O (2001)

Thanks for the memories!

Such a frustrating disappointment

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Watch O for a lesson on how to dumb-down the genius of William Shakespeare for contemporary audiences too lazy to even read the CliffsNotes to Othello. In O, a white basketball player at a private prep school is jealous of his black teammate and sets in motion a tragic chain of events in a plot meant to copy Shakespeare's Othello. Try to overlook that the black player is the only black student in this school and that the remainder of the student body consists of rich white kids who listen to hip hop and speak in Ebonics, reducing the poetry of Shakespeare to jive. Try also to overlook the repeated use of the N-word, especially in the rap lyrics, made even more offensive and obscene because it's used not as a racial slur but as a badge of pride; a sign of status instead of degradation. Shakespeare's Othello has fascinated audiences for the past four centuries and will fascinate them for centuries more. But if you've ever wondered why modern attempts to "adapt" Shakespeare have been virtually forgotten a few short years after their release, O is the answer.

I saw this the other day on Showtime. It was entertaining and suspenseful . The ending was a surprise as well.

O (2001): Dir: Tim Blake Nelson / Cast: Mikhi Phifer, Julia Stiles, Josh Hartnett, Andrew Keegan, Elden Henson: Hits dead centre on message but flawed with its presentation as entertainment. Title is pathetically non vocal but it stands for Odin, top basketball player in high school. The coach claims to love him like a son. This doesn't impress his real son Hugo who devises a plan to derail Odin's success, with horrid results. It is a very detailed plan involving deceit and jealousy. Directed by Tim Blake Nelson who builds tension despite the many contrived moments where information is heard by just the right people. Mikhi Phifer plays Odin as a success story slowly destroyed through manipulation and eventually his own rage. Josh Hartnett plays the manipulating Hugo who will stop at nothing to prove himself superior. Julia Stiles plays Odin's girlfriend who becomes the victim of manipulation and eventually she too suffers for the crimes of others. Andrew Keegan plays a suspended player whom Hugo manipulates into hanging out with Stiles in an attempt to get Odin suspicious. Elden Henson plays a kid who is the victim of bullying until he eventually snaps. Based on the Shakespeare play Othello where the biggest strength comes from fine casting and the capitalization of hard hitting themes. The production isn't fancy but it shows how jealousy can destroy lives. Score: 6 / 10

This is a wonderful interpretation of Shakespeare's "Othello" I am impressed. Josh Hartnett would have deserved an Oscar nominee for Hugo's role, he did a very impressive job. As an actor, I believe he is very capable and talented. Mekhi Phifer is to me an unknown actor, but I think he was right casted in his role as Odin. On the other hand, Julia Stiles seemed to me just playing like she always does, she doesn't seem to be a very popular girl in that school, as it was supposed to be, she just seems to be this geeky lovesick girl with a basketball star boyfriend. Then it is Andrew Keegan and his decent acting, not to good, but not bad also.Not just the cast was good, but the crew also. "O" has a way of showing you that these are problems that even teenagers might have, like jealousy. But also it has a way of reminding that it's a movie based on a Shakespearian tragedy. In the end you have that feeling that only a Shakespeare work can bring... I give this movie a 10 with all my heart.