its moments but is too scattered to have much impact. The story follows the lives of Nate Kurtzman (Joe Mantegna), and his two sons, Van (Adrian Brody) and Ben (Ben Foster) over the period of one year. Nate's subplot showed his life as a small-time racketeer. Van develops a crush on a wealthy gentile girl at a party, and spends much of the film pining after her. When he finally gets to know her better he finds that she is much different than he had imagined. Ben develops a crush on a black girl in his class and embarks on a friendship with her that flies in the face of the taboos of the times.

The entire film revolved around a single theme, i.e. how hard it was to grow up Jewish in the 1950's. Much of the material was amusing, some disturbing and some charming, but Levinson was so intent on relieving (or reliving) his angst that he kept wandering from the main storylines. If he had focused the story more on the relationship between Ben and Sylvia (Rebekah Johnson), it would have been a much stronger film.

As a period piece on the ‘50's, this is outstanding. The costumes and props were perfect and the entire film had a genuine 50's feeling to it. Levinson captured not only the images, but also the attitudes.

The ensemble cast was very solid. Joe Montegna is always terrific, especially when he is playing a crook. He is extremely believable in those roles and though he has tried to break out of the type, he keeps coming back because he does it so well. Ben Foster gave a wonderful performance played with a great deal of wit and sensitivity. He and Rebekah Johnson had excellent chemistry and made the forbidden relationship enchanting.

This film had potential, but Levinson' mission to expose injustice kept distracting him from the storyline and dissipated its overall effect. I rated it 6/10. Add a point if you are Jewish and another if you are nostalgic about the 1950's. Not bad, but it could have been much better.

Well done

[Argive · 9/10 · 5 September 2001]

Liberty Heights illustrates Anti Semitism and race relations in the 1950's very well. It shows how two Jewish brothers find that there is a whole different world outside their insular Jewish community. Liberty Heights is an excellent film. Barry Levinson has created a gem of a film, another of the Baltimore series.

A well-meant mess

[rsillima · 6/10 · 27 July 2000]

I'm predisposed to like Barry Levinson films, and to be sympathetic to anything about Baltimore, but this film was as confused a jumble of misplaced good intentions as I've seen in awhile. Joe Mantanga as a Jew? Tom Waitts tunes as interludes in a film about the 1950s? (Not to mention the fact that the African-American music presented as 1954 is in fact much later.) With all this attention to detail, how can they get it so wrong? I longed for John Waters to step in and save this film.

Changing Times

[sddavis63 · 5/10 · 25 June 2001]

A passable story about growing up Jewish in 1950's Baltimore, "Liberty Heights" lacks any consistent dramatic storyline, but deals with a variety of issues in a sensitive manner.

Seen largely through the eyes of two Jewish teenagers (Van and Ben Kurtzman, played by Adrien Brody and Ben Foster) and their father Nate (Joe Montegna) the movie deals with the social changes just beginning in the early 1950's. Nate owns a burlesque house long after burlesque has gone out of fashion, and runs a numbers game on the side, constantly risking charges. Meanwhile, Van and Ben deal with anti-Semitic feelings (swimming pools with signs that read "NO JEWS, DOGS OR COLOREDS ALLOWED), but at the same time also deal with the changes brought about by integration, making friends and making tentative steps toward romances with those of other ethnic groups. We get a sense throughout of the difficulty that people must have felt in being asked to give up long-standing social conditioning, and we see (perhaps unrealistically) that the young people are far more willing to break out of these restrictions than their parents.

The movie isn't all that exciting, but does provide an interesting slice-of-life perspective that makes it worth watching. I rated it as a 5/10.

Reality at its Best

[ladder2thestars · 4 December 2002]

This movie is sort of like the concept of the TV show Seinfeld-- it's about nothing. By this I don't mean that it lacks substance, in fact, it has plenty, but I mean rather that it does not involve an intense plot line. It's more like a series of snapshots taken out of one family's album, like a brief recording of one year in their lives. It's as if these people were real, simply going about their lives in their times, and we got to peek in on them, and it is acted in just that way. I think it's very true to director Barry Levinson's vision, a vision that is clear upon viewing his other films that he includes with Liberty Heights as his "Baltimore" films. These include Diner, Avalon, and Tin Men. Because this is not the typical problem arises-conflict ensues-climax is reached-conclusion is found film, Levinson shows us that these people's lives were a series of ups and downs, joys and losses, that summarize American middle-class youth in all ages in history. There connections between the different walks of life and the idea of growing up and discovering diversity around you is what makes this film universal and beautiful, all without handing you morals and themes on a silver platter. This film takes a wonderfully objective viewpoint that allows you to make meaning of it rather than spelling it out for you.

