Review of Liberty Heights (1999) by Tristan F — 09 Dec 2007

Barry Levinson returns to his hometown of Baltimore, which served him so well with films like Diner and Tin Men. He sets his story in 1954 and focuses on a Jewish family as desegration occurs at the local high school.

Of course, it's all about crossing religious and ethnic borders in the small world of the suburbs, but it is handled with charm and grace. This is greatly enhanced by Christopher Doyle's impressionistic cinematography and the performances from the cast, which include Ben Foster, Adrien Brody and my favourite David Krumholtz in a supporting role.

There are also some surprising burlesque scenes backed by some Tom Waits tunes. A very understated and immersive filmic reminscence.