Knucklehead (2015 film)

Knucklehead
Directed by	Ben Bowman
Written by	Bryan Abrams Ben Bowman
Produced by	Gbenga Akinnagbe Ben Bowman Jonathan Gray
Starring	Gbenga Akinnagbe Alfre Woodard Amari Cheatom
Cinematography	Soopum Sohn
Edited by	Katie Ennis
Music by	Mike Shobe Benjamin Wright
Production companies	Hayden5 Imaginary People Productions
Distributed by	RLJ Entertainment
Release date	March 26, 2015 (2015-03-26) (Brooklyn Academy of Music)
Country	United States
Language	English

Knucklehead is a 2015 American drama film directed by Ben Bowman. It premiered at the 2015 BAMCinématek New Voices in Black Cinema festival.^[1]

Plot

Convinced that prescription drugs can cure his mental disorder, a neighborhood eccentric (Gbenga Akinnagbe) ventures out of Brooklyn's housing projects to escape his controlling mother (Alfre Woodard), and to find the one doctor who he believes can treat him.

Cast

• Gbenga Akinnagbe as Langston
• Alfre Woodard as Sheila
• Amari Cheatom as Julian
• Carla Duren
• Nikiya Mathis
• Justin Myrick
• Lauren Hodges
• DeWanda Wise as Charlotte

Release

The film premiered as the opening night film at the BAMCinématek New Voices in Black Cinema festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on March 26, 2015.^[2] It was scheduled for release in the U.S. and Canada in late 2016.

Critical reception

Colin Covert gave the film a positive review in Newsweek, writing: "Deftly combining melancholy, tragedy and sly humor, the story is engineered so its gripping drama dovetails neatly with the lead's starry-eyed optimism and the likability of sundry supporting characters. As if juggling chainsaws, Bowman delivers a film that is both troubling and comically upbeat"^[3]

Julie Walker, writing for The Root, said "Knucklehead packs an emotional punch," and declared that Gbenga Akinnagbe "owns the movie" in his first leading role as the mentally challenged Langston.^[4]

John Defore at The Hollywood Reporter praised the cast, also citing Akinnagbe for his "sympathetic performance" in a film "that will attract attention for a brutal turn by Alfre Woodard as his controlling mother." Justin S. Myrick is called out for his portrayal of Arthur, Langston's young friend with, "a smartass spark that animates scenes and balances the bleak situation at home."^[5]

Accolades

Awards and nominations
Association	Date of ceremony	Venue	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
Dances With Films	June 6, 2015	TCL Chinese Theatre	Industry Choice Award	Knucklehead	Won	[6]
American Black Film Festival	June 14, 2015[7]	New York Hilton Midtown	VH-1 Audience Award	Knucklehead	Won	[8]
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Film Festival	April 24, 2015	Saint Anthony Main	Best Narrative Feature ("MN Made")	Knucklehead	Won	[9]
Baltimore International Black Film Festival	October 11, 2015	Charles Theatre	Best Narrative Feature	Knucklehead	Won	[10]
			First Time Feature Director ("Oscar Micheaux Award")	Ben Bowman	Won
Black Reel Awards	February 20, 2016	Washington, D. C.	Outstanding Independent Feature	Knucklehead	Nominated	[11]

References

1. "A Mother's Clutch Makes Its Mark". New York Times. March 21, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
2. "Knucklehead". bam.org. Brooklyn Academy of Music. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
3. "This 'Knucklehead' Will Make You Laugh, and Cry". Newsweek. May 3, 2015.
4. "Abuse and Mental Illness Add a Double Dose of Drama to Alfre Woodard's New Film". The Root. March 28, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
5. "'Knucklehead': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. March 27, 2015.
6. "Clay Riley Hassler's 'Homeless' Wins Top Prize at Dances With Films Festival". The Wrap. June 7, 2015.
7. "2015 Winners". abff.com. American Black Film Festival.
8. American Black Film Festival Editors (June 14, 2015). "2015 Winners". abff.com. American Black Film Festival. Retrieved August 7, 2016. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
9. "MSPIFF ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF JURIED COMPETITION AND AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS". mspfilm.org.
10. "Baltimore International Black Film Festival". facebook.com.
11. "BLACK REEL AWARDS '16 WINNERS & NOMINEES". blackreelawards.com. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020.

External links

• Knucklehead at IMDb
• Official website