devron1 Reviews

A Piece of the Action (1977)

Inspiring, funny, and much more than a typical 70s film with a Black cast....

[8/10 · 8 March 2009]

When I read notlobg68's review of this film, I couldn't help but provide a contrasting perspective. I first saw this film when I was a child of about four in the 70s. I remember feeding off of the energy that was in the audience as people of color watched themselves on-screen in a way that was more uplifting than other films with a principal cast consisting largely of people of color. I decided to watch the Poitier/Cosby duo films in succession again to see if they stood up to the test of time.

First, to judge this film against the other two is unfair. While "Uptown Saturday Night" and "Let's Do It Again" are comedic 'let's chase the stolen money' films (and successful in their own right in providing an entertaining experience), "A Piece of the Action" goes for something a bit deeper.

The real theme of this movie centers around 'bridging the generational gap' (and if this part doesn't work for you, then you don't enjoy the film.) There's an incredible exchange between Barbara (a young Sheryl Lee Ralph) and her teacher Ms. Thomas (Hope Clarke). After being singled out in class, Barbara let's her repressed feelings of anger fly. In a scene that hints at a conflict that is just as relevant today, Barbara somewhat accurately (albeit disrespectfully) expresses the frustration that she and other lower income people of color felt towards their more financially stable contemporaries.

The romance between Bill Cosby and an incredibly beautiful Denise Nicholas is wonderful. Seeing people of color court each other in a way that was as tasteful as these scenes are was a rarity on-screen in the 1970s.

On the weak side is the somewhat unbelievable 'mob presence' plot in the film. While these themes are done better in the other Cosby/Poitier films, their presence helped pace the film and injected a bit of action and suspense.

This film was released more than thirty years ago and it held my attention in a way that the first two films didn't. Yes, the first two may have contained more action, but the real plot of this film centers around the effort to prepare these disenfranchised children for a gainful working experience. I am not ashamed to say that I was close to tears during the end scene between Ralph and Clarke. Watching that scene and seeing the transformation that an angry and seemingly hopeless child goes through after receiving just a bit of encouragement makes you believe for a moment that almost any child can be reached if you put in the effort.

If you want chase scenes, crazy suits, and more laughs, the first two films will entertain you thoroughly. However, if you want to trade in that action for a more engaging and challenging plot, this is your film. Sidney Poitier holds up a mirror to society in 1977 regarding young people of color and some of the issues that they faced. All three films are entertaining, but I have to say that this film shows Poitier's growth and ends their buddy films in an incredibly satisfying way.

Silkwood (1983)

Considering the time period, a pretty good film.

[8/10 · 23 October 2003]

I took the time to register with IMDB just to present a more accurate review of this movie than the person that wrote that the movie was a joke. While not one of the best movies of its type, it's still pretty well done. The story moves along well....clues are dropped throughout the movie to show the possible conspiracy at work. I would consider "The Insider" as one of the better movies of this type that was made in recent years, and even that movie shows traces of having evolved from movies like Silkwood.

I find most movies of this type that were done in the 80s as generally pretty cheesy. Silkwood does a pretty good job of "not being too cheesy". And if there is any trace of "cheesiness" (if you will), it's represented in the way that the townspeople react to Karen Silkwood. And the reactions worked for me, because when I think of how seriously people reacted to issues like nuclear or toxic contamination back in the late 70s/early 80s, there was a lot less info available. Nowadays in the "Oprah" and "11 o'clock news warnings" generation, where there's something new that we should be cautious of everyday, these types of stories are much more believable.

Meryl Streep (as expected) far outshines the rest of the cast. Kurt Russell turns out a pretty nice performance. Cher's performance was ok. I think at the time she probably received a lot more recognition for this role because it began to show her range. But she's been better in subsequent roles.

All in all, Silkwood is a movie that doesn't suprise or open the eyes of all the conspiracy- conscious people that are alive in 2003, but it does provide a touching story about a town that was dealing with the prospect of having to choose between the risk of toxic infection and their livelihood. But the real story here is about the one woman that cared enough to dig a little and ask a few questions and the danger that developed from taking a stand. 8 out of 10.