With this instalment of his Chronicles of Brooklyn series, Spike Lee used a more guerilla filmmaking approach, locations being shot on a lot of the time without others knowing, which leaves his child actors high and dry, not getting enough direction. Apparently he did scout for them from local drama classes, but from the end result, more time was definitely needed to get them up to chops with the adult cast, who is also much more interesting than the child stars. The usual Lee flair falls flat due to how fragmented everything feels, as if it cannot decide what characters and relationships should be the main focus. It's a shame, because the themes that are being explored are interesting, especially when put up against one another. Gentrification, technology, modernization, liberty, etc. They all slot in nicely with one another but are not given the grace and style I typically expect from a Spike Lee joint
With this instalment of his Chronicles of Brooklyn series, Spike Lee used a more guerilla filmmaking approach, locations being shot on a lot of the time without others knowing, which leaves his child actors high and dry, not getting enough direction. Apparently he did scout for them from local drama classes, but from the end result, more time was definitely needed to get them up to chops with the adult cast, who is also much more interesting than the child stars. The usual Lee flair falls flat due to how fragmented everything feels, as if it cannot decide what characters and relationships should be the main focus. It's a shame, because the themes that are being explored are interesting, especially when put up against one another. Gentrification, technology, modernization, liberty, etc. They all slot in nicely with one another but are not given the grace and style I typically expect from a Spike Lee joint
