"Six Days in 67"

Author(s): Alfredo
Location: New York

"Six Days in 67"

Directed by Antoine Fuqua
Written by Robert Rodat
Original Music by Mark Isham
Film Editing by Michael Kahn
Cinematography by Janusz Kaminski

Main Cast

Kerry Washington - Rebecca Brown
Chiwetel Ejiofor - LeRoi Jones
James McAvoy - Thomas Hayden
Ciaran Hinds - Ilya Abramov
Michael Imperioli - Dominick Marrano
Columbus Short - William Furr
and
Frankie Faison as John Smith

Tagline: "Fighting for their Rights. Fighting for their Lives"

Synopsis: It was the summer of love but in the city of Newark , New Jersey all hell was about to break loose. African-American residents were feeling powerless and disenfranchised. They had been largely excluded from political representation and suffered police brutality. Unemployment, poverty, and concerns about low-quality housing were a way of life for African-American residents.

This unrest came to a head when a black cab driver named John Smith (Faison) was arrested for illegally passing a double parked police car and beaten by police who accused him of resisting arrest. A crowd gathered outside the police station where he was detained and a rumor was started that he had been killed while in police custody. This set off six days of riots, looting, violence and destruction.

In the midst of all the chaos there is Rebecca Brown (Washington), a young nursing assistant and mother of two trying to carry on with life as normal in order to feed her children; LeRoi Jones (Ejiofor), a community activist that will stop at nothing to topple the oppressive system – including lying to the people who follow him; Dominick Marrano (Imperioli), a bigot police officer who doesn't understand why the residents are so angry; Ilya Abramov (Hinds), a neighborhood store owner whose rage against the residents starts to build as his life's investment is being destroyed; Thomas Hayden (McAvoy), a young news reporter looking to climb his way to the top of the industry by covering the riots but soon realizes he’s way over his head; and William Furr (Short), a young college student caught up in the civil rights movement.

Ultimately the riots would leave 26 people dead, 725 people injured and close to 1,500 arrested and an entire city that would never fully recover from those six days in ’67.

What the Press would say:

Director Antoine Fuqua's 'Six Days in '67' will suffer the inevitable 'Crash' comparisons from those who have not seen the movie. That comparison would not only be false but it would be a major slap in the face to the entire cast and crew who've put together a cinematic masterpiece.

Fuqua focuses the movie on the human struggle with the Newark riots as the ultimate metaphor for it. Shot in black and white, the movie has a documentary feel to it especially during the war-like scenes of the actual rioting. He masterfully captures the frustration and anger of the residents in the city of Newark with scenes of events that lead up to the night of John Smith’s arrest. Smith is played wonderfully by veteran actor Frankie Faison (Do the Right Thing).

'Six Days in '67' is a true ensemble piece. The cast is made up of terrific actors that may or may not be entirely known to mass audiences yet so there is no big 'movie stars' to distract the story. Kerry Washington gives a powerfully moving performance as a young mother working as a nursing assistant at the local clinic that will put her children's well-being before hers as is evident in the characters tragic fate. What is so brilliant about Washington's performance is that her character is one of very few words. Her performance is mostly in the eyes and facial expression. Chiwetel Ejiofor is LeRoi Jones, a Black Panther type of character that will stop at nothing to succeed. Ejiofor’s portrays Jones with an Ahab-like obsession and shares the same fate by dooming those that follow him. Michael Imperioli, James McAvoy and Ciaran Hinds all give Oscar-worthy performances. This is the movie to beat come Oscar time.

Best Picture
Best Director - Antoine Fuqua
Best Original Screenplay
Best Actress - Kerry Washington
Best Actor - Chiwetel Ejiofor
Best Supporting Actor - Michael Imperioli
Best Supporting Actor - Ciaran Hinds
Best Supporting Actor - James McAvoy
Best Author
Best Cast
Best Crew
Best Casting Choice-Chiwetel Ejiofor
Best Plot/Synopsis