Sleight

Sleight

Starring Jacob Latimore, Seychelle Gabriel, Dule Hill, Storm Reid

Directed by J.D. Dillard

The Story:
One year after losing his mother, Bo (Jacob Latimore) has put aside his ambitions for going to college to help care for his younger sister Tina (Storm Reid) by performing magic tricks on the street at day and serving as a reluctant drug mule for Angelo (Dule Hill) at night.  As the demands in the drug trade increase, Bo finds himself in danger as tensions escalate and he must use his talents to protect himself, his sister, and his new girlfriend Holly (Seychelle Gabriel).

The Synopsis:
Director J.D. Dillard's premiere outing proves to be something more magical than even he probably envisioned, as he took the tired superhero origin story to a deeply dramatic level, with a young, up-and-coming capable lead, a down-to-earth story, and a deeply personal and intellectual script (that he also co-wrote).  Blending movies like "Chronicle," "Iron Man" and "Dope," "Sleight" serves to tell the underdog story of a young man who was forced to grow up before his time and use his street smarts and special talents to make it out of a less-than-reputable town and make a better life for himself and his young sister.

As a street magician, Bo is able to perform tricks that boggle the minds of his audience, but as it is with every magician, there's a secret to his talent.  I won't reveal the secret here because it gives a lot away, but it's an interesting one - if not one that could've been explained further.  This is the part of the movie I felt was the real letdown - it should've given a deeper introduction to his ability and how it came about, but as it was we were just given it in the middle.  I wouldn't have minded for the movie to be longer for it to explain it more, because I found myself totally immersed in it.

What I really appreciated about the movie is the slow burn pace it took to introduce the character of Bo.  We don't see him automatically using all his abilities, but rather reveals it slowly throughout, and we get to know the character on a deeper, more personal level that makes him a very approachable person that we wish the best for, even if he's also a drug mule.  Jacob Latimore is a relative newcomer to the scene, having only appeared in the big budget flop "Collateral Beauty," but here he's given more freedom and a better script to attune to his acting ability, and he portrays Bo as a kid who could've been cocky and arrogant, but instead shows him as a flawed individual who holds the weight of the world on his shoulders and bears the brunt of responsibility at a time where he should've have been burdened with it.  He has to be the mother and father to his younger sister, and put aside his own ambitions and desires to help Tina achieve hers. 

So when things go south with Angelo, Bo harnesses all his abilities to protect Tina at all costs, which leads to a thrilling conclusion where he unleashes everything he has on his enemies, which is all the more spectacular having seen his trials and tribulations beforehand.  This is a slow burn tale at its best, done by a rising director and writer who has a bright future ahead of him.

The Summary:
More than a superhero origin story, more than a coming-of-age tale, and more than a drag-down, knock-out action spectacle, "Sleight" manages to blend all those elements together into a powerful, rich tale that is both relatable and touching thanks to a charismatic, talented lead.

The Score: A-