Based on the acclaimed autobiographical one-man show by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, this tuneful is an inspirational coming-of-age drama that concerns a mother and son’s love that transcends biological ties.  It is the story of Rachel “Nanny” Crosby (S. Epatha Merkerson), a woman who built a community and circumvented segregation in her own determined way.  Like a good blues song, the film strikes notes that are painful but beautiful, ones that remain alive to both the heartbreaks and joys of life.

CRITIQUE

“It’s not TV,” they’re so fond of saying, “it’s HBO.”  Normally I would agree, but in the case of Lackawanna Blues, TV is exactly what we get.  The worst thing about this film is that there really is not much that can be said about it.  This is exactly what we would expect from most television.  The acting is solid, and the story is somewhat interesting, but the whole thing is so familiar, so saccharine; there is no edge to any of it.

The film is based on the one-man play by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and perhaps it worked better that way, with Santiago-Hudson playing all the roles.  That is at least an interesting conceit that can be dazzling to watch when done well.  As we have it here, Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow, Four Brothers, etc.) and Jeffery Wright (Basquiat, The Manchurian Candidate, etc.) are predictably good, and young Franklin is solid in the role of Ruben.  The whole cast is compelling, each bringing this diverse group of characters to life.  The center of the film is, of course, Merkerson, as the strong woman who brings everyone together.  She is a dynamite cook one minute, a hostess the next, a midwife when the situation demands it.  She does it all, and Merkerson brings strength and wisdom to the role.  She actually makes the role seem bigger than it is.  In Merkerson’s hands, Nanny is an indomitable woman, but the role itself is something of a cliche.

Wolfe, who won a Tony for directing theater, throws a few flashes of style into the mix, in some scenes more than others.  His direction is inconsistent that way, as though he could not decide if he wanted to be straightforward about shooting the film or if he wanted to show some virtuosity.  When he is on, the results are quite good, as in the club scene with Mos Def.

There are some real peculiarities to this film, particularly the ending.  Ruben, now an adult, goes home to visit Nanny when she is in the hospital.  He takes her home, and there is a reunion of sorts.  While everyone is partying, Ruben goes outside and looks around the old neighborhood.  His childhood stomping grounds have been reduced literally to ruble, old buildings reduced to piles, homeless men wandering the streets, decay on every corner.  The message, oddly, seems to be that things were better and people were happier during the segregation of the 1950s.  Wolfe chose a strange, somber note on which to end the film.

Lackawanna Blues is a case of the whole being smaller than the sum of the parts.  The individual elements work, but they do not add up to anything.  At the core is a coming-of-age story that we have seen many times over: boy is unwanted by parents and is taken in by a motley group of people whose life experience give him a unique education.  Excuse me, I need to yawn...

While not particularly bad, Lackawanna Blues is also not exceptional.  In this mess of trivialities there are few memorable moments.

THE VIDEO

Lackawanna Blues is presented in the original 1.85:1 shooting ratio.  The film’s vibrant colors are expertly rendered, as all levels come through sharply.  The picture is crisp and free of scratching and defects.

THE AUDIO

This DVD offers tracks in Dolby Digital 2.0 and Dolby Digital 5.1, as well as French and Spanish tracks, both in Dolby 2.0.  The audio quality is superb, with all channels coming through with great clarity.  Music is important to this film, and the soundtrack is done a great justice by this presentation.

THE EXTRAS

Audio Commentary With Director George C. Wolfe and Ruben Santiago-Hudson: Writer and director talk about the transition from stage to screen, the stories, and how the film relates to the actual people in Santiago-Hudson’s life.

Deleted Scene: A cut scene featuring Louis Gossett Jr., S. Epatha Merkerson and Marcus Carl Franklin.  (2:50)

Lackawanna Blues Featurette: This plays like a trailer, but the focus seems to be more on selling the film than giving insight.  This is basically a long commercial.  (3:40)

The featurette is worthless, but the deleted scene is interesting, and the commentary provides its share of interesting insights.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Lackawanna Blues is banality at its best.  The acting is the best thing about this film, particularly Howard and Wright, but the overall film is too familiar to be interesting.  The bonus material is of minor interest, the commentary being the best thing there.