Themes: Street Gangs, Race Relations, Culture Clash
Main Cast: Rory Cochrane, Gina Gershon, Ron Silver, Scott Caan, Robert Downey, Jr., Stacy Edwards, Allan Houston, Gaby Hoffmann, Brooke Shields, Ben Stiller, Elijah Wood
Release Year: 1999
Country: US
Run Time: 98 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
The inner workings of the New York hip-hop scene, and the fascination of white observers with rap music and hip-hop culture, set the stage for this drama written and directed by James Toback. Rich Bower (Power) is a mover and shaker in the world of rap music (he's involved with a number of other licit and illicit business ventures as well), and his apartment is a favored meeting place for musicians, hangers-on, and hipsters who want to seem cool, including a clique of white kids who want to be on the inside of whey they consider the coolest scene of the day. Sam (Brooke Shields), a filmmaker, is making a documentary about Rich and his circle, with the help of her husband Terry (Robert Downey Jr.), a closeted homosexual who doesn't feel at home in this milieu. Dean (Allan Houston) is a talented college basketball player and Rich's friend since childhood who is offered a deal by a bookmaker, Mark (Ben Stiller) to throw a few games for a price. Dean takes the money against his better judgment, and he soon realizes how much of a mistake he made when Mark turns out to be a cop hoping to dig up dirt on Rich. Rich in turn discovers that Dean might be forced to tell what he knows to stay out of jail, and he decides that Dean has to be killed; however, rather than murder his friend himself, Rich asks one of the white kids who hangs out with him, who seems especially eager to prove himself, to do it for him. The kid, however, is actually the son of the District Attorney. Also contributing to Black and White's supporting cast are controversial boxing legend Mike Tyson, musician Bijou Phillips, Wu Tang Clan rapper Raekwon, model Claudia Schiffer, and Donald Trump's former spouse Marla Maples. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Director and screenwriter James Toback returns to the subject of identity with this thoughtful but meandering drama that, like his other films, is largely built upon improvisational performances. The director's courage is evident in every frame as he addresses a taboo subject: white teens who are willing to do anything for acceptance by their African-American friends and the striving by these same African-Americans to achieve mainstream success in the "white" world. Black and White (1999) starts off strong with a provocative performance by newcomer Bijou Phillips as the most unapologetic seeker of approval from her hip-hop-loving friends. Phillips eventually fades into the background, and the film becomes hampered by Toback's insistence upon grafting a standard crime-drama plot onto proceedings involving a crooked cop (well played with his trademark romantic desperation by Ben Stiller) out to frame a basketball star, and the violent consequence of his scheme. All the threads come together in the powerful finale, however, and despite its flaws, the end result is one of Toback's best films. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Power - Associate Producer, Raekwon - Associate Producer, Alinur Velidedeoglu - Associate Producer, Louis Di Giaimo - Casting, Stephanie Corsalini - Casting, Jacki Roach - Costume Designer, Vince Maggio - First Assistant Director, James Toback - Director, Myron Kerstein - Editor, Mark Burg - Executive Producer, Edward R. Pressman - Executive Producer, Oren Koules - Executive Producer, Hooman Majd - Executive Producer, Jennifer Roth - Line Producer, Power - Musical Direction/Supervision, American Cream Team - Songwriter, Anne Ross - Production Designer, David Ferrara - Cinematographer, Ron Rotholz - Producer, Michael Mailer - Producer, Daniel Bigel - Producer, Antonio L. Arroyo - Sound/Sound Designer, James Toback - Screenwriter
The movie also notably features Ben Stiller in a rare dramatic role as a sleazy police detective, as well as Mike Tyson playing himself.
It had its first showing at the Telluride Film Festival on September 4, 1999, followed by a second screening at the Toronto Film Festival on September 15, 1999. It had its widespread theatrical release in the USA on April 5, 2000.
Most of the script for this movie was improvised by the cast. Only Claudia Schiffer's part was fully-scripted.
Because she hadn't had them done previously, Claudia Schiffer had to have her ears pierced especially for the large hoop earrings worn by her character in this movie.
In addition to sporting fake dreadlocks, Brooke Shields also wore a nose ring for this film, for which she had her nose temporarily pierced especially.
