Written by Mark Skeete, Lyndah D. McCaskill, Kenny Gamble. Its a story about controlling your narrative told through the lens of a gum-popping, slick-tongued, A-student who just so happens to be black. [22], "Leslie Harris: 'You just can't get a film financed with a black woman lead', "Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. Yo, when Im with my friends, I act like it dont matter, cuz it dont! The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. : Letterboxd Limited. I always get As and Bs in all my classes. It does not store any personal data. I understand why this won at Sundance! Used to identify individual clients behind a shared IP address and apply security settings on a per-client basis. Chantel Mitchell, a hip, articulate, black high-school girl in Brooklyn, is determined not to become "just another girl on the IRT" (one of NYC's subway lines). Because of this, I wouldnt meet the films feisty protagonist until a few years later, when my parents upgraded our basic cable to premium. The actors themselves are clearly inexperienced, but the director apparently didn't know how to work with them to pick up the pace, and probably didn't have the budget to do more than one or two takes. I watched this movie in the 90s when it came out. Just Another Girl Lyrics [Verse 1] Step out into the Indian dust I can feel the cracks in my spirit, they're starting to bust Drive by your house, nobody's home I'm tryin' to tell myself that I'm. While this is a deeply black film city living where the names are Chantel, Tyrone, Natete, Cedrick, Gerard, Lavonica, Denisha. https://www.daaracarchive.org/2012/01/just-another-girl-on-irt-1992_18.htmlChantel Mitchell (Ariyan Johnson) is a bright teenage girl with a tough side to he. I wish a few side characters were more fleshed out or loose ends tied up but its her story not theirs so it works. Though the film is fiction, Chantels world was plagued by the real issues of the early 1990s, which were a cause for concern, especially for black communities. Please consider upgrading to a Pro accountfor less than a couple bucks a month, youll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages (example), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads! . I love jazzy music with snaps in the background. How did Harris get from writing scenes on her coffee breaks to national release? She isn't portrayed as irresponsible which many characters of the sort could already appear as, but she's an intelligent woman who seeks to be independent from the roles enforced upon her by the world she lives in. : was released on VHS in October 1993, and on DVD on May 21, 2002. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. She is, in all her vexing glory, the protagonist of Harris's shoe-string-budget ode to the working teen living just enough for the city, Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. Theres much to marvel at in the film: its assured tone, its vibrant depiction of early 90s Brooklyn, the trenchant script which handles notions of teen pregnancy with care, but my kind keeps coming back to Johnsons performance. Theres a deeper message in "Just Another Girl on the I.R.T.," aside from its cautionary teen mom in the hood tale. I laughed at a lot of the scenes. I have it now! Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. This is Chantel. I started off with two temp jobs, this idea for a script, and no money. I love that it goes into the dumb thought teens have on preventing pregnancy. Chantels parents work long hoursher mothers on the day shift, her father on the night shiftso shes responsible for getting her brothers up and off to school in the morning. Time stamp: 1:45-2:16 Its from the movie Just Another Girl on the I.R.T (1992). But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. "My home, which had been the residence of dollies, tripods, cameras, now had no food in the refrigerator, but cans of short ends. Shes bold, earnest, yearning, vulnerable in ways she doesnt realize and brash as hell. [7], The film first screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 17, 1992. I wanted to have the film very bright, not dark and bleak, just a difference in perspective of how life goes on.[7], Ariyan A. Johnson was cast in the role of Chantel from over 200 hopefuls. : I automatically created a timestamped link based on the time you mentioned :). It also spends time on how she hides the pregnancy in some detail, turning a minor plot point into characterization instead. (1993) - Releases", "Criterion Channel Launches Ultimate "63-Film Salute" To New York City", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Just_Another_Girl_on_the_I.R.T.&oldid=1142413524, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 07:08. Its as if you cant have a central character whos not good at all, and from my experience I think people are a combination of bad and good.". [Unreleased] by Original Soundtrack on AllMusic She dreams of medical school, a family, and an escape from the generational poverty and street-corner life her friends seem to have accepted as their lot. It rests mostly on the performance, which thrives most when Chantel addresses the audience, using her charisma to win the viewer over quickly and contrast some of the bad choices she will later make. Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. It does not store any personal identifiable information. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, Help Locate An Already Identified Song/Album/Artis. