'Charm City Kings' Review
R: Pervasive language, sexual references, and some violence
Runtime: 2 Hour and 5 Minutes
Production Companies: Overbrook Entertainment, Sony Pictures Classics
Distributor: HBO Max
Director: Ángel Manuel Soto
Writer: Sherman Payne
Cast: Jahi Di'Allo Winston, Meek Mill, Will Catlett, Teyonah Parris, Donielle T. Hansley, Kezii Curtis
Release Date: October 8, 2020
Mouse desperately wants to join The Midnight Clique, the infamous Baltimore dirt bike riders who rule the summertime streets. When Midnight's leader, Blax, takes 14-year-old Mouse under his wing, Mouse soon finds himself torn between the straight-and-narrow and a road filled with fast money and violence.
One of my favorite feature films from this year’s Sundance Film Festival — right up there with Kajillionaire — was Charm City Kings, based on the doc 12 O’Clock Boys. It was originally slated for theatrical release from Sony Pictures Classics (though it has that major studio appeal that could’ve been under the Columbia Pictures or even Tristar Pictures banner), but then Miss ‘Rona wrecked our shit. This led to the film being purchased by HBO Max as an exclusive original for the streaming service.
Charm City Kings is a brutal yet honest coming-of-age tale set in inner-city Baltimore during the summer. The narrative centers around Myron “Mouse” (Jahi Di'Allo Winston), a 13-year-old boy on the path to becoming a vet, but he also has his eyes set on joining the infamous rebellious dirt bike crew The Midnight Clique along with his two best friends Lamont (Donielle T. Hansley Jr.) and Sweartagawd (Kezii Curtis). Mouse’s life is on the right path as he’s raised by his single mother (Teyonah Parris) and mentored by an officer (Will Catlett) who truly believe in him, especially following the death of his brother, but Mouse is so determined to become a part of this crew. He’s taken under the wing by the crew’s leader Blax (Meek Mill) who promises him a bike if he works for it. Mouse begins to find himself on a crossroads between someone he’s meant to be and what he wants to become.
Part of the beauty of Charm City Kings is the direction. It’s a passionate love letter to both Baltimore and the bike culture that breathes within the city. Through Angel Manuel Soto’s incredibly sleek direction, the inner city itself plays as a separate character. This is Soto’s second feature and his direction is on the same level of skill and craft as a big-budget studio film, especially when it comes to the bike sequences. I kid you not, the cycle sequences are as precise and impressive as the first Fast & Furious movie. Soto’s camera immerses you into the bike culture of Baltimore and frames the city in such a gritty yet glossy manner with great tracking shots that get your heart racing. Even when the story hits somber moments, Soto uses camera movements to raise the tension of the scene, especially when he does continuous tracking shots, panning the camera around to correspond with each emotional beat.
The performances by the entire ensemble cast are incredible across the board. They won the Sundance Jury Award for Best Ensemble and they truly deserved it. One of the major strengths of the film, aside from Solo’s direction, is the performances. Jahi Di'Allo Winston is absolutely remarkable and the character of Mouse is well-written. Winston brings such grace, innocence, charisma, and charm to the character. The central plot of the film involves boys rushing to become men and the consequences that they face as a result. The boys are so relatable and utterly endearing as they share a glowing camaraderie, especially with Jahi Di'Allo Winston displaying his true talent and range.
Surprisingly, Meek Mill puts on one of the best supporting actor performances of the year. As a matter of fact, I consider it my #1 favorite of 2020 because he’s incredible. Mill brings the same kind of energy that Sylvester Stallone brought to the first Creed film. He serves as a mentor to Mouse and becomes a big brother figure by giving him the proper tools to be a man. Despite being the leader of a bike crew who dabbles in criminal activity, he has this calm, serious, yet kind nature with a cold edge that’s enthralling to watch. The chemistry he shares with Winston is so strong that it becomes one of the most charming aspects of the film. This is Mill’s acting debut and he truly delivers.
Teyonah Parris is also a powerful presence as Mouse’s mother. She doesn’t get much screen time, but when she appears, she dominates and controls the scene with her strength and energy. She has some moments that rattle your emotions and makes her character a scene-stealer.
The narrative itself, albeit being nuanced, is really formulaic. We’ve seen this narrative archetype done before in other movies. Many of the narrative beats can be predicted, especially when everything leads towards the third act and secrets are aired out in the open. That being said, Sherman Payne’s screenplay is tightly stitched together and provides enough nuance and dimension to stand out. The themes about second chances and the Black experience are so strong. Considering everything that has happened this year regarding Black Lives Matter and police brutality against Black people, I have to commend how well-executed that area of the narrative is. Upon my first viewing of this film, I was unable to comprehend how fully realized the themes were, especially when it came to Will Catlett’s police character. Looking at it from a fresh perspective in the latter half of 2020, the themes are as harrowing as they are honest. I highly recommend Charm City Kings. It may be a familiar coming-of-age story, but it wears its heart on its sleeve with captivating breakout performances to boot.
