Black and White (1999)

Synopsis: With Black and White, writer-director James Toback (Fingers, Two Girls and a Guy) confronts the topic of race head on--most specifically, the influence of black urban hip-hop culture on white... With Black and White, writer-director James Toback (Fingers, Two Girls and a Guy) confronts the topic of race head on--most specifically, the influence of black urban hip-hop culture on white America. Set in New York City as the 1990s wind to a close, the film is told in a broad, episodic fashion, interweaving several different story lines in order to address a multitude of ideas. In the most comedic, a white documentarian (Brooke Shields) and her gay husband (Robert Downey Jr.) follow a group of affluent white teenagers (led by Bijou Phillips) around the city as they unabashedly pursue a Staten Island hip-hop crew. As the leader of the crew, Rich Bower (the Wu-Tang Clan's Power) struggles to leave his criminal past behind and become a legitimate musician. In the most dramatic subplot, an undercover police detective (Ben Stiller) frames a talented college basketball player (Allan Houston) in order to exact an ambiguous revenge. Toback blends improvisation with tightly scripted scenes, and the result is a loose, broad essay on the state of racism at the turn of the millennium. Black and White features impressive performances by the all-star cast, but it is Mike Tyson who steals the film with his unforgettable cameo. [More]

Starring: Robert Downey, Bijou Phillips, Allan Houston, Brooke Shields

Starring: Robert Downey, Bijou Phillips, Allan Houston, Brooke Shields, Ben Stiller, Power, Scott Caan, Stacy Edwards, Gaby Hoffman, Jared Leto, Marla Maples, Claudia Schiffer, Joe Pantoliano, William Lee Scott, James Toback, Elijah Wood, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Kim Matulova, Sticky Fingaz, Garry Pastore, Raekwon, Method Man, Kidada Jones

Director: James Toback

Director: James Toback
Screenwriter: James Toback
Producer: Ron Rotholz, Daniel Bigel, Michael Mailer

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