| | | "HD-DVD, The Look and Sound of Perfect."
Features: DVD, Pan and Scan (TV Format), Hybrid, Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 2.35:1, Dolby Digital (5.1), Music Video, English, French, Spanish, Subtitled
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.Format: HD DVD
"Fresh and unexpected." Jami Bernard, New York Daily News
"Music, humor and romance in a simple tale of life in the hood." Melissa Walters, BlackFilm.com
"...a familiar song about growing up, but hits notes that sound brand new." Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald
Editor's Note
Grammy-nominated rapper T.I., whose real name is Tip Harris, gives an inspired performance as the star of ATL. Set in Atlanta, Georgia, and directed by music video veteran Chris Robinson, ATL tells the story of a group of teenagers facing the harsh realities of life. T.I. plays Rashad, a young man making tremendous sacrifices so his little brother, Ant (Evan Ross, son of Diana Ross), can have a better future. Orphaned after their parents died in a car accident, Rashad and Ant work after school as janitors with their uncle George (Mykelti Williamson), who has taken them in to keep them out of foster homes. Every Sunday night, Rashad teams up at the roller-skating rink with his best friends: Esquire (Jackie Long), who has a shot at going to the Ivy League if he can make the right connection; Brooklyn (Albert "Al Be" Daniels), a soft-spoken poet carving out a career in the fast-food industry; and Teddy (Jason Weaver), who works at Eddy's Gold Teeth and provides much of the comic relief. At the rink, they get to be the stars of the show, whirling around, impressing girls, and just being themselves, far away from the daily grind. Rashad soon hooks up with New-New (Lauren London), who refuses to let him see where she lives, harboring a secret that could tear their growing love apart. Meanwhile, Ant starts doing jobs for local drug dealer Marcus (OutKast's Big Boi), attracted to the fancy cars and fast money, and Esquire has some tough choices to make after meeting a high-powered businessman (Keith David). With the critical roller-skating contest right around the corner, things reach a fever pitch, all set to a cranking crunk soundtrack. ATL was inspired by the real-life experiences of music producer Dallas Austin and TLC's Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins; the story is by Antwone Fisher, the subject of Denzel Washington's 2002 directorial debut.
| Features | Additional Scenes | | Audio: English, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Plus Surround Sound | | Audio: English, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound | | Dubbed: Spanish | | Featurette: In The Rink - A Director's Journey - Join Director Chris Robinson In Making His Feature Filmmaking Debut & In Exploring Atlanta's Growing Music Scene With Rapper T.I. | | HD-DVD & DVD Combo! Both Standard & HD-DVD Versions On One Disc | | Interactive Menus | | Music Video: What You Know By T.I. | | Original Theatrical Trailer | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English, French, Spanish |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Warner |
| Release Date: 7/18/2006 |
| Running Time: 107 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2006 | | Catalog ID: 81029 | | UPC: 00012569810297 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English, Spanish Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: English, French, Spanish | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Widescreen 2.40:1 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Nominee (2007) | | | Image Award, Chris Robinson, Outstanding Directing in a Feature Film/Television Movie - Comedy or Drama |
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| | Professional Reviews | Entertainment Weekly
"[A] gentle ode to good pals and roller-skating nights....The skate scenes are a blast." 04/07/2006 p.43New York Times
"The fun here is in seeing a new batch of rappers try acting, and some of them turn out to be eminently watchable." 04/11/2006 p.E10 Box Office
3 stars out of 5 -- "ATL is an exceptional movie for its weight and class, which is that of a light urban coming-of-age dramedy where the veneer may be darkly intriguing, but the finish is pure homily..." 06/01/2006 p.63 ReelViews 8 of 10
For every dozen-or-so teen-based dramas about white kids, there are maybe one or two similarly themed films about children of other races. So when one of the latter comes along that offers keenly observed characters involved in interesting situations, it's worth taking note. ATL, the feature debut of MTV-weaned director Chris Robinson, is such a motion picture. And, like all good movies of this sort, it doesn't take long for the viewer to become color-blind, no longer regarding the protagonists as "black characters" but simply as "characters"...Robinson has assembled an impressive young cast comprised primarily of rappers (such as Tip Harris, a.k.a. T.I.) and fresh faces (newcomer Lauren London). Providing experience in supporting roles are Mykelti Williamson and Keith David. For his part, Robinson directs in a straightforward manner, eschewing the flashy style that has become commonplace for music video directors who make the leap to the big screen. His approach, the talent of his acting ensemble, and the intelligence of the screenplay make ATL an engaging experience. - James Berardinelli
Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
What this plot outline doesn't describe is the warmth and heart of "ATL," which is about good kids more or less raising themselves. Uncle George is not a bad man, and at 41 he has been a janitor long enough to plead with his nephews to get themselves an education. But when he finds out Ant is selling drugs, his immediate reaction is pragmatic: "We can always use some money in this house." Rashad is a lot more disturbed, and takes action...What I liked most was its unforced, genuine affection for its characters. Rashad likes his friends, and so do we. He realizes Uncle George is not a paragon, but Mykelti Williamson has a strong scene where he defends his life from his point of view. He's 41, no wife, pushing a broom, trying to hold a home together for two nephews he didn't ask for, and he's doing his best. I sense that somewhere in the film, if we know where to look, maybe in the support of Uncle George, the friendships involving Rashad, Esquire and New-New, we can find clues about how Antwone Fisher evolved from a kid with a shaky future into a screenwriter with a big one. - Roger Ebert
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