These days, hip-hop music seems to be
everywhere, especially on busy city streets, blasting out of cars with
the base turned on so high that the surrounding souls could be beaten
down into concrete mush. Those who love hip-hop are largely oblivious to
the terror they impose on those who don’t. Those who hate it,… Well,
they just don’t ‘dig’ it, probably because they can’t get past
that deafening base to get a better perspective. Dave Gebroe’s debut
film the Homeboy comes just in time to fill the gap.
Lightheartedly, the Homeboy peels away the protective
layers of glamour surrounding one hip-hop artist and exposes the
soft-underbelly of absurdity and shallowness while weaving a coming of
age story.
The hero of the tale, MC² (Dave McCrea),
is a white hip-hop artist about to release another record. A major part
of his publicity campaign is an interview with Tallulah Jones (Julie
Brown). Unfortunately, MC² offends Tallulah by using the ‘n’ word
when referring to his producer. It makes no difference that MC² used
the affectionate version of the word (ending on ‘a’). As if that
weren’t enough trouble, MC²’s custom made sink is constantly
breaking down. Wendell, the kind and accommodating sink repairman raps
while he works, and MC² identifies him as the legendary white rapper
Hoolie Hooligan. Hooligan’s music inspired MC² to become a hip-hop
artist in the first place, and the young man wants to join forces with
his idol. As soon as Wendell takes back his stage persona, he in fact
becomes a hooligan thus further complicating MC²’s difficulties.
Although the movie takes a while to find
its rhythm, and our ear takes a while to adjust to the slurred hip-hop
lingo, as soon as the ‘n’ word issue is raised, Homeboy launches
into a hilarious exploration of human nature within the context of fame
and image of the hip-hop world. MC² is really a decent kid, but he gets
a little confused under pressure of his career. With Dave McCrea’s
vacant expression performance, it’s odd enough that MC² has become
famous playing black man’s music. He takes his place for granted,
though, just as he takes for granted using the ‘n’ word (with an ‘a’).
In many ways, MC² is an innocent, getting his feet wet in the complex
world of professional and racial stereotypes. He will learn his next
lesson when he falls madly in love at first sight with a Chinese
waitress and goes to the home of her bewildered, non-English speaking
parents to propose marriage while suffering from major indigestion after
eating Chinese food.
When it comes to navigating the issues
that suddenly overwhelm MC², laughter, as they say, is the best
medicine and the best approach to illuminating controversial themes.
Dave Gebroe’s film asks bold questions about race, friendship, and
love, and then makes us laugh at the irreconcilable absurdity of the
answers. Ultimately, MC² must see the peril in fashioning his life
after Hoolie Hooligan and getting caught in the trap of fame and wealth
without knowing who he really is.
At times, the plot of Homeboy
seems to meander in search of funny situations, some of which cross over
into exaggeration, but laugh we do just as much as we recognize that Homeboy
is only the first feature film of a talented young director.
