Movie Reviews - Black and Blue

Movie Reviews this week looks at the beautiful drama Black and Blue.

It tells the story of Amber, a teen having troubles at home with her mother, a meth addict, and her mother's boyfriend a violent drunk. We meet Amber at a music class, where she seem oblivious to the class, amidst the troubles she is having at home.

Soon afterwards she finds her mother unconscious from taking meth, and while her mother is recuperating in hospital, she is sent to stay with one of her relatives, but not before her teacher says goodbye to her with the gift of a lovely 1930's classic guitar. It turns out the life her relative leads is no different from the life Amber was having with her mother, and in the middle of the night she takes her sole belonging, the 1930's guitar and runs away.

Living on the streets Amber faces some of the dangers prevalent for anyone just made homeless, from the homeless people adamant she doesn't take any of their sleeping spaces, to the dangers often faced by single teens on the streets, fortunately for her she is protected from a terrible attack from some homeless vagrants, by a couple of street musicians she saw early on in the day, one of them notices her guitar and asks her if she can play, she says she can't and walks away. As fate would have it she soon befriends the street singers that helped her and their lead singer, namely Ryan played by Dennis Denicola, Teresa the lead singer of the group, played by another beautiful singer Carolina Hoyos, and Marco, played by Daniel Galo, Teresa notices the guitar she is carrying and asks her to play, she mentions she doesn't really know how to play it, but Teresa insists that this is the condition if she wants to hang around with them; she must play, and as if on cue, she plays a beautiful melody and sings too, to the amazement of all, and no doubt the audience too. Amber is played by the gorgeous and very talented Christine Evans (she has one of those dreamy voices, that is reminiscent of Alanis Morisette).

Amber befriends a local blues singer Billy, played magnificently by Zach Harmon, who she first meets wanting to sell the 1930's classic guitar to him to raise some money, Billy asks why on earth anybody would want to sell such a beautiful instrument, he fixes the loose strings on the guitar and plays a lovely song, and soon afterwards Amber asks him to teach her, which he is only too happy to do, it turns out Amber is looking for that father figure she has missed all her life, and Billy sees her as someone who needs guidance, which he is very happy to give.

Black and Blue is a beautiful tale of hope when all seems lost, both for Amber and her newly found companions. The songs and guitar melodies in Black and Blue are what makes this movie enchanting, and Christine Evans is a very talented singer and guitarist.

Movie Reviews is constantly updated with good reviews of great movies that are a must see.

The street musicians, from left Teresa (Carolina Hoyos), Amber (Christine Evans), Ryan (Dennis Denicola) and Marco (Daniel Galo)

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Movie reviews The soloist

This is a well acted melancholy, and gripping biographical tale of the relationship between an investigational journalist and a down and out tramp.

It stars oscar winner Jamie Foxx(Dreamgirls) as Nathaniel Ayers a former student at the prestigious Juilliard school of the arts, but now out on his luck living on the streets which he has chosen to do (apparently Jamie Foxx took a chisel to his perfectly immaculate set of white teeth, to give an authentic look for the tramp, he said he looked at himself in the mirror rehearsing for the role, and said a tramp wouldn't have such a perfect set of teeth. You have to admire the dedication), and Robert Downey Jr.(Iron man, Tropical Thunder) as journalist Steve Lopez.

We first meet Nathaniel as Steve Lopez is feeling a little sorry for himself, his arm in a cast after a previous accident, and simply looking to while the time, he is enchanted, as no doubt the audience by the seemingly well-disposed Nathaniel who sees the beauty even in the busy sidewalk where he plays his battered down violin with a few strings missing. Steve Lopez as many an investigate reporter checks out his story, and indeed confirms he was at the prestigious Julliard school of the arts.

In his attempts to aide Nathaniel settle into a life of normalcy and indeed start playing again in front of a respectable audience, you soon realise Nathaniel is certainly not balanced, and this is where the great acting permeates through, because you are never quite sure where Nathaniel well being is, one minute he is calm relaxed, and sociable, leaving you wonder how he could have got to such debts in the first place, and the next moment, you realise he is not well at all.

There is family for Nathaniel as Steve investigates(and no doubt the audience also wonders about) in the form of his sister Jennifer, played by the lovely Lisa Gay Hamilton(The sum of all fears), but it never deviates from the main thrust of the movie, the relationship between the unstable Nathaniel and the attempts to save him by his new friend Steve Lopez, and you are left on the edge of your seat hoping for the best but not being too optimistic.


Strangely dressed Nathaniel Ayers(jamie Foxx) and Steve Lopez(Robert Downey Jr.) in the midst of a conversation

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