ATL

Year: 2006
USA: Warner Bros Pictures
Cast: Tip Harris, Lauren London, Antwan Andre Patton, Mykelti Williamson, Keith David, Greg Andrews, Monica, Brandon Bernard Benton, Adam Boyer, April Clark, Albert Daniels, Steven R Ewing, Alvin Lee Fleming, Cameron Gipp, Bart Hansard, Khadijah, Malika, Wayne Hardnett, Monique Harris, Tae Heckard, Nick Hudani, Jackie Long, Marie McAdoo, Lonette McKee, Lauren Leah Mitchell, Markice Moore, Margo Moorer, Roderick Mosley, Zoe Myers, Ayesha Ngaujah, Jameelah Nuriddin, Gregory Oliver, Vanessa Petrosky, Jazze Pha, Ashley Ragland, Deon Ramone, Ric Reitz, Christopher Ray Robinson Ii, Evan Ross, Onira Satterwhite, Tyree Simmons, Tasha Smith, Almario Thomas, Jason Weaver, Laparee Young, Jorge Luis Abreu, Blaze
Director: Chris Robinson
Country: USA
USA: 105 mins
USA Rated: PG-13 for drug content, language, sexual material and some violence
USA Release Date: 31 March 2006


Synopsis

17 year-old Rashad (Tip Harris) was forced to become the man of the house earlier than most. Since the death of his parents, he's carried the responsibility for himself and his little brother Ant (Evan Ross) squarely on his shoulders. While he does his best to keep Ant in school and out of the trouble that's always lurking just around the corner in their South Atlanta neighborhood, sometimes it seems like a losing battle - Rashad can't be everywhere at once, and Ant is dangerously close to falling under the spell of a local dealer who promises fast money and the respect Ant dreams of getting.

A talented artist, Rashad doesn't see any future for himself beyond assisting his Uncle George (Mykelti Williamson) as a janitor after school. The thing is, "assisting" George actually means doing all the work and seeing none of the cash.

Lately it seems the only bright spot in Rashad's life is New-New (Lauren London). She sees something special in him, something more than he sees. When the two get together, everything begins to change, and Rashad's future starts to open up for the first time. But New-New has a secret that's getting harder and harder to keep.

Behind her ghetto-fabulous front, New-New is actually Erin, a rich girl from the right side of the tracks who's drawn to the music and vibrant life she sees in Rashad's neighborhood. Her father, successful CEO John Garnett (Keith David), grew up on the south side of town, but once he left he never looked back. Garnett doesn't want his daughter slumming on the southside, and forbids her from setting foot anywhere near his old neighborhood. So every weekend she leaves Erin behind, lying to her parents so that she can become New-New, the person she thinks she needs to be to find acceptance in Rashad's world.

Besides New-New, there aren't many people Rashad can count on. His best friend Esquire (Jackie Long) is an ambitious student who dreams of attending an Ivy League college, and is willing to do anything to make that dream come true. When Esquire runs into New-New while cozying up to her influential father for a letter of recommendation, he has to make a decision whether or not to blow her cover.

When Rashad finds out New-New's real story, he doesn't know who to trust anymore - it seems everyone in his life is lying to him, even the people he loves the most. As Ant gets pulled deeper into the life of a dealer and Rashad's dreams for him begin to fade, Rashad is going to have to make tough choices about what he wants and where he's going.