Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Depression drama has good intentions but doesn't deliver.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Kings of the Evening
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Freed from the chain gang at last, Homer Hobbs (Tyson Beckford) discovers that his mother has left town and the economy is in the dumps of the Great Depression. He finds a home in a rooming house run by Gracie (Lynn Whitfield), a woman struggling to soldier on in a life that's far removed from the glamour she once knew. His new neighbors include Clarence (Reginald T. Dorsey) -- a boozy, sad man who's desperate to matter, both to himself and to others -- and Lucy (Linara Washington), a woman who's saddled with an unfortunate history. They, like the men who converge at the town hall one night a week for a fashion contest, want to be kings of the evening, to find hope in the grimness of it all. But inner demons -- as well as real-life ones -- make it difficult to move on.
Is It Any Good?
KINGS OF THE EVENING has no real plot to stand on and no reason to pull an audience in. It misses the chance to be a masterful snapshot of the hard-luck life of African Americans during the Great Depression. Yes, there's the basic framework of a story -- a young man leaves jail only to find a world hobbled by economic despair that, in turn, shackles most everyone but the monied few -- but little exploration happens. Wooden acting from Beckford and overacting from some of the supporting characters (Whitfield excepted) only reinforce the weakness of the story arc. (Not that they can be blamed for being written one dimensionally ... )
Strangely, the film doesn't feel like a period piece, either, despite the requisite costumes, sets, and props. There's a certain sense of authenticity that Kings of the Evening simply doesn't have. The movie is clearly trying hard, but it just never comes together.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Great Depression. How do you think those hard times then compare to modern economic woes? How does the movie show people getting by -- and helping each other get by -- during the 1930s? Do you think people act the same way today?
One character defies a stern father figure, while another opts to give her life savings to appease a threatening loan shark. What do you think about the choices these characters (and others) make when faced with difficult situations?
How to TV shows and movies typically depict the Great Depression? Is this movie similar to or different from others you've seen set during this time?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 11, 2010
- On DVD or streaming : October 12, 2010
- Cast : Glynn Turman , Lynn Whitfield , Tyson Beckford
- Director : Andrew P. Jones
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Indican Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic elements, language throughout, some violence and smoking
- Last updated : July 31, 2022
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