Review of Jamesy Boy (2014) by Harry S — 18 Mar 2014

This crime drama directed by Trevor White and written by White and Lane Shadgett stars very fresh and invigorating young star Spencer Lofranco in the main role. The film relates the true story of James Burns which manages to attract the stars like Mary-Louise Parker (as a desperate single mom), James Woods (as a hard-nosed warden) and Ving Rhames (as a convicted murderer/mentor) in supporting roles. Good acting is something to be remembered in this movie, the rest was, pretty much, average. First-time feature writer-director Trevor White has shaped the rise, fall and redemption of teenage street thug into parallel storylines, crosscutting between the three years leading up to his incarceration and the few months he spends in maximum-security prison (after four years in juvenile). His way of directing wasn't bad at all, but some of the decision to narrate more than to show, were poorly made.

Screenplay dialogue is one of the weak points, and the story itself is a formulaic tale of redemption which would not bore you... or excite you either. But the acting was on a different level! Mary-Louise Parker was almost ready to give up acting, but decided to stick with it ... and the role in the Jamesy Boy could earn her award, I think.

Cinematography was standardly good, music was outstanding in parts of the movie, as well as the camera work.

If you have some time to "kill", try with this one. Not as bad as the critics want you to believe.