Roxanne Roxanne

Streaming: Netflix (with Subscription)
Warnings:
Domestic Abuse
Violence
Drugs
Sexual Abuse
Sex
Rating: TV-MA

Roxanne Roxanne is a coming-of-age drama based in the late 80s/early 1990s following the fiercest battle MC in Queens, New York. Roxanne Shanté at the age of 14 was well on her way to become a hip-hop legend. She hustled and did what she had to do to provide for her family while experiencing trauma that no teenage girl should ever face. Roxanne Roxanne is a necessary film portraying the hardships women face when entering a world that is predominantly male centric. Written and directed by Michael Larnell and co-produced by Forest Whitaker and Pharrell Williams, the film has a lot of big names attached to it. Starring Chanté Adams, Mahershala Ali, Nia Long, Elvis Nolasco, Kevin Phillips and Shenell Edmonds. Roxanne Roxanne was screened in the U.S. Dramatic Competition Section of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Roxanne Roxanne received overall positive reviews for the biopic however, according to Nick Allen from Roger Ebert something was incomplete about the film. Personally, the film doesn’t feel incomplete and the 2-star rating that Nick Allen gave to the film seems unreasonable. From the acting, the editing and the music the film takes the audience on a journey that is heartbreaking and astonishing.

            Chanté Adams plays Roxanne Shanté, at the time she was only 22 years old however she plays Roxanne Shanté from the age of 14-16 years old in the film. An interesting fact is that Chanté Adams is actually named after Roxanne Shanté. Originally Adams is from Michigan, she began studying acting in high school and she received her bachelor’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University’s Drama school. Shortly after she graduated, she moved to New York to pursue an acting career. Only one month after she moved to New York she auditioned for the lead role in the biopic, she was cast as Roxanne Shanté and production began filming 8 days later. She received the Special Jury Prize for Breakthrough Performance at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. She does a wonderful job portraying an individual who was popular before her time, she perfectly captures the mannerisms and nuances of Roxanne Shanté. Mahershala Ali is the antagonist in Roxanne Roxanne and it is a reminder that he does just as well as the “bad guy” as he does playing the “good guy.” Both of these performances carries the film.

            The music in the film was produced by RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan and it shows. The music is perfectly chosen for each scene and it highlights the talent that Roxanne Shanté had at such a young age. The music included in the film shines light on how different hip hop was back then yet how battle rapping hasn’t changed. Parts of the film also showcase how Roxanne Shanté used beatboxing to support her rhymes. Roxanne Roxanne features different hip hop artists that she was creatively involved with during her career which is interesting to see when considering her influential background in hip hop. The music paid homage to Roxanne Shanté in a way that wouldn’t have been captured if RZA wasn’t involved in the process.

            Finally, the editing is something that stands out in Roxanne Roxanne. The transitions in particular were well executed and shocks the audience from one scene to the next. Editor Claudia Castello known for Creed, Black Panther, and Fruitvale Station, does a wonderful job capturing the emotion in the scene while also emphasizing it through transitions. There is one part in particular when Roxanne Shanté is rapping, and the scene transitioned in the middle of her rap. This was unexpected but also clever and highlights how long Roxanne Shanté had been working on her rhymes. Roxanne Roxanne is a heartbreaking film especially when considering Roxanne Shanté’s transition to womanhood and this dramatic growth would not have been the same if this film was edited by a man. This is to say that a woman’s perspective significantly helped in telling this story properly while allowing Roxanne Shanté’s experiences to speak for themselves.

Even though this film received mixed reviews from critics, it is certainly a hidden gem. Roxanne Roxanne highlights a lot of the issues that come with entering a male dominant world, especially when you’re a young girl. It also explores how much damage one man can do to a woman’s life whether you’re a grown woman or not. This film is important in more ways than one because of the content as well as showcasing the influential female rappers at the time. Roxanne Roxanne is a tragic story, but it is well executed, and I highly recommend it when you are looking for a film about a powerful young woman.