Black and white processing

>> James Toback's Black and White examines racial dynamics in NYC

By SCOTT C

After sitting through a heated debate following the screening of this film, I think I should first point out that Black and White is not a hip hop movie. I have a feeling that it might get pigeonholed because of appearances by half of the Wu-Tang Clan, and the soundtrack of course, but I beg to differ. Writer/director James Toback has paddled into some familiar territory, exploring several different relationships between black and white people, but the difference here is that he addresses the white upper-middle class fascination with black culture as the focus for the film.

"It's the overall cultural mixing of youth today," Toback explains in the movie's press kit, "where all these boundaries--racial, sexual and social--are being erased." The movie opens with two white girls (Bijou Phillips and Kim Matulova) showing their love for rap mogul Rich Bower (Power) in the middle of Central Park, while his buddy watches.

From there, we're thrown into a series of disjointed scenes that look and sound as if they were half-improvised, in an effort to capture some sort of stark realism, I'm sure. A tip of the hat to whoever cast Mike Tyson, who made me laugh and creeped me out at the same time. Claudia Schiffer is of absolutely no use at all and should stick to modelling, while Brooke Shields and Robert Downey Jr. crank out their usual level of acting prowess.

It's all here, though: sex, love, money, betrayal, loyalty and, of course, hip hop. That means there's also thuggin', high-postin', frontin', politicin' and the like. Black and White is not going to win any awards for originality or outstanding performances, but it does question the grounds for the changing social and cultural climate that's probably been going on in the Big Apple for a long while now. The large ensemble cast of rappers, musicians, athletes and personalities isn't gonna hurt this movie either.

Black and White is now playing