"A few big moments...and a lot of little ones."

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 16 January 2017]

Two brothers and their teenage friends come-of-age in a Jewish neighborhood of Baltimore, circa 1954. Glossy, friendly story of wry humor and heartache in turbulent times of change gets careful, loving treatment from writer-director Barry Levinson, who obviously has great affection for this time and place. Levinson examines the intricate, often touchy relationships between the two minority groups, the Jews and the blacks--apparently there were no gays in 1950s Baltimore--versus the wealthy white gentiles. It's all taken with abrasive sugar and spice (and lots of comically clueless talk of sex), yet some of these paths are familiar. There's the sensitive, handsome Jew who falls for the cool blonde society beauty (a deceptive package); his brother develops a crush on a black girl in his class, whose father forbids her to see him again; the Jewish patriarch, a burlesque club manager, runs a numbers racket with a black partner and gets arrested. Levinson's script is well-written, and his cast is likable, but these episodes are like reruns--right down to the nosy Jewish bubby and the white boys' first trip to an all-black rock and roll show. Amiable enough, and preferable in the end to Levinson's similar "Diner". **1/2 from ****

some good stories

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 21 May 2015]

It's 1954. Ben Kurtzman (Ben Foster) comes from the northwest section of Baltimore in a Jewish neighborhood. There is institutionalized anti-Semitism. He lives with his older brother Van (Adrien Brody), mother Ada (Bebe Neuwirth), father Nate (Joe Mantegna) and grandma. Integration is bringing in blacks and Ben falls for Sylvia as she introduces him to black culture. Van obsesses over blonde WASP princess Dubbie. Her complicated boyfriend Trey Tobelseted takes him under his wing to the confusion of his racist friend Ted. Nate runs the numbers and has a burlesque theater as his legitimate business. Small-time weed pusher Little Melvin (Orlando Jones) hits it big on the numbers.

Filmmaker Barry Levinson brings his Baltimore hometown onto the screen. I don't find Ben Foster's side of the story that compelling when it probably should be the A story. The more fascinating story is Adrien Brody and his obsession with Dubbie and her complicated relationship with Trey. Also Yussel is a funny character. There is some great music like James Brown in the movie and it's a terrific era for that. I wish the movie has more period rock music integrated into its tone.

Nicely understated drama

[moviesleuth2 · 7/10 · 9 May 2010]

It is rare these days to find a film that contains original characters and stories. "Liberty Heights," while not perfect, fills the void for at least 2 hours.

The film tells three interconnected stories involving the Kurtzman family: Nate (Joe Mantegna), Ada (a criminally underused Bebe Neuwirth), Van (Adrien Brody) and Ben (Ben Foster). Ben runs an illegal numbers racket from behind the scenes of his burlesque show. Van is trying to woo a rich girl (Carolyn Murphy). Ben is romancing an African-American student, Sylvia (Rebekah Johnson), to the horror of both their families (the film takes place in 1954-1955).

All the actors do terrific work. None of them are in their comfort zone, and there isn't a single "off" performance. Joe Mantegna is solid as Nate. He's a good guy and a family man, despite his unsavory activities. Adrien Brody is also good as Van. It's a very understated performance, but we still feel for the guy. Of special note is Ben Foster. Foster has been churning out outstanding performances left and right in varied types of roles, and this is another great performance. He is so real, and the voice he uses is so different from the one he usually has. He's also immensely likable, which is especially noteworthy coming from a guy who would later play creepy psychos in "Alpha Dog" (where I first noticed him) and "3:10 to Yuma"). Rebekah Johnson and Carolyn Murphy are solid as well as the pursued girls, and Orlando Jones is suitably loopy in an off-the-wall performance (Levinson keeps him, like the film, a little too muzzled, however). Justin Chambers is very good as the near-alcoholic rich kid, who isn't as bad as he seems.

This is clearly a personal film for director Barry Levinson. It's another film in his Baltimore saga, but it's the first one of those movies that I've seen. After this, I'm going to check them out, but not immediately. The film is a little too understated; films that go this route have an added level of verisimilitude, but a little of this goes a long way, and especially in Adrien Brody's case, it's a little too understated to be believable. Some of the cross-cutting montages don't quite work either, although that's nitpicking (the worst example of this is in the end credits, which cuts from jazz to pop and back again with rather startling ineptitude, but this is the point where you're supposed to be turning off the TV anyway).

