Numerootno A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Francene Odetta It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

SnoopyStyle It's 1954. Ben Kurtzman (Ben Foster) comes from the northwest section of Baltimore in a Jewish neighborhood. There is institutionalized anti-Semitism. He lives with his older brother Van (Adrien Brody), mother Ada (Bebe Neuwirth), father Nate (Joe Mantegna) and grandma. Integration is bringing in blacks and Ben falls for Sylvia as she introduces him to black culture. Van obsesses over blonde WASP princess Dubbie. Her complicated boyfriend Trey Tobelseted takes him under his wing to the confusion of his racist friend Ted. Nate runs the numbers and has a burlesque theater as his legitimate business. Small-time weed pusher Little Melvin (Orlando Jones) hits it big on the numbers.Filmmaker Barry Levinson brings his Baltimore hometown onto the screen. I don't find Ben Foster's side of the story that compelling when it probably should be the A story. The more fascinating story is Adrien Brody and his obsession with Dubbie and her complicated relationship with Trey. Also Yussel is a funny character. There is some great music like James Brown in the movie and it's a terrific era for that. I wish the movie has more period rock music integrated into its tone.

bsinc I found "Liberty Heights" an immensely entertaining movie which shows great talent, especially actor-wise. The movie is a great portrayal of how things looked like in America in the 50's, showing religious, racial, social and other differences and also showing how these differences can easily be overcome once a person realizes(or as was the case in this movie-doesn't even consider) that different only and always means worse. Ben Foster steals the show from the first scene and Adrien Brody is in close second place. And because they had such screen persona, or power if you will, I found if distracting and a bit out of place when at the end the story shifted too much to Joe Mantegna, their movie father. I have much respect for the man, he's an immense and always fun-to-watch actor, but in this movie it was him that was overshadowed, which is ironic since HE was the one who usually did this. A great, lightheaded growing-up movie that begins and ends with a nostalgic note, once again making me wish I'd have a chance to live in that day and age. Much praise to Barry Levinson for composing "Liberty Heights". 8/10

cbellor Liberty Heights shows us a world that hasn't been seen too often inmovies. No, I'm not talking about the 50's. I'm talking about JewishAmerican families suffering from prejudice in a country where they arestill not allowed in Anglo majority swimming areas - all this, only 10years after Europe's holocaust. The film's main characters are Ben and Van Kurtzman. Ben is a characterwho is appealing in that he is a young man who thinks for himself in asociety where everyone else has conformed to the same sentiments towardsrace, sex, and religion. Ben goes so far as to go out with a blackgirl, question prayer in school, and dress up as Hitler on Halloween. This last thing obviously makes his mom flip out. Ben's brother Van alsopursues a girl outside his ethnic group, however he is not taking as biga risk as his curious younger brother. The scene in which Ben is toldoff by his mom for dressing up as Hitler is a great example ofcontradiction considering that this women who is prejudiced againstblacks is shouting at her son for dressing up as a man who was equallyprejudiced against Jews. You get the sense that director Barry Levinson may be trying to tell theaudience through Ben that while growing up, everything in life is worthquestioning - just because your parents, friends, or religion sayssomething is right or wrong doesn't necessarily mean it is. Unfortunately, Levinson doesn't quite relay these ideals as well as hecould have. Instead, he insists on familiarizing us with the illegalgoings on of Ben's father in a mild strip club. This subplot comes offas awkward, uncompelling, and a little unecessary in a film centeredaround two sons' journeys down different roads. Final note: This film is worth seeing, however it's a shame it wasn't

CharltonBoy Liberty Heights is not an action movie, it isnt a film filled with stars , it does not have a twist and it isnt a film that makes you cry but it is a good movie. This is the story of a Jewish family , mainly the father and his two sons and basically how they live their lives. The father runs an illegal gambling racket ut gets into serious trouble, the older son is infactuated by an unabtainable girl who turns out to be more trouble than it's worth and the younger son befriends a black girl much to the disgust of both their parents. The film is funny in parts and does have a dig at the jewish,white and black groups without actually shoving political or moral messages down your throat. A nice movie. 7 out of 10.