Mickey Hardaway director shows promise

With his feature film debut Mickey Hardaway, writer/director Marcellus Cox aims for art and message over entertainment, presenting a sad and relevant look at how tragedy develops. A young Black man growing up in Los Angeles County, Mickey faces issues found in many other communities. His abusive father stomps on both Mickey’s body and dreams. Others covet his talent and steal from him. The system in place to help him sort out problems cuts back and fails because of its own set of rules. These events unfold slowly and believably, relying largely on expository dialogue as the story moves back and forth in time. Insights, rather than surprises remain the focus in a project whose static camera plus black-and-white presentation give it a documentary feel throughout. Moments that sound rehearsed reflect the cast’s limited professional experience, though the performers mostly handle extensive dialogue reasonably, including Rashad Hunter in the title role. The project’s low budget shows, as does Cox’s promise as a filmmaker who sees his medium as a tool for understanding.