I'd recommend the film, but only if you're really into this kind of a movie, especially since it's a little on the long side.

My rating: PG-13 for language and thematic material.

An Act of Love

[gbheron · 8/10 · 8 February 2003]

It is the autumn of 1954 in Baltimore, and the Brown vs the Board of Education ruling is quickly bringing down racial barriers in this heretofore segregated city. "Liberty Heights" is told from the perspective of an insular Jewish family, primarily the family's two high-school age brothers. Both are on journeys of self-discovery, the older brother with hostile WASP gentiles, the younger with African-Americans. Both fall for girls from opposing racial camps.

In "Liberty Heights", Levinson again lovingly recreates 1950s Baltimore. You can tell he knows the lay of the land; it's etched in his heart. Like his other three Baltimore movies "Liberty Heights" is a labor of love. Thankfully Levinson did not stop with his 'Baltimore Trilogy', this is the fourth outing. And I hope there is a fifth, sixth, seventh...

A somewhat flawed but enjoyable "coming of age" film in typical Levinson fashion.

[mrnews97 · 6/10 · 5 August 2001]

Having never heard of this film before, and finding it by accident on cable TV, it was immediately recognizable as a Barry Levinson work. The Baltimore setting, the diner scenes, the close-ups on car hood ornaments, and other touches serve as identification markers of its author. It is interesting to see Levinson put Baltimore in quite a different light than he did in the TV series "Homicide". "Liberty Heights" follows the predictable plot-line of many coming-of-age movies, where things happen and then people talk about them. I kept waiting for something really bad to happen, someone to be killed or dragged before the HUAC, but nothing terrible happens at all. But far from spoiling the film, it allows the viewer to concentrate on the characters' experience and the changing direction of their lives. This is a film about Baltimore's distinct ethnic groups in the 1950's, but there is no sharp edge to it. Rather, "Liberty Heights" shows hope for tolerance and the breakdown of sharp socio-economic boundaries. The message is not hammered home; it's just there for the grasping if you wish to see it this way. Otherwise, it's a pleasantly diverting soap opera with typically Levinsonian cinematography, editing, and use of music.

terrific movie, well written and acted

[drh242424 · 8/10 · 2 January 2000]

This is a fine little movie, the kind we expect from Barry Levinson. Continuing in the tradition of Diner and Avalon, he has brought us a detailed, warm slice of American life, and with that provided us something to think about today. All the characters are people we care about and want to know more about. It is a shame this movie is being overlooked in the holiday season, but if it is playing near you, go see it. Though not as good as Diner or Avalon, Liberty Heights is superior to most anything else you will find at the multiplex.

interesting slice of life

[kitt-3 · 7/10 · 14 December 1999]

The three stories it covers don't really connect to make a whole picture, but I enjoyed each of them individually, especially the stories of the two sons.

The eldest son's love triangle has a very real sadness and desperation to it, while the younger son's lighter story of being a Jewish boy in love with a black girl keeps the film bright. The father's story feels like a supporting story to the younger son's, rather than a story I'd want to watch on its own. The movie drags a bit here and there, but all in all, I came out very pleased.

Growing up in the '50's wasn't all that different

[thefolks · 9/10 · 13 January 2002]

This was a wonderful movie about coming of age. The characters in the movie were SO real, even though they were in high school in the '50s. Just shows how little people change in nature.

The movie followed three story lines very well: the older brother, the younger brother, and the father. They all had difficult-to-them things to deal with and each learned something valuable in the process, both about themselves and the world in which they lived.

Integrating the three story lines was done flawlessly. The movie was also very tastefully done -- a very wholesome movie in a world of trashy movies.

My latest stop on my tour through Adrien Brody Land was much better than I expected.

[FeverDog · 7/10 · 15 June 2003]

A coming-of-age period piece set in post-war America, seen through the eyes of a Jewish teenager? I thought it'd be merely a series of boring vignettes like BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS. Instead, LIBERTY HEIGHTS was interesting, intelligent and fairly original as these things go. The characters were compelling, the soundtrack wonderful (though the score was a little too schmaltzy), and the acting...

