While transcending dire circumstances through putting on a show is a tired Hollywood conceit, OT: our town breathes surprising life into the idea, telling the complexly layered tale of a Compton, California high school performing its first play in 20 years, despite having no budget and no stage. Teacher Catherine Borek chooses Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" for its universal themes but at first her students rebel against its old-fashioned Yankee personality, hilariously brought out with intercut scenes from a Hal Holbrook tele-play from the '70s. But OT: our town has more on its mind than culture clash: it moves beyond Compton's gangsta stereotypes to tell a moving story about personal transformation and art's ability to break through boundaries. (PS)
Newsweek article about OT (PDF)