Filmed over a decade ago, writer/director William Jennings’ Harlem Aria is advertised as a tale about dreams, self-destruction, redemption and opera. However, after seeing it, you realize that the film is mostly a showcase for Executive Producer Damon Wayans to chew the scenery and showcase his talents. This would be fine if his performance wasn’t to the detriment of the rest of the cast. However it is, and even the main character seems to get lost in the wake of Wayans’ greedy portrayal of a homeless hustler. The only thing that survives his incessant scene stealing is the wonderful opera tunes.
Anton (Gabriel Casseus) is a sweet but simple savant in the mold of Forrest Gump. He has the habit of believing the best in everyone and trusts what everyone tells him. Anton lives with his caring but unintentionally smothering Aunt (Eyde Byrde) who treats him like a child. But although he has a low IQ, Anton has big dreams. He wants to be an opera singer and he has a magnificent voice (although the dubbing is not so magnificent), so when he can’t take Auntie’s well-meaning nagging any longer, he sets out on foot from his Harlem home, with only $180 in his pocket, to make his way to Italy. He doesn’t get any further than uptown Manhattan when he has the misfortune to run into streetwise hustler Wes (played with over-the-top gusto by Damon Wayans) who immediately scams Anton out of his money. Anton’s naivete makes him an easy mark.
However, all is not yet lost for our slow-witted singer. He meets a talented piano player named Matt (Christian Camargo) who is the ultimate street performer because he wheels his piano to the park with him every day and plays for donations. One day, Anton joins him and the donations double. They hit it off and it seems like a match made in musical heaven. But there’s a dark cloud on the horizon.
Wiley Wes returns and soon declares himself to be Anton’s manager, taking half of Anton’s money, food and anything else, all the while convincing gullible Anton that it’s Matt who is the untrustworthy one. Matt wisely decides to wash his hands of this pair of pests, but fast talking Wes cons Matt with some reverse psychiatry. Wes makes Matt think he’s some sort of disloyal racist if he cuts his ties to Anton. It seems Matt is almost as gullible as Anton and so he’s stuck with the both of them.
Wes continues to spitefully make life difficult for Matt until he ruins the piano player’s life. Matt is thrown out of his rich girlfriend’s apartment and must join his down-and-out fellow performers on the street where he starts to understand desperation. How can the mismatched trio survive together on the streets of NY? And will innocent Anton ever get to sing opera professionally?
This is the kind of movie that offers few surprises and you can usually see where each scene is going. It’s meant to be uplifting and inspiring, much like Forrest Gump was. But the biggest problem with it is Wayans. His character Wes is far too unlikable. Even though a subplot about his ex-wife Clarisse (Nicole Ari Parker) and cute daughter is added to humanize him, he remains a Fagin-like manipulator who cares about no one but himself, forever manipulating and abusing poor, trusting Anton. Wayans is meant to add humor to the film and his character is constantly babbling profane philosophies of street life. He sometimes goes off on tangents about such things as beating up fictional characters like Fred Flintstone. The big flaw is that he tries way too hard and it’s not necessary, given that everyone else in the film gives quiet performances. When you’re the only clown in the room, you don’t need too upstage anyone.
Casseus gives a likable but mediocre performance as the operatic protagonist but he is too often shoved into the shadow of Wayans' gregariousness to make a strong impression. He comes across as Wayans’ sidekick or straight man, rather than the star of the film. Similarly, Camargo delivers an adequate but unmemorable performance as Matt, forfeiting all the good lines to Wayans. Paul Sorvino has a small part as an opera singer. It's too bad he doesn’t have more screen time. An old pro might have offset Wayans’ ill-advised domination of the film.
Director Jennings doesn’t seem to know what kind of movie he’s making or who it should appeal to. It’s too profane for kids and too saccharine and corny for us jaded adults. Jennings seems to be trying to make a sentimental comedy but there aren’t any real big laughs (despite Wayans’ unending black-vs-white rants) and the other characters come across as props for Wayans’ Wes, who remains too unsympathetic for us to care what happens to him. It’s not too surprising that this is the only film Jennings ever directed.
The movie was made in 1999, as is demonstrated by the sight of the World Trade Center towers in the background of several scenes, but was not released until now. This is not too surprising, considering how inadequate it is on most levels. On the plus side, however, if you like opera, this one has some lovely melodies.
DVD Bonus Features
The special features include a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Harlem Aria, and interviews with William Jennings, Damon Wayans, Gabriel Casseus, Christian Camargo and Paul Sorvino.
"Harlem Aria" is on sale April 6, 2010 and is rated R. Comedy, Drama. Written and directed by William Jennings. Starring Damon Wayans, Gabriel Casseus, Paul Sorvino.
