I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

ATL tells the story of four best friends about to graduate and shows their life stories as they grow up and hang out with each other. Despite this movie not being one that you would take too seriously, i thought the story about 4 friends moving on after high school and resolving issues at the local skate ring they always hung out at was a decent idea, and the acting was actually pretty good. T.I. as the lead character was pretty good. This is not a movie to be taken very seriously, but for what it is, it does a decent job capturing Atlanta's hip hop scene and a lot of the drama that is involved with the kids out there. It shows the real hood part of Atlanta and i guess it demonstrates it well. Also many people don't know that "skating" is actually a trend in some hip-hop parts. Many critics I've read from said the skating was really weird or other negative things. The story is good and it kinda seems like a true story. I also found Big Boi to be funny in this, along with the other group of friends. In my opinion the IMDb rating is underlooked and underrated, comparing this rating to rottentomatoes- there is a difference

If Breakfast Club is a thoroughly mediocre movie that gets a 7.8 just because people get all sentimental and can relate to all of its style and stereotypes, then ATL is getting a 4.1 because IMDb.com users are not getting sentimental and can't relate to it. I'm going to be kind and not cry racism, but rather demographics. They storyline is relevant to those can relate to it. Is being smart and black selling out? Is the hood to be romanticized? Is life just bitches and rims? Is selling weed better than working at Wendy's? What is the penalty for being fake? How do blacks keep it real after they attain success and move to the big house on the hill? It's a good movie, not the 10 I gave it, but I just gave it a 10 to combat the undeserved 4.1. If Breakfast Club gets a 7.8, then ATL gets a 7.8, even though both movies are great for what they are, adolescent coming of age movies.In Breakfast Club, jock, princess and freak all get together and maybe the adult authority figures gain understanding as well. Is that any different than what happens in ATL? Just the demographics are different, although the story is universal.

First of all, let me just say that people in cities like Atlanta, Chicago and Detroit do actually skate; it's not just a plot prop.Sure, it's not the "classic" drug, sex and violence hood flick, but it is a very real story and well told at that. I understand that a lot of people expect that from a movie about black people who live in a city and aren't rich, but the fact is, that's not everybody's life. It's not even most peoples' lives.This a love story people. Subtle, but cuddly and honest. I, for one, enjoyed it. And I think that anyone who does not have to, or otherwise manages to, get over what they expect based on what they've seen can find the human tale underneath and enjoy it too.

When it come's to music video director's going beyond a few verse's,hook,chorus and bridge's and moving up too shoot something with real dialog the results are visually appealing work's of disaster.Just look at "BULLET"with Mickey Rourke or the hip-hop star ensemble of Nas,DMX and Method Man in"Belly".Chris Robinsin who has directed music video's for the like's of Alicia Keys,Nas and other's put's out "ATL" a movie set during(you guessed it Atlanta)the last few week's of high school in the life's of Five Inner city children.There is big brother Rashad played by Hip-Hop star T.I. also known as Tip Harris and his brother Ant is played by Evan Ross son of mother,Diana Ross.The movie is filled with mostly new comer's like Lauren London as New-New,Albert Daniels as Brooklyn and Jackie Long as Esquire.The story has a lot of rough end's in it but still is good enough to the point where it can pass as a good coming of age film.So many black themed film's try to create the warmth soulful feeling in a gritty street atmosphere,and come up with a "Boyz N The Hood" rip off but the nice thing about this is it is deep on level's that are watchable but not to a place where it is over the top.As for the performance factor ATL bring's out a lot of good in the actor's.Jackie Long play's it subtle in humor and the dramatic scene's that are hard to carry in a cast of rookies.Evan Ross turn's out some good work as a care free knuckle head who find's his way into the small time drug game.Grammy wining rapper Big Boi does a realistic gangster/player/tough guy portrayal as Ant's boss.The story was created by Antwone Fisher who wrote the great autobiographical film that his life was.He also touched up a few script's including 1997's "Money Talk's".The bad thing is this could of used a bit off script doctoring.The secret that is of New-New is really old which we have seen in episode's of "Cosby Show""The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air""Sister Sister"and plenty of other black TV show's and movie's.Also the choice to cast T.I. as the lead was a really bad decision on Robinson's part.He seem's bored like he choose to do the movie because the recording studio and video set got boring so he said"hymn i am going to give this a shot"when Tip remain's most safe on stage.This is a thing a lot of black film's are faulted with wanting a crossover audience so instead of casting a real actor they get a rapper.It didn't work for Rza or Xzibit in "Deralied so there is no way it work's for the non charismatic trying too hard too charm performance T.I. give's.What this does well is give inner city blues a human feel.One thing I really liked was the relationship of Mykelit Williamson(Forest Gump,Heat)and his nephew's played by Harris and Ross,ultimately this work's as a flawed coming of age movie,no it doesn't compete with other's of the genre it is in but one refreshing thing is it is not a older wise man helping one of the kid's it is kid's helping kid's.