The two boys are left to fend for themselves and must forage for food, dodge police and navigate a hostile neighbourhood while awaiting a child actor casting call. 108 minutes. There are plenty of sad and disturbing moments in this movie, but all of them managed to become inspirational and uplifting, because the director offered a glimpse of hope in the continuously degrading American society, especially for the poor. From here the story becomes picaresque, with Mister and Pete resembling Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer as they flaunt the authorities in their quest to feed themselves and avoid Riverside, the home for orphan boys. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. Its almost unbearably maudlin stuff, with references to child molestation and other abuse. Director George Tillman, Jr. draws indelible performances from a fantastic cast, which includes Jordin Sparks, Golden Globe and EMMY . The two of them make an odd pair: Mister as the angry and combative adult and Pete as the sensitive kid with no one in the world who cares for him except his pet hamster. The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete. Like all the other grown-up actors, their work is fine and tightly focused. When summer finally ends and the first day of school rolls around, Mister sits once more in the classroom of the same teacher, who asks his students to write the traditional opening day essay, What I Did This Summer. Mister uses his acting abilities to trick the cashier into giving them the groceries for free. Director George Tillman Jr. ("Soul Food," "Men of Honor") does what he can with the material but is unable to overcome the lack of dramatic tension or cohesion at its core. This film is grittily realistic, thanks to a near-perfect cast and superb, thoughtful storytelling. Wright and Mackie have small parts, playing a homeless veteran and a pimp, respectively. "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete" opens with a compression of plight so packed it might set a record. Ethan Dizon plays Pete, Mister's younger sidekick, whose mother is also a working girl. This drama features performances byJennifer Hudson and Jordin Sparks, both singers that became famous after their appearances in the American Idol TV show, followed by acting careers. Cinemark He dreams of becoming an actor and, obsessed with the film Fargo, learns and renacts a key monologue from the script in preparation for the . R (Some Drug Use|Sexual Content|Language). All Rights Reserved. Sullenly at first, and then with increasing big-brother commitment, he takes Pete under his wing. Mister finds a brand new benefit card and takes it instead of stealing all of the food. The movie starts with our main character, Mister, 14, in his school bathroom crying about a rude remark made about his mother on the wall. [9], Learn how and when to remove this template message, Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film, "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete screening at Montclair Film Festival", "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete (2013)", "Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks in Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete", "Lionsgate's Codeblack Films Acquires Sundance Pic 'The Inevitable Defeat Of Mister And Pete', "Weekend Box Office Results for October 11-13, 2013", "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete (2013)", "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete Reviews", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Inevitable_Defeat_of_Mister_%26_Pete&oldid=1126387040, This page was last edited on 9 December 2022, at 02:22. Still, this is a touching portrayal of friendship and loyalty between kids thrust together by unhappy circumstances. Mister and Pete realize Gloria has been gone too long, so they call the jail and find out she has been released for a week already. Faced with more than any child can be expected to bear, the resourceful Mister nevertheless feels he is an unstoppable force against seemingly immovable obstacles. All rights reserved. Working with cinematographer Reed Morano, Tillman applies a slick visual sheen, bringing vivid textures to the tough neighborhood, the bleak public-housing corridors and shabby apartments. Peter Sobczynski is a contributor to eFilmcritic.com and Magill's Cinema Annual and can be heard weekly on the nationally syndicated "Mancow's Morning Madhouse" radio show. A coming-of-age story about two inner city boys who are left to fend for themselves over the summer after their mothers are taken away by the authorities.A coming-of-age story about two inner city boys who are left to fend for themselves over the summer after their mothers are taken away by the authorities.A coming-of-age story about two inner city boys who are left to fend for themselves over the summer after their mothers are taken away by the authorities. The end result proves to be as awkward as its title thanks to its uneven screenplay and tone, and questionable casting in supporting parts. The boys are connecting and trying to make light of a bad situation. 2023's Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-offs. [Motion Picture]. But these valiant men, women, and children also face the seemingly insurmountable challenges of hunger, homelessness, violence, unemployment, inadequate health care, inadequate wages, and overwhelming feelings of fear and self-hatred. When Pete's mother goes missing and Mister's is arrested, the boys must attempt to survive on their own, evading law enforcement and the threat of social . He further undermines the proceedings with the odd decision to populate the supporting cast with a number of familiar faces that stand out uneasily amongst the otherwise realistic surroundingsbesides Hudson, there are appearances by Jeffrey Wright as a homeless man, Jordin Sparks as a sweet-natured former neighbor of Mister's who is now living in the lap of relative luxury thanks to her married lover, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as a cop in hot pursuit of the two kids and Anthony Mackie, wearing a beard of such insane majesty that arguably deserves its own screen credit, as the friendly neighborhood pimp. Thirteen-year-old Mister (Skylan Brooks) lives with his mother Gloria (Jennifer Hudson), a prostitute and heroin addict. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter Under the direction of George Tillman Jr., these two young performers exercise remarkable restraint, never milking the material for unearned tears. After his mother is apprehended by the police, a 13-year-old has to fend for himself while dodging child protective services. No, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete is not available to stream on Netflix. their moments of sweet camaraderie and generosity. