Crown Heights (film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Crown Heights

| image = Crown Heights poster.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| director = Matt Ruskin

| producer = {{Plainlist|

Natalie Galazka
Matt Ruskin
Nnamdi Asomugha

}}

| writer = Matt Ruskin

| based_on = This American Life: Colin Warner

| starring = {{Plainlist|

Lakeith Stanfield
Nnamdi Asomugha
Natalie Paul
Marsha Stephanie Blake
Nestor Carbonell
Gbenga Akinnagbe
Sarah Goldberg
Josh Pais
Ron Canada
Zach Grenier

}}

| music = Mark De Gli Antoni

| cinematography = Ben Kutchins

| editing = Paul Greenhouse

| studio = {{Plainlist|

Black Maple Films
Washington Square Films
Iam21 Entertainment

}}

| distributor = {{Plainlist|

}}

| released = {{Film date|2017|1|23|Sundance|2017|8|18|United States}}

| runtime = 94 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

| gross = $238,558{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=crownheights.htm |title=Crown Heights |author= |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=25 December 2017 }}

| italic_title = yes

}}

Crown Heights is a 2017 American biographical crime drama film written and directed by Matt Ruskin. Adapted from a This American Life podcast, the film tells the true story of Colin Warner who was wrongfully convicted of murder, and how his best friend Carl King devoted his life to proving Colin's innocence. The film stars Lakeith Stanfield as Colin Warner and Nnamdi Asomugha as Carl King.

It premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2017 and won the Audience Award for U.S. Dramatic Film.{{cite web | url = https://deadline.com/2017/01/crown-heights-sundance-audience-award-interview-lakeith-stanfield-nnamdi-asomugha-1201896701/ | title = Crown Heights Nets Sundance U.S. Dramatic Audience Award | date= January 28, 2017 | access-date = January 31, 2017 | publisher = Deadline Hollywood | author = Joe Utichi }}{{cite web | url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2017/01/29/sundance-film-festival-awards-2017/97201710/ | title = Sundance Winners: 'Crown Heights reigns victorious' | date= January 29, 2017 | access-date = January 31, 2017 | work = USA Today | author = Patrick Ryan }} The film was released on August 18, 2017, by Amazon Studios and IFC Films.

Cast

{{castlist|

Lakeith Stanfield as Colin Warner
Nnamdi Asomugha as Carl King, Colin’s best friend
Nestor Carbonell as Bruce Regenstreich
Gbenga Akinnagbe as Sampson
Sarah Goldberg as Shirley Robedee
Josh Pais as District Attorney Maffeo
Ron Canada as Judge Marcy
Zach Grenier as Detective Cassel
Yul Vazquez as Commissioner Rafello
Nyree Binns as Sasha
Adriane Lenox as Grace
Natalie Paul as Antoinette
Skylan Brooks as Thomas
Armand Schultz as Bob Logan
Amari Cheatom as Leon Grant
Cherelle Cargill as Diane Cardwell
Cory Saint-Laurent as Marvin Grant
Bill Camp as William Robedee
Luke Forbes as Anthony Gibson
Ras Enoch McCurdie as Hassan Wilton
James Ciccone as Desk Officer
Brian Tyree Henry as Massup
James Udom as Mechanic

}}

Production

On August 6, 2015, it was announced that Matt Ruskin would direct a biographical film about wrongfully convicted prisoner Colin Warner based on his own script, which Lila Yacoub would produce along with Black Maple Films and iAm21 Entertainment.{{cite web|last=Lincoln|first=Ross A.|title=Keith Stanfield Will Play Unjustly Convicted Prisoner Colin Warner In Biopic|url=https://deadline.com/2015/08/keith-stanfield-colin-warner-biopic-matt-ruskin-1201493646/|access-date=August 7, 2015|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|date=August 6, 2015}} Lakeith Stanfield was added to the cast to play Warner who spent 20 years in prison for a crime he did not commit in 1980, when he was just 18 years old. Nnamdi Asomugha would also star as Carl King, Warner's lifelong friend who fought to prove Warner's innocence. On September 15, 2015, newcomer Natalie Paul was cast in the film.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/09/emily-ratajkowski-spencer-boldman-cruise-natalie-paul-untitled-colin-warner-gravitas-buys-altered-minds-rights-1201528922/|title=Emily Ratajkowski & Spencer Boldman Go For 'Cruise'; Natalie Paul Joins Untitled Colin Warner Pic|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|first=Erik|last=Pedersen|date=September 15, 2015|access-date=July 21, 2016}}

Principal photography on the film began on September 9, 2015 in New York City.

Release

Crown Heights premiered in competition in the US Dramatic Category at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2017. Amazon Studios acquired distribution rights to the film.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/sundance-amazon-buys-prison-drama-crown-heights-exclusive-1201971644/|title=Sundance: Amazon Buys Prison Drama 'Crown Heights' (EXCLUSIVE)|website=Variety|first1=Ramin|last1=Seetodeh|first2=Brent|last2=Lang|date=January 27, 2017|access-date=January 27, 2017}} IFC Films co-distributed the film alongside Amazon on August 18, 2017.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/05/crown-heights-release-date-sundance-winner-amazon-ifc-films-1202088930/|title=Sundance Winner 'Crown Heights' Gets Release Date From Amazon/IFC Films|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|first=Greg|last=Evans|date=May 10, 2017|access-date=May 11, 2017}} The film received generally favorable reviews out of the Sundance Film Festival,{{cite web | url = https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/sundance-film-review-crown-heights-lakeith-stanfield-1201967163/ | title = Sundance Film Review: 'Crown Heights' | date= January 23, 2017 | access-date = January 31, 2017 | work = Variety | author = Andrew Barker }}{{cite web | url = http://www.sltrib.com/home/4855992-155/sundance-review-crown-heights | title = Sundance Film Review: 'Crown Heights' | date= February 3, 2017 | access-date = February 4, 2017 | work = Salt Lake Tribune | author = Tribune Staff }} winning the Audience Award for U.S. Dramatic Film.{{cite web | url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2017/01/29/sundance-film-festival-awards-2017/97201710/ | title = Sundance Winners: 'Crown Heights reigns victorious' | date= January 29, 2017 | access-date = January 31, 2017 | work = USA Today | author = Patrick Ryan }}

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, Crown Heights has an approval rating of 77% based on 84 reviews. The site’s critics consensus states, "Crown Heights' heartbreaking fact-based narrative -- and LaKeith Stanfield's remarkable starring performance -- push this powerful drama past its structural flaws."{{Cite web |title=Crown Heights |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/crown_heights_2017 |access-date=November 29, 2022 |website=Rotten Tomatoes}} {{MC film|64|25|ref=yes|access-date=December 5, 2022}}

Awards and recognition

Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male - Nnamdi Asomugha (nominee){{cite web |url=https://www.filmindependent.org/spirit-awards/nominee/nnamdi-asomugha/ |title=Nnamdi Asomugha: Nominated for Best Supporting Male |author= |website=Film Independent |access-date=25 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171225203249/https://www.filmindependent.org/spirit-awards/nominee/nnamdi-asomugha/ |archive-date=25 December 2017 |url-status=dead }}