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Liberty Heights

Liberty Heights (1999)

November. 17,1999
|
7
|
R
| Drama

This semi-autobiographical film by Barry Levinson follows various members of the Kurtzman clan, a Jewish family living in suburban Baltimore during the 1950s. As teenaged Ben completes high school, he falls for Sylvia, a black classmate, creating inevitable tensions. Meanwhile, Ben's brother, Van, attends college and becomes smitten with a mysterious woman while their father tries to maintain his burlesque business.

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Reviews

Anoushka Slater
1999/11/17

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

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Brenda
1999/11/18

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

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Philippa
1999/11/19

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

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Billy Ollie
1999/11/20

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

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BreanneB
1999/11/21

I love this movie. I just watched it last night. Thank God my library had a copy of it, because my local Blockbuster does not have a copy of it. It is an excellent movie, the acting, costumes, production, directing, script and directing. I love Ben Foster, he certainly did a great job in this movie, as he always does.Spoiler Alert!It surprised me that on Halloween night Ben Kurtzman, (Ben Foster) dresses up as Adolf Hitler being that the family is Jewish. I knew the parents would be appalled. A funny part is the scene in the kitchen when he was talking about the ass story that is in the Bible. Ha, Ha, Ha.

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gmr-4
1999/11/22

this was a fine film, if not anything to blow one's hair back, leave one humming, or slipping into the dialogue. The story was set in the mid-1950s, accurately looks the part, and is actually three tales involving the three males in a middle class family. Yes, there is the treatment of racism and the self-consciousness that it spawns on both sides, and yes, the death throes of anti-semitism (at least among decent people). A middle-aged man finds he has outlived the world in which he came to prosper, and does not know what to do. There is something else: the "grass is always greener" hypothesis in ethnic/social class mixing. One of the protagonists meets his "shiksa goddess" and her lot, longs to cross a divide he does his best to bridge -- and finds his betters have feet of clay for all their poise and social standing.LIBERTY HEIGHTS is in the best sense a North American story. Leaving one's ghetto, the benefits of learning to do so, and creation of a better world. Note how toward the end, the flawed and even cruel W.A.S.P. society boy becomes better for having accepted the hand of friendship of someone his father might have avoided.

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Jezebell
1999/11/23

Liberty heights is a great movie, full of laughter. It gives you a sense of history, as well as providing for a good, well rounded film. The acting is good, the script is well read, and the depiction of events is carried out in a unique fashion. ( Warning, almost spoiler) One of my favorite scenes is where Ben ( mind you , he's Jewish) dresses up as Hitler on Halloween! I highly recommend this movie! P.S - and to the above comment by TxMike, Im well under 50 and I understood and appreciated this film very much. Don't assume that the older you are, the more you'll understand. Im 17, for your information.9/10 (Liberty Heights)

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SamRag
1999/11/24

From time to time one comes across remarkable films like Liberty Heights where simple story is told in extraordinary manner. This film is about the Jewish Kurtzman family, but we follow the father and his two sons as three separate stories. Each one of them having their own struggle and challenges to face. What struck me as the most amazing part of the story was the easiness of it, how it flowed and gently tackled serious issues in the community of that time. It portrait itself in a realistic manner, where there were no real baddies or large showdown, just people going through life. The performance of the actors was brilliant, with Joe Mantegna (the father), showing once more what a talent he is. This film won't leave anyone untouched. 8/10

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