Misha Collins as Guy

Directed By Barry Levinson

Written By Barry Levinson

Cast Adrien Brody, Ben Foster, Bebe Neuwirth, Joe Mantegna

Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance

MPAA rating R

 

The photosign at the exclusive country club reads “No Jews, Dogs or Coloreds Allowed,” keeping Ben and his curious friends, Sheldon (EVAN NEUMANN) and Murray (GERRY ROSENTHAL), on the other side of the fence because they’re Jewish. Soon after, Ben’s high-school class integrates its first black student, a self-assured young lady named Sylvia (REBEKAH JOHNSON). Ben is irresistibly attracted to her and, although Sylvia’s father, a doctor, forbids them to meet socially, the two become very close. Ben and Sylvia explore their religious, social and racial differences and begin to break down social rules and stereotypes.

Nate’s burlesque business isn’t what it used to be, so he and his partners, Louie (CHARLEY SCALIES), Charlie (RICHARD KLINE) and Pete (VINCENT GUASTAFERRO), try to infuse extra revenue into their neighborhood numbers racket by adding a bonus number to their system. Things go well until Little Melvin (ORLANDO JONES,) a small-time black drug dealer, hits it big and the guys can’t pay on the bet…

Nate and his partners try to con Little Melvin into taking a settlement instead of his cash, but the angry drug dealer wants his money. One night, he spots Nate’s flashy new Cadillac outside a James Brown concert on Pennsylvania Avenue, the main drag of Baltimore’s black district — Ben has borrowed the car and, against both their families’ wishes, secretly arranged to meet Sylvia at the concert. As Ben, Sylvia and two of their friends walk back to the car, they are all kidnapped by Little Melvin and held for the money he is owed…

College student Van and his friends, Yussel (DAVID KRUMHOLTZ) and Alan (KEVIN SUSSMAN), attend a Gentile neighborhood Halloween party, where Van becomes infatuated with the beautiful, aristocratic Dubbie (CAROLYN MURPHY) at first sight. But her friends mock and then attack Yussel when they find out there are Jews in their midst.

photoVan makes friends with Dubbie’s boyfriend, the charismatic Trey (JUSTIN CHAMBERS), who, perversely, gives Van the go-ahead to date Dubbie. But all is not what it seems with Dubbie, whose wealthy and rarefied upbringing has given her a much more complicated life than Van’s.

Trey revels in dangerous behavior, drinking too much, driving too fast and pretending indifference to things that actually mean a great deal to him. Through his acquaintance with Van, Trey is able to drop some of the façade that he so carefully maintains most of the time. Ultimately, Trey repays Van’s unswerving friendship with a surprisingly kind gesture of his own.

The fates of these characters become intertwined as the scheme of their lives becomes both larger and more intimately connected. Through their experiences, they become wiser, sadder, braver and enlightened by the cross-cultural mysteries they will have to navigate as America moves into the coming decades.