Music + Movies + TV

Red Hook Summer – A Spike Lee Joint

August 16, 2012

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2 min read

Spike Lee would not be Spike Lee, unless he was making low-buget films with exceptional performances that instigates much needed conversations about relevant social issues. With Spike Lee, you can always count on this. For those that have been worried that he has not been Spike Lee lately, there's Red Hook Summer . . . this is a Spike Lee Joint.

“Red Hook Summer is the latest in Spike Lee’s Chronicles of Brooklyn (which also include SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT, DO THE RIGHT THING, CROOKLYN, CLOCKERS, and HE GOT GAME), RED HOOK SUMMER tells the story of Flik Royale, a sullen young boy from middle-class Atlanta who has come to spend the summer with his deeply religious grandfather, Bishop Enoch Rouse, in the housing projects of Red Hook. Having never met before, things quickly get off on the wrong foot as Bishop Enoch relentlessly attempts to convert Flik into a follower of Jesus Christ. Between his grandfather’s constant preaching and the culture shock of inner-city life, Flik’s summer appears to be a total disaster–until he meets Chazz Morningstar, a pretty girl his age, who shows Flik the brighter side of Brooklyn. Through her love and the love of his grandfather, Flik begins to realize that the world is a lot bigger, and perhaps a lot better, than he’d ever imagined.” RedHookSummer.com

The story was written in collabo with James McBride. McBride is a well-known teacher, journalist, novelist and musician. He also worked on Miracle at St. Anna (another Spike Lee Joint). Red Hook Summer was born out of Lee's and McBride's frustation with Hollywood's lack of interest in portraying the reality of “black kids living in big city poverty”.

Red Hook Summer is playing in limited release. Click here to see if it is playing near you.