A group of Florida A&M students gathered in the theater of AMC Tallahassee 20 Wednesday night for the advanced screening of “Motherless Brooklyn.” Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, “Motherless Brooklyn” was written and directed by Edward Norton, who was also in the starring role alongside Bruce Willis, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Alec Baldwin and William Dafoe.
A touching crime drama set in the 1950s about a man (Norton) with Tourette syndrome, “Motherless Brooklyn” was presented to FAMU students to encourage them to engage in conversation on the core themes of the movie. Upon arriving at the theater, students were greeted by representatives from Warner Bros. and were provided with a free coupon for a regular popcorn and drink.
“We wanted to bring this movie to engage with the students of FAMU while bringing one of our newer films before it hits theaters,” Lauren, a representative from Warner Bros., explained to guests as they entered.
They were given directions to the theater. Due to the nature of the advanced screening, guests were instructed to turn off all cell phones to ensure the integrity of the film.
“I really enjoyed the movie. I was a bit skeptical at first because I didn’t know what it was going to be about, but I truly enjoyed it,” Jermaine Perry, a FAMU student, said.
Once the movie began the all attention was given to the film. With many in the crowd unaware of what the movie was truly about, everyone prepared for the two-hour journey of exploration of a new world and all it came with. Upon its conclusion it made sense as to why it was so important for this movie to be shown to FAMU students.
“This movie is perfect for the time we are living in right now,” Simone Perry said. “It touched on so many issues like justice, our neighborhoods, racism, power and mental illness, which is so important in a time like this.”
The only downfall to the event would be the lack of promotion. It was advertised on the istrike portal, where many have noted it for its various success in promoting on-campus events.
“The only thing I would change is that I wish more FAMU students and professors were here,” Perry said. “Everything that the movie covered is overwhelming important for our community.”
“Motherless Brooklyn” was adapted for the screen by Edward Norton from a novel written by Jonathan Lethem. Norton bought the rights for the story more than 20 years ago in order to be able to bring it to the big screen. “Motherless Brooklyn” hits theaters nationwide on Nov. 1.