(rated ,100 mins.) Limited release
Following on the footsteps of James Toback’s luke warm “Two Girls and A Guy” and then “The Pick Up Artist”, I’ve kept fingers crossed for a movie that would someday stand-up to his hit screenplay “Bugsy”. “Black and White” is its first challenge.
A semi improv flick on hip hop and “gangstas”, Toback fills the screen with models, rappers, and celebrities many of which play off their real life selves. Brooke Shields does a fine job as the documentary filmmaker to her husband Robert Downey Jr. The audience roars when Toback makes reference to Downey Jr. being unable to attend his own premiere because “some sick and twisted Judge gets his ollies out of locking him up every time he gets high.” Even Oli “Power” Grant from the Wu-Tang clan, has a strong presence over the almost awkward Ben Stiller and his grad school gal pal, Claudia Schiffer. There’s great irony in Mike Tyson playing himself as he rounds out a cast of offbeat characters.
First saw this at the Toronto Film Festival and liked it then. Glad it made a leap to wide screen release.