Note: This article was originally published in Technician on March 30, 2006.
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'ATL' intriguing yet vacant
Just when you thought the world had run out of rap stars to put in movies, here comes ATL, starring Southern black rapper T.I. Yet unlike recent films starring musicians, which have only really served as propaganda for their stars' music, ATL takes a more profound look at the issues affecting black urban teens.
Set in South Atlanta, the film follows Rashad (T.I.), an African-American teen struggling to keep up with his responsibilities. He looks after his brother, Ant (Evan Ross), has a job as a janitor and spends most of his free time hanging out with friends at the local roller skating rink. But when love enters his life in the form of New-New (Lauren London), he falls into a web of lies and distrust in which everyone around him has something to hide.