Filly Brown

Filly Brown, the somewhat predictable yet emotionally powerful film from directors Youssef Delara and Michael D. Olmos tells the story of a Mexican American family in turmoil in Los Angeles. One particular member is trying to make a name for herself in the hip hop game so you see the pitfalls coming from a mile away, the only real saving grace for this film was the lead actress, Gina Rodriguez and it's only because of her that I give Filly Brown two and a half buckets of Killer Korn.




If you don't care for hip hop or the everyday trials and tribulations of Mexican Americans doing what they can to make ends meet in sunny Los Angeles, then just skip Filly Brown because that's pretty much all this film is about. The amazing gem of the film though is Gina Rodriguez who plays Majo (pronounced Maho) Tonorio, the would be next female superstar in the hip hop stratosphere and matriarch of her family. She is a powerhouse in this movie and incredibly hard to take your eyes off of. Majo is street smart, protective of her family, and swiftly and viciously violent should any harm come to those she loves, not to mention her skills on the mic. Gina carries this movie across the finish line in such a way that one cannot be but impressed with her performance.

Starring alongside her are icons of the Latino artistic community. Her father Jose is played by Lou Diamond Phillips, her uncle Mani is played by Emilio Rivera, Big Cee is played by Noel Gugliemi, Edward James Olmos plays Leandro the lawyer, and Jenni Rivera, in her last role before her untimely death in a plane crash plays Majo's mother Maria Tonorio. This is a truly great cast and it's just unfortunate all this talent is saddled with such a trite story line. Maria is in jail for ten years on a drug charge but was a talented poet back in her youth. She sends Majo, who is a recent visitor to a web radio show to show her skills on the mic a poem. Majo decides she's going to rap her mothers poem on the mic and it's so good that it catches the eye of small time promoter Caeser. Caeser then brings her to the attention to Big Cee and that's when things REALLY get predictable.

Majo signs a contract with Big Cee and then after all the talk about not turning her back on her friends and how they are going to do music that matters and how she wasn't going to sell out, she did everything opposite. She tried to justify it by rationalizing it all on the fact that her mother owed three thousand to some dealer because she's using again, while in prison. Then the poem her mother sent Majo was already owned by someone and that person was now suing Big Cee, Majo's reputation is in the dirt and on top of that, Big Cee's other artist takes a vicious beating by Majo's hand because he assaulted her sister Lupe played by Chrissie Fit. The walls closed in around Majo and the only way she knew how to make it right was to get back on the mic and set the story straight. When she does, it's an amazingly powerful moment and you forgive all the previous sins of the movie.

I don't know if two directors helped or hindered this movie in any way, but I do know that without Gina, Filly Brown would have been dead on arrival. The music by Reza Safinia is forgettable and there were some really interesting moments visually but there weren't enough of them. This film doesn't know if it wants to be an 8 Mile or a family drama and I think it was that indecision that ultimately puts a drag on it. Like I stated, if you like don't like hip hop or don't care about the stories of Mexican-Americans then skip Filly Brown, but if you like either one of those subjects then this is the movie for you. Enjoy and I'll see you at the theater.