 A FilmExposed Film Review |
 Dir: Bryan Barber, 2006, USA, 121 mins
Cast: André Benjamin, Antwan Patton, Ben Vereen
Idlewild stylistically fuses music and drama against the backdrop of a 1930s Southern speakeasy during Prohibition. The long-awaited collaboration between hip-hop duo OutKast – known for their genre-blending albums and quirky stylings – and long-time OutKast video director Bryan Barber follows the contrasting fortunes of Percival (Benjamin) and Rooster (Patton), childhood friends with very different sensibilities who share a love of music. Percival is the shy piano player at the ironically titled nightclub Church, which is ‘anything but’, while Rooster is the club’s manager and exhibitionist headliner, involved in a range of dubious activities. Motley collections of characters frequent the Church, making money from the club’s illegal dealings.
Idlewild’s plot is secondary to the striking musical and visual elements which comprise many stunning large set pieces. Hundreds of extras were used for the extravagant club scenes, where musicians, dancers, showgirls, fire-eaters and divas all vie for a spot in the limelight. Old photographs greatly influenced Barber’s vision, and these are re-worked imaginatively with a surreal twist: elements of a still image grow larger, appearing to expand before your eyes; doodled characters on Percival’s music sheets come to life and jump off the page; and an animated hip flask speaks to Rooster, encouraging his drinking habit. Idlewild is very much a homage to the classics, and Barber drew particular inspiration from Vincente Minnelli’s Cabin in the Sky (1943). Percival’s final performance takes place on a Busby Berkeley-influenced set. It was an oversight, however, to relegate this impressive scene to the end credits.
Patton delivers a solid performance as Rooster though the role is, arguably, not that demanding. Unfortunately, Benjamin’s performance was disappointing, and his emotional range quite limited. In comparison, his love interest, sultry songstress Angel Davenport (newcomer Paula Patton), is much more believable. And there are starry cameos from big names in the music industry with Patti Labelle and Macy Gray turning out great performances. However, the main difficulty with Idlewild is that it lacks a clear focus with the plot and numerous subplots overlapping in a chaotic, uneven way. Romantic scenes alternate suddenly with scenes of mob violence, and some of the characters shown earlier on, disappear altogether. Another glaring omission from the film is that the OutKast duo share very little screen time.
However, these flaws should not detract from the film’s strengths. With the combination of contemporary hip-hop, classic blues and swing, and OutKast’s highly original music video style, (highlighted best by the videos for Hey Ya and Speakerboxx/The Love Below), it won’t disappoint. Idlewild may be a triumph of style over content, but viewers who are open to the fantastical nature of the film will be carried away by its sheer vibrancy and entertainment value. |
