A Raisin in the Sun (2008)

I thoroughly enjoyed this film version of "A Raisin in the Sun." The play is an important work of American literature and this adaptation brings it to life with emotional, engaging performances. The strongest portrayals come from Phylicia Rashad (Mama) and Audra McDonald (Ruth). This film includes some scenes that have been added from the original play, but these do not detract from the story; rather, they add context that readers of the play may miss. For instance, the play is set entirely in the Younger family's apartment. However, the film includes scenes set in a number of different locations around 1950's Chicago; this allows the film to show some of the racism that the Younger family faces as African Americans living in pre-Civil Rights America. The theme of racism is present in Hansberry's original play, but it may not be obvious to all readers. This film version does an effective job of illustrating this important theme so that viewers can understand the Youngers' story as one of struggle to overcome systemic discrimination.

I think this movie was one of the best movies I have ever watch because it think is a good representation of how colored people didn't have a lot of opportunities and how they were discriminated just for their skin color in the 1950's. The directors change some scenes from the original play so the viewer can better and fast understand the movie, on the original play the entire play is centered on the younger apartment but in the the film part they show different places in Chicago. Also they change the final part to make it more emotional .

I can't remember enjoying a film so much of recent. I thought "Raisin in the Sun", was superb.The central point in this film is about a man's relationship with himself, thus the opening lines from the poem. Walter Lee Younger is 35 years old, stuck in a rut, feeling like he's never had that opportunity to break out and see what he can do to make his mark in the world. The people in his life, though dearly loved, are holding him back...he feels it, but how do you say to your wife, to your sister living with you, even to the son you are raising that they are the reason you're not getting a chance to live your own life?And when your wife gets pregnant again, and you realize yet another chain is to be added, even if your first instinct would never be for an abortion, when the chance is offered...can you really speak against it?That this film represents a black man's experience at a particular time in a particular place is aside of the point. What is important is how, and if, any man works through that wall, and what kind of man emerges. Not all men who feel that way live in tenements, not all are chauffeurs, but it's an experience a lot of men in the middle and lower classes face.And what makes the film work is that though such bitterness must be repressed, it will leak out, and sour one's relationship with friends and family. In Walter's case, a windfall offers him an out, and he has to balance his own needs against the interests of his family.The acting in this film was very good. I don't know why people are so rough on Sean Combs. I've never seen him in anything, film, music or whatever, being a bit beyond his demographic, but the reality is that he did an excellent job in expressing the constant, simmering anger of a man feeling increasingly trapped in his own life. The Walters of the world don't spend all their time emoting in loud fashion. Rather it slips out, to paraphrase Ruth: she just doesn't know what's the matter, she just knows that it's no longer right. I think Combs is the victim of two things here: first, some folks' initial exposure to Poitier and their consequent nostalgia for his performance, and also a certain degree of snobbery that someone like P Diddy or whatever he calls himself should ever dare aspire to a role of such exceeding difficulty.But for myself, I thought he did really well.Of the three women, Audra McDonald, playing Ruth, was far and away the best. She carried her role beautifully, from her usual quiet steadiness, through her rare emotional breakdown, to her zaniness upon finding that she's to have a real home...she was just great. Phylicia Rashad was also very good, if a little strong, and Beneatha had to play a side role that really didn't get a chance to develop a character.The other male characters were relatively weak...Oleyowe had a great accent, but Stamos was far too obvious in his role, not so much smooth in his covert bigotry but almost smarmy in his overt manner.All in all though, this is a film extremely well worth watching. The writing, as one might expect, is superb, and the acting almost invariably real and true.

This film start slowly and at times is a little dull but this is mainly due to the lacklustre performance of Mr Combes, P Diddy, Puffy whatever. Every other performance is superb and this is what carries the film, however as others have already commented, what could have been an excellent film, with someone else in the lead role, becomes just a good film and I would still recommend it for anyone to watch. Combes performance is just not believable, sure he is moody and unlikeable but you get the feeling that he struggles to move away from his real persona and slips too easily back into being a 90s rapper rather than a black man struggling in 1950s America. It might be worth noting that if you hate the modern trend for films to be littered with foul language, sex and violence then you will love this film because it stays true to the original play in this regard and has resisted the mistake many remakes have made of modernising it and alienating the family audience. So for many reasons I would recommend this film and just think it is a shame another, much better lead actor was not chosen for the main male role.