I saw this at the 2002 National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta. It's a beauty -- the quirky story line should appeal to all sorts of moviegoers, young and old, black and white, whatever. Writer-Director William Jennings' story will resonate with anyone who wants to believe we can overcome obstacles and achieve our dreams, even uncommon ones. That makes it sound saccharine, but bear in mind that Damon Wayans is in it! He helps make it a great blend of comedy, drama, and street "reality." Basically, the plot involves a young man in Harlem (Gabriel Casseus) who dreams of becoming an opera singer. He's developmentally disabled, a bit of a Forrest Gump, so misadventures ensue when he runs away from his domineering aunt. The characters are believable enough, the plot too, but nothing in the story line is easily predictable. That's part of this movie's enormous charm. It's hard to know what to compare this with -- Soul Food? Amelie? It's even harder to believe that the film hasn't yet found an American distribution deal. "Harlem Aria" is the best movie I've seen in a long time.
Review of Harlem Aria
