Knucklehead (2015)
When his brother disappears, mentally disabled Langston Bellows (Gbenga Akinnagbe) is left without a protector in Brooklyn's housing projects. Now under the control of his abusive mother (Alfre Woodard) Langston must take his future into his own hands. He sets out to find the one doctor he believes can cure him, a celebrity magazine columnist who touts questionable prescription drug cocktails. If Langston can become "mentally excellent", it will mean moving into an apartment of his own with his girlfriend, who may herself be a creation of his wishful thinking. Landing in the unscrupulous world of pharmaceutical marketing, the search for his mysterious doctor and hero leads to some unwanted discoveries. Langston strives for independence from his prior life; from his mother, from his neighborhood and from his fractured mind - while all around him people are not who they seem.
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To me, this movie is perfection.
The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.
Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.
A powerful effort from everyone involved. Bravo! So many layers, but ultimately a simple story of a man looking for inner peace and happiness by unraveling a quagmire of mental illness. His obstacles seem impenetrable as his mind weaves delusion, hallucinations and reality so seamlessly that the viewer barely knows what's real. The cast does an incredible job. It's clear that everyone involved was doing it for the love of the script, most importantly Gbenga Akinnagbe who rallied both the writer/director and Alfre Woodard to get the film made. The quick but timely moment of wit were heartening and keeps the audience from sliding into a state of despondence.