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10 / 10

Little Known Gem
Just caught this title browsing on Amazon and Netflix and watched it on DVD today. I was a little skeptical at first, as it looked a bit amateurish and corny, but boy! was I in for a surprise, in fact many surprises. The film centers on a 13 year old boy whose father is a Marine, whose mother is a recovering addict, and who dreams of being a singer, mostly in Hip-Hop style songs, which he sings with his dad. When his father is redeployed, it upsets the family dynamics, both emotionally and financially. The boy, played by Uriah Shelton, who by the way is extremely talented, seeks refuge from bullies at his local Baptist Church, in a rural Alabama town where much of the film takes place. The kind Pastor shows him a flier about an upcoming teen musical contest in Birmingham, and “Henry Matthews”, (the boys name) wants to enter, going off on his own.

The majority of the middle is a lot like a rural version of American Idol or “X” Factor. The writer-director, Lexi Alexander, lets the participants actually perform large portions of their acts, and two of the judges are played by some well known personalities in real life. Just when the film looks like a cliché of contest films, unexpected twists and turns unfold. Be ready for some tear-jerking scenes, for only those with contempt for anything sentimental will be hard pressed to remain dry-eyed. You have to stay till the wonderful end to know what this film is really about.

This film needs to be seen, and given the $2,000,000 budget, it’s amazing what can be accomplished by committed and talented people for a good cause.Read More