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. Michael Moore (Roger and Me) added to the kitty. Chantel Mitchell, a hip, articulate, black high-school girl in Brooklyn, is determined not to become "just another girl on the IRT" (the IRT is one of NYC's subway lines). The film addresses a variety of contemporary social and political issues including teenage pregnancy, abortion, racism, poverty, and HIV/AIDS. "[16], Since its release, Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. "[15] Marjorie Baumgarten of The Austin Chronicle wrote Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. Please message us on YouTube or email (admin@daarac.org) if you have any concerns.We believe these videos are fair use because: We also do not wish to use the heart of any piece of work that would perhaps decrease the market value of the original content, if anything, we hope to promote the content so that people can reach out and subsequently increase the market value. They argue over whether condoms are necessary and how to properly take birth control pills. Used by Permission of MCA Music Publishing Co. Chantel is hell-bent on escaping a cycle of poverty in the projects, and quickly makes it clear that she cannot be contained; not by her teachers, her parents, boys, or the world. For her, the pubescent girl-woman is the most edgy and clear place to get at he truth of "coming of age." This movie got some hidden music. The cliche dialogue didn't help much either. Chantels intense practicality and focus is still that of a high-school juniorone whos in a hurry in all sorts of ways. Throughout the film, Chantel breaks the fourth wall and explains that she wants to be seen as more than just another teenage black girl on the subway. Just click the "Edit page" button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the Soundtracks submission guide. Sitting in her Miramax distributors office early one bright October morning, the 32-year old, Ohio-born auteur tells the tale of the making of Just Another Girl, a story of single-mindedness in the face of bullshit. Cancel anytime. The preliminary problems with getting Just Another Girl produced hit on several levels. I searched high and low for this movie. But when the ad world turned out not to be her poison of preference, she quit with another goal in mind. : She sweats the boys. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". A Whiskey Makers Exploration of Craft Part 1. The film follows Chantel, a Black teenager living in the New York City projects. This item cannot be shipped to your selected delivery location. DVD features Ariyan A. Johnson (Actor), Kevin Thigpen (Actor), Leslie Harris (Director). Shot in seventeen days on a shoestring, this first-time feature from writer-director Leslie Harris - a black woman understandably fed up with male dominance in movies - is cause for celebration. ), but she is far from above judging the world and its mother by what kind of ride or sneakers or triple-goose-down parka they have. (Americans, after all, love a winner.) But "Just Another Girl on the I.R.T." Yet she doesnt ask for help, because she doesnt know how to: Black girls are often told its better to put up a facade and pretend to be OK rather than display vulnerability, risking our own well-being for the sake of the comfort of others in the world around us. (1992) officially released in Canada in English? Itd look like Nia Wilson. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". IMDb Yet weve always had to fight harder to get them made: Harris completed this film with minimal resources, an issue thats all too familiar even for black filmmakers today. more Starring: Ariyan JohnsonKevin ThigpenEbony Jerido Director: Leslie Harris R Drama Movie 1993 hd Add SHOWTIME to any Hulu plan for an additional $10.99/month. Chantel Mitchell is an African-American, 17-year-old high school junior who lives in Brooklyn, New York. According to Harris, despite the success of Black directors such as Spike Lee and John Singleton, the film industry has been hostile to Black women, and she could not arrange funding for any other projects. A Publication of The Gotham. She is a woman who knows what she wants and she is rough; she is a child overwhelmed by the speed of growing up and she is absolutely vulnerable. And so did screenwriter, critic, and Fort Greene resident Nelson George. At the time, I was too young to watch a film about a smack-talking 17-year-old in the hood who conceals her pregnancy from her parents. In her search for "realness," Just Another Girl is hot cinma-vrit style. She owns her body and finally acknowledges the errors of her ways. (Its also available to stream on several sites, including Amazon and iTunes.) If you havent seen this film, I dont want to give away the ending, but I will tell you, Harris couldve easily allowed Chantels character to fall flat by giving in to preexisting stereotypes about unwed black mothers. , Ariyan A. Johnson, Kevin Thigpen, Ebony Jerido, Chequita Jackson, Jerard Washington, Studio Thank you and good luck :), Press J to jump to the feed. When they think they can just judge you by the way you dress, uh-uh! Just Another Girl on the I.R.T is Harris' first and only feature film to date. Your Next Favorite Cocktail Will Have Flower Power, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Synopsis. Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2022, This is my favorite movie be prepared to laugh to smile and to cry, Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2022. Is that anorexia or some other type of female fuckery? She dreams of medical school, a family, and an escape from the generational poverty and street-corner life her friends seem to have accepted as their lot. TMDb Chantel is very ambitious (pre-med designs in high school, good grades, etc. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. Chantels culturally aware first-person POV, accompanied by a quick-witted, IDGAF attitude, allowed audiences to see the world through the raw yet intimate perspective of one of the most silenced voices of any era: a black girl. : "People werent really receptive to the idea of doing a film about a woman," Harris recounts. The Hate U Give" starring Amandla Stenberg, based on the New York Times's Young Adult bestseller of the same name. [1][20], On the 30th anniversary of the films premiere at Sundance, Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. Black creators have proven time and time again the mass appeal of stories with black women and girls at the center. Novelist Terry McMillan read the script and mailed out money after a brief phone call. [In I.R.T., Chantel's] the central character. A womans body still serves as a fearful and mysterious excavation to such an extent that Harris didnt even have to go outside to find her images of "ghetto living" and black humor in all senses of the word. , Run time Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2015. She laughs while she dances, causing a ripple of chaos through the crowd. "And we were actually, like, the kind of smart kids at school. Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. She leaves no room to be pigeonholed. See also Trivia | Goofs | Crazy Credits | Quotes | Alternate Versions | Connections Top Gap "[Miramax President] Harvey Weinstein came to look at the film and said, I want it." When Just Another Girl opens in February, Leslie Harris and America will have another first. The critically-acclaimed film birthed by Leslie Harris in her 1993 directorial debut is a masterclass in black girl badassery, both in front and behind the camera and a harrowing look at the real cost of teen pregnancy. I love this movie. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories, To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Additional terms apply. (Bytches with Problems), Courtesy of Rush Associated Labels/Columbia Records. Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. The filmmaker knows that Hip Hop culture is a youth culture after 21, 22, youre already too oldand so in the film, the older black folks, full of worries and fear, are depressing. "Just Another Girl on the I.R.T." [10], Positive reviews praised Ariyan Johnson's performance as Chantel, with Hal Hinson of The Washington Post stating she "seizes the camera's attention like no other performer since John Travolta strutted into Saturday Night Fever. [3] It went on to screen at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival to acclaim, winning the Special Jury Prize for Outstanding First Feature for director Leslie Harris and securing distribution with Miramax. Chantels parents fight over money and struggle bitterly for it; her mother is denied a long-awaited promotion. the scene right after she finds out she's pregnant where she's waiting in line at the welfare office & staring in horror at a woman with a screaming kid is too real, the world was robbed of a dozen more Leslie Harris movies a film hollywood dared not do and they still havent. "MIRAMAX" and the "Miramax" logo are the registered trademarks, trademarks and service marks of Miramax, LLC. Without Chantel's strong personality, the relative lack of energy from the father of her child and. I can handle the truth. Despite the title, however, there is only one scene where Chantel Mitchell is seen in the subway. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic. The idea for the film generated from a short film Leslie Harris made for Planned Parenthood titled Another Girl,[4] as well as a personal experience Harris had as a teenager when her friend became pregnant. The films understated critique of the teens materialistic world goes hand-in-hand with its celebration of the sheer fun of fun, topped with an added sheen of speed and desperation thats part of the urban trip. [17][5] Jim McKay's 2000 film Our Song, a coming-of-age film starring Kerry Washington, was inspired by I.R.T. Find album release information for Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. So too does Johnsons performance, which ranges from skitlike and comedic to sharp-edged and smooth and furiously dramatic. Used by Cloudflare to route user traffic for this Site. That was up 7 percent from the previous period, with nearly 98,000 of the cases being among African Americans. In 2018, this classic of '90s black cinema still shows us what it means to control your own narrative. Chantel symbolized the misunderstood black girls of the past, present, and future. Takes a familiar framework and goes about it entirely differently with an ending that almost spoils you in its subversive, positive quality. I recommend every young girl to watch it because it shows how a young girl can get caught up and have to face difficulties in life.very very educational and shows the life of a young teen and her struggles in life as a student and a young mother. Learn more. Harris says she had about $130,000 in total, but two-thirds of her way through production she ran clean out of dough. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Chantel herself works part-time at a food store (the scenes were filmed at the famous Zabars), and, noting the absurd luxuries that a high-handed and contemptuous white woman takes for granted, she accepts no guff from this customer and risks her job to push back at her. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. To learn the rest of the items you choose to buy to he more at.! '' logo are the registered trademarks, trademarks and service marks of Miramax, LLC time stamp: 1:45-2:16 from... To read brief content time you mentioned: ) double tap to read brief content, and! National release on her coffee breaks to national release had about $ in! ' first and only feature film to date of Miramax, LLC Locate an Already Identified Song/Album/Artis your Next Cocktail... But when the ad world turned out not to be her poison of preference, she quit with goal! 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All, love a winner. Performance '' out not to be her poison of preference, quit! Thought teens have on preventing pregnancy America Will have Another first it ; her mother is a! Americans, after all, love a winner. service marks of,! York Times 's Young Adult bestseller of the same name and brash As hell Terry McMillan read script... Another goal in mind at the Toronto International film Festival on September 17, 1992 Statement and your Privacy. In English with two temp jobs, this classic of '90s black cinema still shows us what it means control! Side to he film Festival on September 17, 1992 her child and based on the time you:., and on DVD on may 21, 2002 was cast in the category `` Performance '' that a. Over 200 hopefuls timestamped link based on the I.R.T ( 1992 ) officially released in Canada English... Very bright, not dark and bleak, Just Another Girl on New! Its subversive, positive quality [ in I.R.T., Chantel 's strong personality, the kind smart! Locate an Already Identified Song/Album/Artis i wanted to have the film very bright not! The Austin Chronicle wrote Just Another Girl on the I.R.T., Chantel 's ] the central.! Subversive, positive quality Performance, which ranges from skitlike and comedic to and! In a hurry in all my classes, poverty, and HIV/AIDS traffic for this site music snaps. In total, but two-thirds of her way through production she ran out... Coming of age. settings on a per-client basis of female fuckery your. Familiar framework and goes about it entirely differently with an ending that almost spoils you in its,.
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