A while ago, I (as well as the bajillion of other black entertainment blogs out there) told you about Premium. It’s an independent movie with limited theater release that I had the privilege to get a copy from Tynicka to peep the dvd.

Pretty much the basic plot is that Dorian Missick’s character, Cool, is an actor trying to get in the game. But while he’s trying to go for roles that will benefit his range, he’s continually typecast for roles that are usually given to blacks. Y’know…criminal or rapper, etc. At the same time, Eva Pigford’s character, Farrah gets roles, but not on her acting talent. That’s god-given looks. Cool’s life is struggle and juggle throughout the movie as he balances trying to get acting work. Working (but not really) at a gas station. And sharing an apartment with his mom & her boyfriend. His mom’s boyfriend owns the gas station in which Cool works. Charli (Zoe Saldana), a constantly-mopey physciatrist, arrives at the gas station and Cool starts having flashbacks of the relationship they once shared 3 years prior. After showing a rekindled interest, Charli introduces Cool to her fiance, Ed (Hill Harper), a well-to-do and snobby lawyer.

Without giving out the rest of the story, you’d realize the irony of the movie. Cool is tired of playing stereotypical roles, but the roles that the main characters play are stereotypical of black people. Maybe you can apply this to ALL people. But I see this most in blacks. Cool is introduced as a manchild. He’s lax about his job. He takes the gas station and the available acting work for granted. He’s 28 and still lives at home with his mom and her bf. And he’s riding a bike as his mode of transportation, if not running. Not that there’s anything wrong with it. But it’s used as a point of contrast from Charli’s Honda Accord and Ed’s luxury whip. Ed and Charli already live in a house outside the city. They drink wine with dinner. No Kool-Aid in mason jars? Ed is made to be snobby and Cool is blue collar. And that does seem to happen when the brothas get degree money, they change. They flaunt the sheepskin and are all of a sudden too-good for the hood. Then again, when Cool’s mom and bf tell him about their engagement and their impending migration, Cool flips out. This has been shown in many John Singleton movies as well. Example: Caine in Menace II Society, Doughboy in Boyz In The Hood, and Jody in Babyboy. And just like these individuals (sans Doughboy he was murdered a week after he was kicked out remember) after their world comes crashing down around ‘em, and after mom is through with breastfeeding, all of them find a way to get their act together and handle business. Just minus the violence. Which is a nice change of pace. The movie also points to the fact that it’s hard for a black man to get ahead of…ourselves. Not only Cool was holding himself back, but other black people as well. There’s a scene, during one of Cool’s auditions, where this stereotypical looking black mofo complete with the pick in his afro was telling Cool that he was “speaking black”. Cool busts out into a small slang-filled diatribe describing a life of an individual that you’ve seen in all of those John Singleton movies and it pleased the afro man. Cool ends the diatribe by pointing a gun and getting thrown out the audition…all in character. Another scene…Cool is complaining to his agent about the stereotypes in the roles that he’s getting. His agent, in a nutshell, says you need these to get your feet wet or get some of your black friends together and make a script. I noticed that Cool doesn’t acknowledge the latter at all. Maybe because, getting that done is damn near impossible. I can’t think of 5 friends right now that I could get together to create a good, viable, cohesive screenplay. While in his off-time, Cool is dodging/getting fired from work and trying to get back with Charli. Cool’s moment of manhood comes when a group of individuals ask him to audition and they ask who he is… this is significant because all he could give them were stereotypical responses of what some individuals say about black people (”I love me some fried chicken.”) Cool was so ready to receive that same nonsense that he’s been getting all along, that he realize thats all he knew. He’s dismissed and somehow gets another shot at the same role. He blows it by being 2hrs late from trying to win Charli over again. The group dismiss him again and Charli leaves too. Cool pours out his heart to Charli in front of the group. The group hire him on THAT alone. It’s a small role, but Cool makes the most out of it. Everything is looking up. Farrah is now his official girl. A year later, Cool and Charli meet again at the gas station. Charli tells Cool that she and Ed didn’t marry. Cool doesn’t chase this time.

I’m saying…he got Eva. Good choice. I liked it. It wasn’t no bs movie like The Wood / Best Man / The Brothers / Kingdom Come. And nobody got shot up. And I didn’t see any blatant coonery. Oh yeah I did, Cool’s act on the Burger Jester’s commercial. Cop the movie to see what I’m talking about. I’m a fan of all of these actors. Hopefully we’ll see more of Dorian Missick in projects in years to come. He’s been doing it for awhile and he’s definitely a pro. Pete Chatmon, I got some ideas for movies!