Set in the impoverished housing projects of Saint Denis, Pascal Tessaud's Brooklyn tells the story of Coraline, a young and talented street rapper who goes by the name Brooklyn. Attempting to find success in the hip hop culture of Paris, Coraline begins attending slam poetry events, where she meets Issa, another young and hungry rapper, with the two of them sharing a mutual attraction. Under the guidance of Yavid, a social worker who operates a small studio, Coraline begins to see her star rise in the community, much to the chagrin of Issa. Pascal Tessaud's Brooklyn is a poignant and powerful voyage into the world of hip hop culture, dissecting the social constructs of this music through Coraline and Issa. The film beautifully captures the poetic nature of which true hip hop is based, as Coraline uses her music as a from of expression, a way to express her angst against a society that has left her behind. Issa on the other hand represents the more vapid side of hip hop culture, a vapid celebration of the impoverished lifestyle where masculinity and money are celebrated. Through these two characters the film reminds viewers that their is an internal battle in hip hop itself between social relevance and vapid entertainment. These two characters are both desperate to escape their surroundings with Issa in particular viewing rap music as an escape from his reality. While I did find the film's narrative a little predictable, Brooklyn works so well because of it's strong central characterizatiion. Subtlety and well-paced, Brooklyn slowly dissects its central character, revealing a woman whose never had a home or felt love in any form whether through intimacy or friendship. Brookyln argues that Issa's desire to escape is selfish in intent, while Coraline finds a home in this sub culture in the end, supporting it and making sure others have the same opportunity to express themselves. Featuring lively rap performances and a strong sense of thematic storytelling, Brookyln is an impressive first feature by a unique voice in filmmaker Pascal Tessaud.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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