THE INKWELL (1994)

Directed By: Matty Rich Written By: Trey Ellis & Paris Qualles Cinematography By: John L. Demps Jr. Editor: Quinnie Martin Jr. CAST: Larenz Tate, Joe Morton, Duane Martin, Jada Pinkett, Suzzanne Douglas, Glynn Turman, A. J. Johnson, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Morris Chesnut, Mary Alice, Reggie McFadden Now we are going back. this film came out when i was in high school. At the time i was already a big LArenz tate fan so i desperately wanted to see this film. Whcih i didn't get to see in the theater and waited for home video. Looking back i am glad i waited. The story is about a millitant father who doesn't get along well with his son. Whohas been diagnosed with emotional problems. He decides to take his family on vacation to his sister in law's home in martha's vineyard. His siter in law is also staying there with her finace.They are upper class. Which instantly enrages the blue collar father. His son falls for the local teenage beauty. He tries to learn to talk to girls through his cousin and his motley crew of friends. Which always sseems to backfire he also is going to therapy. This film had a lot of potential but it is quickly squandered. As the movie continues to play it tries to have a macho face on it's sentimentality. The film ends up being all over the place as far as mood and tone. 

everything about this film feels misdirected as the lead feels too juvenile and too strange to be endearing and truly believable without having a serious mental condition.

As everything feels slightly off

Jada pinkett’s character acts like a little girl one minute then wants us to believe her as a ravenous seductress the next. As the popular neighborhood beauty.

A few articles inform what went on behind the scenes between directed and screenwriter. Who has difference of opinions without the studio stepping in. Where the director wanted a more tougher revolutionary film. The screenwriter wanted a softer more endearing tale and you can tell by watching the film as it seeks to go into different directions zany comedy one second serious family drama the next. Though as the film plays between two ideologies of male characters the more militant city father and the bougie cousin and her beau.

Even the films promotion that looked more like a comedic look back at the 1970’s instead you get more an African American ensemble family comedy drama.

Which at the heart of the film the class struggle seemed to be what was the problem behind the scenes and spiked out into a film that is messy and never clearly defined except that it is a coming of age story

The sentimental scenes are good until they become overly sappy. Parts of the film you can see coming a mile away as you just sit and wait for it to finally happen. One minute the film is a comedy. then it jumps to a drama about class. then it's a screwball teen comedy. then it becomes nostalgic, then it's a coming of age tale. I do have to praise the film though on one point. It is the rare film that shows a older black female. Not only as a beautiful and desirable, But also as a character worthy of lust. Usually you have to wait for a film based on book or script that is written by a African American female, or based on a book popular with that demographic. It seems tobe a undersold and underused audience. The film tries to be a poignant story that would be a amazing book of black internal societal conflict of the 70's. Which was actually what went on behind the scenes during the making of this film ans spills out onto the screen. The film is a nice attempt. It was mis-marketed as even the studio behing it didn't know how to label it. Though they went with a throwback comedy. It is actually a more heartfelt tale. The writer Trey Ellis had his name changed as the screenwriter because many of the elements he brought to the story were changed or completely dropped because the director felt they weren't black enough. The father originally was a psychiatrist, but director Matty Rich didn't feel that was black enough. So he was changes to a garbage man. Which took out the irony of a psychiatrist who can't communicate with his own son. Also In the film the boy talks to a doll as his only friend originally it was dog. This is a film that has so much potential butit didn't live up to it's own. GRADE: D+