Well, the two actors with the most screen time were, in a word, excellent. It was obvious in 1999 that Adrien Brody was bound for stardom (this was first evident in SUMMER OF SAM, released earlier the same year). A terrific, subtle actor, the man oozes understated charm, and the camera loves that beautiful beak of his. (Note to self: Next on my Brody rent list is Soderbergh's KING OF THE HILL. Hope he's actually in the movie, so I won't be disappointed like I was with NEW YORK STORIES.)

But if I had to pick a lead actor among the ensemble cast of LIBERTY HEIGHTS, it would not be Brody. It'd be his onscreen brother Ben Foster (last seen in "Six Feet Under" as the most recent of Claire's boyfriends). This kid (sorry, anyone born in the 1980s is a kid to me) has got some seriously underused acting chops. When he wasn't onscreen I kept wanting the movie to get back to his story, and the wise script had only partly to do with that. Good thing he didn't take the Freddie Prinze route to his career; hopefully this means Foster will always be able to find roles in movies that matter.

While the guys' performances (including Joe Mantegna and even Orlando Jones) were terrific, the women's weren't quite as. Bebe Neuwirth, as the mother was adequate (though it seemed a little odd seeing her as Brody's mom, considering she's only fourteen years older than he and they both had half-nude scenes in SUMMER OF SAM). But the love interests of the brothers, despite being superficially attractive, lacked screen presence and the ability to deliver their lines with conviction. I wasn't surprised to learn from IMDb that one is primarily a singer, the other a model.

[Allow me to go off topic and note, for no reason, that several actors in LIBERTY HEIGHTS have appeared together in other movies:



Adrien Brody & Bebe Neuwirth: SUMMER OF SAM

David Krumholtz & Anthony Anderson: TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME

Kevin Sussman & Gideon Jacobs: WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER

Marty Lodge & Jan Austell: RANDOM HEARTS



What's up with that? These aren't even counting the presumably local Baltimore actors who have been cast in both John Waters and Barry Levinson movies. Does this happen often and I just don't notice it?]

And we're back. As in TIN MEN, Levinson indulges here his fetishistic love for the cars of the '50s (the final shot is of a gleaming white Cadillac in a dealership's showroom). The songs of the era - from James Brown to Frank Sinatra - are used as character development instead of just cheap nostalgia. The script is clear-eyed about what it wants to say about life back then, dealing with bigotry and the effects of a newly integrated society, and doesn't view the past through rose-colored glasses. It just tells it like it was, honestly and without judgment.

One theme of the movie I responded to was how we idealize the object of our affection. It's never nice to realize your Cinderella who looks like a demure Anna Nicole Smith sans vacuousness can turn out to be a boozy nymphet with low self-esteem (like, say, Anna Nicole Smith).

LIBERTY HEIGHTS does have its flaws. The editing could have been smoother (some scenes seem to end before they should), and there feels to be about ten minutes of deleted scenes that may have strengthened the characters' relationships (the only one on the DVD isn't one of them). And I didn't quite buy the details in one sequence concerning a financial transaction. But these imperfections are not major enough to ruin the movie.

7/10

Warm Nostalgia Bath for Baby Boomers

[noralee · 5/10 · 20 December 2005]

There's very little reason for anyone younger than a boomer to see "Liberty Heights" (except for those doing historical research on what it was like to grow up in the '50's). The audience coming in after me was all senior citizens.

The best part is how music is used to indicate different demographics (though not strictly accurate -- Tom Waits for burlesque? James Brown in 1954 -- shouldn't that have been Little Richard or Jackie Wilson?)

While I'm a bit younger than the time portrayed, I grew up near Newark and it seems to have some similarities with Baltimore. I had similar experiences first discovering R & B on the NYC's old WWRL other than, as one character puts it in the film "regular radio," and in general had similar experiences with ethnic and racial de facto segregation (it was my Irish Catholic neighbor from parochial school who introduced me to racy Redd Fox and Moms Mabley records in her basement).

Yes, I got carried away because the movie evokes nostalgia rather than cinematic reviews, because that's all it is --- a nostalgia bath.

More coming-of-age Jewish princes lusting after schicksas and we do not get the Jewish woman's view point AT ALL. Don't we get enough of that from Woody Allen movies? At least the Jewish Mom is less stereotypical, being Bebe Neuwirth, getting to play a non-Lilith (as in "Frasier") Jewish mother, so she's sexy. Like with "A Walk on the Moon" last year the Yiddishe grandma is very similar to mine, so more nostalgia.

It's well done for what it is.

(originally written 12/19/1999)