Susan Granger’s review of “LIBERTY HEIGHTS” (Warner Bros.)
Filmmaker Barry Levinson says: “If I knew things would no longer be, I would have tried to remember better.” And this expertly crafted coming-of-age tale is Levinson’s fourth semi-autobiographical film set in Baltimore – like “Diner,” “Tin Men,” and “Avalon.” Focusing on the changing times of the mid-1950s, it tackles the provocative issues of race, religion and class distinction. A wry and enormously touching remembrance, it spans exactly one year in the life of an insular, middle-class Jewish family. With segregation coming to an end, they struggle with the poignant dilemmas evoked by ethnic diversity. One son finds himself attracted to a young black woman whose family is as appalled by their friendship as is his own, while the other son is dazzled by a luminous blue-eyed, blonde gentile who wields a magic wand, offering him a tantalizing glimpse into a lifestyle that’s a marked contrast to everything he’s ever known. Each boy pursues his passion with a manic edge that’s filled with pathos and amusement. Plus, there’s the traumatic upheaval caused by their father’s involvement in staging an illegal lottery that draws the attention of the F.B.I.. Headed by Joe Mantegna, the superb ensemble cast features Adrien Brody and Bebe Neuwirth, along with Justin Chambers, Vincent Guastaferro, Orlando Jones, David Krumholz, and Kiersten Warren. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Liberty Heights” is an evocative, nostalgic 8. It’s funny, feisty, and full of life, as laughter and tears mix and mingle, characterizing the human condition that Barry Levinson captures so deftly. Don’t miss it – and take your parents.
