Four working-class teenagers live in an Atlanta neighborhood where hip-hop music rules and the coolest place to hang out is the local rollerskating rink. They begin to plan their life after high school.
Warner Bros.' low-budget stab at capturing an urban niche audience is higher on stylistic dazzle than originality or coherence, making it an unlikely candidate to bust out of the box office ghetto.
A contradictory approach ultimately muddles the film despite some heartfelt and evocative moments about youngsters growing up on the streets of Atlanta.
ColeSmithey.com
April 20, 2009
Amateur camera work and conspicuous plotting reduce the film's regional sensibilities to sleep-inducing pap.
It's something akin to the earlier films of Spike Lee -- She's Gotta Have It and Crooklyn come to mind -- in that the characters are cherished for their human qualities, not for how well they swagger onto the screen.
For a run-of-the-mill hip-hop drama, ATL has some engaging hooks that set it apart from the predictable formula of urban youth struggling to steer clear of crime and pull themselves up to a better life.
A tip of the cap to Tip Harris and Lauren London for it is their chemistry and charm which allows one to believe in their tenderhearted romance in an atmosphere where women are regarded as objects and affectionately called 'bitches' and 'hos.'
