New on DVD: Explicit Ills

Explicit Ills. Written and directed by Mark Webber. Starring Rosario Dawson, Paul Dano, Lou Taylor Pucci, Tariq Trotter, Naomie Harris, Frankie Shaw, and Francisco Burgos.

EXPLICIT ILLS is actor turned helmer, Mark Webber’s directorial debut. The film follows four inter-connecting stories revolving around love, drugs and poverty in Philadelphia. Babo, an asthma ridden seven-year-old lives with his mother in the badlands of North Philly. His neighbor Demetri transforms himself into a well-read “smart” boy in order to get the girl. Michelle, a well-off art student is quick to fall into a drug induced love-affair with her dealer Jacob. Kaleef and Jill’s marriage is strained as they pursue their dreams of bringing “produce to the people” as their teenage son Heslin focuses on competing in the World’s Strongest Man competition. The lyrical and moving drama finds its core as all members come together in their fight for justice and self-discovery.

As a directorial debut, I imagine some criticisms in uneven reviews of the film are probably correct, but this still looks interesting. Comparisons to Crash and Babel seem more convenient than accurate, and I hope it doesn’t make the mistake of confusing prejudice with more complex issues of race and class–an error Crash (aka the worst movie of 2005) egregiously committed.

Watch the trailer: