Set in Cleveland, Ohio The Land, led by freshman director Steven Caple Jr., explores the story of young, impressionable people from the inner city choosing criminal activity over hard work as a means to free themselves, and their families, from poverty-ridden lives and pursue their true passion.
The film centers around four young skateboarders, Cisco (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), Junior (Moises Arias), Patty Cake (Rafi Gavnor), and Bobby (Ezri Walker), and their dreams of becoming professional skateboarders. Unable to enter the necessary tournaments for skateboarding success the quartet discuss alternate options for raising cash. As frustration and desperation builds, the foursome abandon amateur film making, turn to carjacking and nearly pay the ultimate price during their first outing.
After finishing the deed, and knocking the motorist out cold, the youths discover a large stash of MDMA (Mollys) in the car’s trunk and embark on a new enterprise that can potentially supply them with enough money to help their families and fund their future skateboarding endeavors. Unbeknownst to them the owner of the pills, a white, ruthless co-op owner named Momma (Linda Emond) who looks every bit like your cookie baking neighbor, is in hot pursuit of recovering her stolen property by any means necessary.
Despite the dark cloud of sadness that hovers over their respective lives, there are glimmers of light when we see Cisco daydreaming of skateboarding success and Junior interacting with his mother and sister. Unfortunately for the crew the darkness is never far behind as Momma wages war to regain her lost supply. With a few casualties claimed along the way the saga of ambition, poverty and desperation builds to a climatic ending.
With a talented cast that also includes Erykah Badu as Cisco’s drug addicted, prostitute aunt, The Land sufficiently paints a picture of what many young people are struggling with on a global scale. Illegal activity as a means to fund passion.
Nas joins the crew to assist Caple as the film and soundtrack’s executive producer.
The Land opens in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles today.
BSO Grade: B-