Themes: Haunted By the Past, Musician's Life, Faltering Friendships
Main Cast: Nia Peeples, Antonio Fargas, Joe McBride
Release Year: 2000
Run Time: 90 minutes
Plot
New Orleans music promoter Adam Goodnight (newcomer Cameron Smith) has his checkered past revived when a failed musician, Shoop Summers (old timer Antonio Fargas), takes Adam's new protégé, Kenny Carter (Mister Jones), under his drug-addled wing. Goodnight begins having flashbacks to a time when Shoop was on top of the jazz charts, and he also remembers what happened to end Shoop's productive career -- and end their friendship. Goodnight sees it all happening again with Kenny. Goodnight's beautiful and intelligent girlfriend, Heather (Nia Peeples), is helpless to stop the drama. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
Review
This surprisingly effective take on the seedy jazz underworld of New Orleans is as unassuming as the clever double meaning of the title ("riff" as in a melody, as well as a torn relationship). Impressive debuts by director/writer Mark W. Allen; Cameron Smith as the shaven-headed, steely eyed music man haunted by a personal tragedy; and Wesley Snipes look-alike Mister Jones are supported by vets Nia Peeples and Antonio Fargas(the latter in a custom-tailored role as an aging, bitter artist). The wall-to-wall jazz is tasteful and adds to the atmosphere. Fans of Mo' Better Blues, 'Round Midnight, and the like will find this to their liking until the next big-budget production about a jazz musician comes along. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
