As four friends prepare for life after high school, different challenges bring about turning points in each of their lives. The dramas unfold and resolve at their local rollerskating rink, Cascade.
The film's special appeal is that while the boys are poor and black, their stories transcend race and socio-economic matters.
– Ruthe Stein,
San Francisco Chronicle,
31 Mar 2006
fresh:
For a run-of-the-mill hip-hop drama, ATL has some engaging hooks that set it apart from the predictable formula of urban youth struggling to steer clear of crime and pull themselves up to a better life.
– Ted Fry,
Seattle Times,
31 Mar 2006
rotten:
Warner Bros.' low-budget stab at capturing an urban niche audience is higher on stylistic dazzle than originality or coherence, making it an unlikely candidate to bust out of the box office ghetto.
– Justin Chang,
Variety,
31 Mar 2006
fresh:
It's something akin to the earlier films of Spike Lee -- She's Gotta Have It and Crooklyn come to mind -- in that the characters are cherished for their human qualities, not for how well they swagger onto the screen.