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. They have no greater prospects than they've ever had; the gleaming Gotham that rises across the East River may as well be the Land of Oz. Director George Tillman, Jr. draws indelible performances from a fantastic cast, which includes Jordin Sparks, Golden Globe and EMMYAward winner Jeffrey Wright, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Anthony Mackie, and Golden Globe and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, all led by Ethan Dizon and Skylan Brooks in a stunning breakout performance as Mister. Mister hands in his paper title, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete. The film opens on the last day of school. Mister and Pete manage to hide from the police for a while, and taking care of themselves proves to be a difficult and impossible task. But, they decide not to chase him and thank Dipstick for the tip. The film exposes the lack of real role models for the children in the society where the only value is the almighty dollar, and the authority figures were presented as menacing instead of helpful at times. Mister is a movie buff, at one point reciting an amusingly incongruous snatch of dialogue from Fargo; one of the most poignant moments has him performing a monologue shaped from his mother's . If you need to flag this entry as abusive. Privacy Policy We feel nothing but respect for these two survivors Eligible. The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete features strong work by Jennifer Hudson, Jeffrey Wright, Jordin Sparks and Anthony Mackie. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. Jennifer Hudson takes on the role with vigour, scarred . Its summer, they dont have air conditioning, theyre low on food, and have no money. During a sweltering summer in New York City, 13-year-old Misters (Brooks) hard-living mother (Hudson) is apprehended by the police, leaving the boy and nine-year-old Pete (Dizon) alone to forage for food while dodging child protective services and the destructive scenarios of the Brooklyn projects. It is a coming-of-age story about two inner-city youths, who are left to fend for themselves over the summer after their mothers are taken away by the authorities. But, then we meet Alice, Misters love interest who seems to really care about him and his well-being. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Rotten Tomatoes news! 13-year-old Mister's hard-living mother is apprehended by the police, leaving him and nine-year-old Pete to survive alone while dodging child protective services and the dangers of the Brooklyn projects. And given how formulaic much of this material is, the dramas resolution is unsatisfying, giving Mister a reprieve but leaving Petes fate up in the air. drama . This could be powerful stuff in the right hands, but the screenplay by first-time writer Michael Starrbury is a bit of a mess throughout. Mister takes it hard, as he does all the bad luck dished out to him, but it's clear he's going to fight back. Don't miss a beat. They fall asleep while the turkey they got from Petes house is cooking, and burn their last food source to a crisp. View Comments. Lionsgate. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. Story: The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete is a 2013 film about two young boys, Mister and Pete, who go against all odds one summer when their mothers were both arrested for drugs and prostitution. Petes tearful mortification when they pass his messed-up mother on a street corner is heart-wrenching. The cashier from the convenient store sees Mister and attacks him, but Sergeant Pike is there to save him. Copyright Fandango. One film to pick up attention recently is The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete which saw Anthony Mackie star alongside Jennifer Hudson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje,Jordin SparksandJeffrey Wright. Pete's is the voice of innocence, the modulating influence of reason and fairness in the face of corruption. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUBnTs3z5jI, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete A Look into theActors, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete StrikingSound, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete The Effectiveness ofLighting, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete A BlogSummary. (LogOut/ Gloria breaks down to her son, and apologizes to him for everything thats happened to him because of her. When police carry off Mister's mother to rehab and Pete's mother disappears into the shadows, the boys are on their own for the summer, trying to beat the heat and stay alive. We meet Pete, 9, who is always around because his mother is an addict too, so Mister is forced to babysit him. Misters house is broken into, and he finds everything of value he ever had, gone. Writer of novels, film reviews, food news, and essays on contemporary culture. If I knew Gloria was going to go to rehab after jail, I think it would have been a little difficult feeling sympathy for the struggling boys, because I would have known they had made a bad choice. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Mister is reluctant to depend on anyone since he has his own plan to escape from the ghetto: an acting audition for a TV series that will prove him to be a star. Returning home distraught after learning hes flunking eighth grade, Mister (Skylan Brooks) finds his mother Gloria (Hudson) in a doped-up haze. The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete: Directed by George Tillman Jr.. With Skylan Brooks, Ethan Dizon, Jennifer Hudson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. Mister has trouble in school and does not want to repeat . When he gets back to the complex, he finds Pete running away from a couple of officers trying to apprehend him. Film critic and reporter covering movies and the people who make them, Mister (Skylan Brooks), left, and Pete (Ethan Dizon) take care of themselves in The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete. (Lions Gate Entertainment Inc.). Anthony Mackie has become a global superstar in recent years and with his latest series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, now airing on Disney+, fans are starting to turn to the actors impressive back catalogue of films. Mister gets into an argument with Dipstick in the courtyard, where Dipstick beats him up and Alice comes to Misters rescue. 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