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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 11754
Released: July 18, 2006 |
| Our Price: $4.96 |
| Used Price: $1.68 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Sometimes 17-year-old Rashad and his pals hang out at the Waffle House trying to figure out what's next after they graduate. But on Sunday nights they know what's coming. They'll be at the Cascade roller rink: laying down moves chillin' with friends...and for a few hours leaving what's outside outside.ATL is a Sunday night fever of laughs drama and crunk sounds. Video director Chris Robinson makes his feature debut guiding an ensemble that includes astonishingly natural movie newcomers Tip Harris (aka rapper T.I.) Lauren London and Antwan Andre Patton (aka Big Boi of the duo OutKast).Running Time: 107 min.System Requirements:Running Time: 107 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 012569763715 Manufacturer No: 76371
Description of ATL (Widescreen Edition):
If you've grown weary of gangsta thrillers and violent depictions of thug life, ATL will hit you like a breath of fresh air. Based on a story by Antwone Fisher (writer and subject of the 2003 film that bears his name) and written by Tina Gordon Chism, it's essentially a contemporary African-American riff on American Graffiti, focusing on a group of teenagers on the cusp of adulthood, learning valuable life lessons as they strive to make a better future for themselves and their loved ones. The title refers to the airport designation for Atlanta, and that's where orphaned 17-year-old Rashad (Tip Harris, aka rapper T.I.) lives with his younger brother Anton (Evan Ross) and uncle George (Mykelti Williamson). They're poor like most Southside families, but they're making ends meet, caring for each other and forging life-long friendships with guys like the smart, ambitious Esquire (Jackie Long), transplanted New Yorker Brooklyn (Albert Daniels), and likable homeboy Teddy (Jason Weaver). On Sunday nights they hang at the Cascade roller rink, trying to impress the girls with their latest moves, and director Chris Robinson (veteran of many music videos) captures it all with casual momentum and genuine affection for his characters. A little too casual perhaps (the pacing sometimes lags), but with a lively mix of color and music, ATL manages to be positive and hopeful without sanitizing the harsher realities (including drugs and violence) of modern urban America. There are threats and obstacles to overcome, but ATL is all about potential, striving for goals and accepting responsibility for one's own actions. Between this and Get Rich or Die Tryin', which example would you prefer to follow? --Jeff Shannon
ATL (Widescreen Edition) Reviews:
A PLEASANT SURPRISE! 
2008-08-03 - My age, the cast of rappers, and the Netflix synopsis here ordinarily would have made me pass this flick. I couldn't take another "sci-fi" film about a rapper escaping the 'hood on a magic carpet woven from his dope rhymes! But having lived outside Atlanta and being a professional in the record business ever since the city became a certified hip-hop mecca, I keep hoping that someone would see that the city's young people have more depth to them than gold teeth, do-rags and "desperate house-B.A.P.S.". I'm glad to say that writer Antwan Fisher and director Chris Robinson did not dissappoint me. If you are from "The Dirty South", you'd know that "ATL" is a fairly accurate protrayal of what most of the kids growing up in the "S.W.A.T." (SW ATlanta) have to deal with while fighting to survive in the inner city. The story is not a vehicle to showcase TI's rap talents - this is not "8 Mile" - it's a sensitive portrayal of four young black men at the crossroad of their lives. In a country where the African-American male is an endangered species, and living past 21 is a major accomplishment, decisions about their futures are extremely critical. Although the message is well-worn and the ending predictable, Robinson compensates with great camera work which is not the usual music video to feature film fare with poor lighting and choppy editing. Great location, such as the venerable Cascasde Family Skating Rink, provide authentic local color. The outstanding soundtrack successfully moves the film along during bland scenes. Kudos go out to the fine young cast who dish up excellent DEBUT performances. Antwan "Big Boi" Patton's preppy drug dealer role successfully struggles with having to compete with his well-known celebrity as half of the talented musical duo OutKast. But the stand-out performers are Tip "TI" Harris (Rashad), Jackie Long (Esquire), and Evan Ross (Antwan, aka,"Ant"). Atlanta rapper TI is intense and believable as an angst-filled orphaned teen trying to protect Ant, his younger impressionable brother.
Great movie with a GREAT story! 
2007-12-02 - I would have never known that rapper T.I was such a great actor!!
The movie ATL was so great, that it's one of my favorites. There is a dynamic cast. This movie has a great moral to follow at the end, and it's definantly a tearjerker, but at the same time it's a comedy. You have to own this movie. I know that you won't be disapointed.
By the way, I have NO CLUE why someone tagged this movie as 50 cent? ha.
A surprisingly good movie
2007-09-30 - Would have never gone to the movies to see this based on its marketing, music, and cast. But happened to catch it on HBO and was so surprised at how unusual it was. The acting and directing were well done. This certainly isn't what you'd expect and is not your usual ghetto scene movie. This movie does have heart, a message, and is entertaining. The background music is not my taste, but would watch this again. A refreshing change. I'm happy to see that there are some writers and directors out there who are willing to take a chance on a story like this.
!
2007-09-27 - This is ma MOVIEE!!!!! T I was suchh a good actor and i really felt the love between him and new new. all the acting was great and the story was different. it actually had a message. it made me laugh, cry, and get pissed. this is theee best movie i seen in a long time
A decent movie
2007-09-12 - This is a good film about growing up in an urban lifestyle. It has a good cast of characters and each one has a unique view and perception of not only where they came from but also, where they are heading. I expected more of a gangster tale like Menace to Society or Boyz in the Hood, but instead it was almost a black version of American Pie. I thought the end was predictable but nessesary and it tied the movie together.
