Follows a teenage graffiti artist who ran away from home and holds up an unwary MTA worker in a robbery gone right that would change their lives forever.
Chuck says:
Though not overly original, Aristotle Torres’ “Story Ave’s” deft touch and genuine sincerity is so effective your emotional response to the material will likely trump any feelings you may have towards its familiarity. A showcase for veteran character actor Luiz Guzman, the film also serves as a calling card for Asante Blackk, the young actor making an impression as a lost teen searching for purpose and absolution.
The film opens with a somber gathering in a tiny Brooklyn apartment, as family and friends have gathered to mourn the death of Kadir’s (Blackk) brother. The circumstances of this event are not disclosed immediately, however the impact it has on the young man is profound. A natural artist, Kadir has fallen in with a gang that takes pride in invading their rivals’ turf and tagging it with their symbol. However, he has grander plans, painting intimate works on any bare wall he can find. His de facto mentor Skemes (Melvin Gregg) though sees him for vulnerable boy he is and starts to mold him so that he can do his dirty work.
As a test, he gives Kadir a gun, tells him to go out and rob someone and bring back proof he’s done so. Reluctant and nervous, the desperate teen holds up Luis (Guzman), a transit worker who, rather than being scared, recognizes this boy needs help. He convinces Kadir to come share a meal with him, after which he gives him some money to do as he wishes. A friendship is born that will have a profound effect on them both.
Blackk does a marvelous job expressing Kadis’ inner turmoil, caught between wanting acceptance from his peers and expressing himself through his art. The young actor has learned that less is often more when acting for the screen and he compliments Guzman to great effect, the veteran giving the sort of nuanced performance we’ve come to expect from him. At times, as much is conveyed between the two by what isn’t said as what is, a complement to their skill and the solid script.
Shot on the fly in New York City, cinematographer Eric Branco captures its neighborhoods in all their squalor, the urban decay underscoring the reasoning behind Kadir’s plight and his reasons for wanting to flee it. And while the film is predictable, it does contain a surprise or two in the third act that results in one of the most beautiful moments I’ve seen on screen this year. To be sure, “Story Ave” may seem familiar but thanks to Blackk and Guzman’s fine work as well as Torres’ honest approach, it proves to be an unexpected and moving surprise.
3 1/2 Stars
