Parents' Guide to Canal Street

This drama seems well-intentioned, avoiding ugly incidents and language as it does, but it's too muddled to effectively make whatever its point may be. There are too many logic gaps in Canal Street to let slide. Perhaps the police are dirty and intentionally not investigating (did they really not canvas the neighborhood after this high-profile shooting?). But despite considerable resources, there are no forensic experts present, no weapon found, no explanation of the boy's conduct that would seem contrary to a murderer's. And viewers aren't given crucial details of the incident until the inevitable "big reveal" moment. Why is that moment "inevitable"? Because, despite clearly biased police work and extremely unrealistic courtroom dirty tricks, Jackie asserts during cross-examination that if Kholi is "a God-loving man," he'll be cleared.

Any hope for suspense -- or at least sustained tension -- is swamped by the constant buzz of talk-radio segments. As actual radio personalities debate back and forth without a shred of proof, no real reporting is shown. It's all noise. The intrusions of music and proselytizing further hamstring any dramatic momentum. That said, a few notable moments by the likes of Beach and the film's overall goodwill save it from being impossible to watch.