[yasr_overall_rating]
The romantic and coming-of-age misadventures of a 13-year-old American living in Germany.
When I was a young boy – maybe nine or ten – it was very easy for me to immerse myself into the world of whatever film I happened to be watching. From “Wizard of Oz” to “Jumanji” to the “The Goonies,” all of them felt like an adventure. It was all so new and fresh, and the characters always seemed to possess certain ephemeral qualities. As I grew older, however, the novelty wore off. It became easier to see production flaws, and harder to empathize with the characters. Maybe this is just a part of growing up – I don’t really know. What I do know is that “Morris From America” is a wonderful vehicle to the past for adult viewers, providing a window into the travails of youth. The essence of this feature is such that it will ask one thing of you, and one thing only: remember the intensity that defines the metamorphosis from innocent child into cultivated adult.
The eponymous Morris, portrayed brilliantly by Markees Christmas, is a thirteen-year-old African-American adolescent living in Heidelberg, Germany with his widowed father (Craig Robinson). Morris is having difficulty, understandably, adjusting to their relocation from New York City to peri-urban Germany. He is a rap and EDM aficionado, finding release in music. As is wont to happen, however, Morris develops a crush on a German classmate named Katrin that quickly snowballs into an infatuation. “Morris” the film explores the evolution of Morris the character from naïve young boy into a maturing teenager, with the emotional scars of embarrassment, lovesickness, and self-doubt that accompany any such transformation.
The picture’s greatest strength is when it takes the opportunity to showcase Morris’ inner turmoil – again, it is impossible not to shower young Markees Christmas with praise here for delivering a performance far beyond his years. It is worth noting that Robinson’s performance as Morris’ father is also excellent, and allows him to showcase his breadth as an actor beyond comedic roles. The relationship between Katrin and Morris, however, is what really lends the film its magic. Katrin often seems like she is oscillating between toying with the younger Morris, and actually being intrigued with him. Morris, for his part, is so helplessly in love that he will do anything for her attention. Meanwhile, he is bullied mercilessly by older German boys, who denigrate both his skin color and his American nationality, while they ironically sport clothes containing the logos of major companies and athletic franchises from the United States.
I suspect that at one time or another, everyone has had a Katrin in their life. Usually, that sort of unbridled passion for the approval of another burns most brightly in early adolescence. This is why Morris is so relatable – most everyone can harken back to a time in their teenage years when they felt like an outsider, with maybe not much to hold onto in terms of tangible hope. “Morris” excels in not tripping over itself or feeling too heavy-handed. Rather, it lets the characters tell their story, and it feels completely organic. Furthermore, the intricately chosen soundtrack perfectly encapsulates the roller coaster of emotions that define this particular cohort.
In a world of young adult film franchises that purport to portray their protagonists as representing the youth of today, “Morris” is the rare film that actually achieves this. It doesn’t shoehorn its characters – rather, it develops them as complex and multifaceted. The viewer will almost certainly leave feeling a wistful connection to their own juvenile lives, while also deeply thankful that they don’t have to experience those hellish trials once again. It is the uncommon artistic endeavor that can make individual connections on this level. “Morris From America” achieves that, and deserves the platitudes that it will receive.
Opens in Dallas at the Texas Theater Friday, September 2nd
