Roxanne Roxanne

"Life is a battle."

2017 1h 38m EN

😐

6.1

MID

★6.1TMDB · 129

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The most feared battle emcee in the early 1980s in Queens, New York, was a fierce teenager from the Queensbridge projects. At the age of 14, Roxanne Shanté was well on her way to becoming a hip-hop legend, as she hustled to provide for her family while defending herself from the dangers of the street.

“Life is a battle.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Chanté Adams
Roxanne Shanté
Mahershala Ali
Cross
Nia Long
Ms. Peggy
Elvis Nolasco
Ray
Shenell Edmonds
Ranita
Adam Horovitz
Attorney Schwartz
Germar Terrell Gardner
Antwan
Terrence Shingler
Big John

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Michael Larnell
Writers: Michael Larnell
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 9 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Michael Larnell, shot by Federico Cesca. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by RZA. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Editor Claudia Castello shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

Chanté Adams and Mahershala Ali and Nia Long carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Life is a battle.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt5796838 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Michael Larnell directs. Federico Cesca behind the camera. RZA scores. Claudia Castello cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 9 years ago.
2Directed by Michael Larnell, shot by Federico Cesca. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by RZA. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Claudia Castello shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Chanté Adams and Mahershala Ali and Nia Long carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Life is a battle.".
7IMDB entry: tt5796838 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Federico Cesca
Original score: RZA
Editing: Claudia Castello
Production design: Javiera Varas
Costume design: Kama K. Royz
Runtime: 98 min · 1h 38m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Roxanne Roxanne (2017)

Awards

Sundance Special Jury Prize Dramatic

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

A-Dubya2018-04-04
★ 4/10
I was hoping for more. I thought it would delve further into her battles in the hip-hop world, and include more than just brief cameos of rap legends and icons (Biz Markie, MC Shan, Marley Marl, and a young NaS), but instead it turned into just a pseudo-bio/male-bashing escapade. I enjoyed some parts about it, primarily the focus on her rap career, Roxanne's Revenge, and how she came up in the game, but a lot of the time, it felt like this film was something it wasn't advertised as. Being a huge hip hop fan, mainly of the 80's and 90's, I was excited when i saw a biopic on Roxanne Shante. I'm a huge fan of NY hip hop from this era. I was disappointed when most of the film focused on her family struggles, and poor relationships (I would even say decisions too) with men. I knew there would be a backstory about her upbringing, but instead of really talking about the hip hop pioneer that she was, and maybe battles with KRS and others, it was like a 45 minute man-bashing flick veiled as a doc about a hip hop legend. Almost every male character is basically portrayed as abusive, manipulative, violent, or a sexual predator. The few males that somewhat have redeemable qualities are pushed aside, not to be focused on. This trope is one that seems to be the norm far too often in films of the last few years. It is very annoying to me, and reeks of disillusion. Every male is not a creep, just as every female is not a saint in the real world. Even the last excerpt at the end of the film before the credits was so out of place, and didn't seem to fit anything other than an agenda to bash males for "not handling their responsibilities, and bringing women flowers". What this has to do with hip hop culture, or anything relevant, for that matter, is beyond me. It could have been so much better, if it legitimately was about the career of Roxanne Shante, and her rise as a hip hop icon in the 80's. 2 door knocker ear rings out of 5.

Production companies