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Rob Brown Movies

Born in 1984, genial actor Rob Brown instantly bypassed bit parts and supporting roles in features by debuting with a lead in a Hollywood A-lister. In 2000, Brown took his first screen bow as Jamal Wallace, a young African-American basketball player with more than a passing flair for writing who develops a surprising friendship with a crusty, agoraphobic novelist (Sean Connery) in Gus Van Sant's gentle coming-of-age drama Finding Forrester. It marked an auspicious beginning to a promising career, and an unpredictable one. With absolutely no formal acting experience, Brown attended the audition with plans to try out as an extra (allegedly because he simply wanted extra money to pay his cell phone bill) and scored the lead. In the process, the neophyte thespian beat out thousands of young hopefuls and prompted Van Sant to later reflect, "[Brown] handled himself so beautifully that I'm not sure how he did it with no previous acting experience -- not even a lesson. We were all amazed."

Brown waited five years to tackle another effort on-camera, and in the interim finished his own tenure at preparatory school in Manhattan. His sophomore outing, the gentle, sports-themed inspirational drama Coach Carter (2005), earned favorable if not unanimously positive reviews, and teamed him up with Samuel L. Jackson. Two additional features, Liz Friedlander's urban dance drama Take the Lead (2006) and Gary Fleder's period sports drama The Express (2008), both recalled Forrester with their similar tales of underdogs who far surpass the expectations thrust onto them thanks to the guidance of a visionary mentor. In 2008, Brown also appeared in Kimberly Peirce's Iraq War drama Stop-Loss in the supporiting role of Isaac "Eyeball" Butler. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
2008  
R  
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After serving his tour of duty in Iraq, a young American soldier who is ordered to return to the front lines as part of the military's controversial stop-loss policy opts instead to go AWOL in a thought-provoking military drama directed by Kimberly Peirce. Sgt. Brandon King (Ryan Philippe) is a decorated Iraq War veteran who once served his country with pride. After his tour of duty comes to an end, King returns to his Texas hometown and attempts to pick up where he once left off with a little help from his family, as well as long-time best friend and war buddy Steve Shriver (Channing Tatum). But just as Brandon, Steve, and the rest of their war buddies begin to settle back into civilian life, Uncle Sam comes calling on them once again. Suddenly ordered back into active duty, the disillusioned war veteran begins to question not just his ties to family and his longtime friendships, but his capacity for love and his sense of honor as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Starring:
Ryan PhillippeAbbie Cornish, (more)
 
2008  
PG  
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Finding Forrester star Rob Brown steps into the cleats of Heisman Trophy-winning gridiron giant Ernie Davis in director Gary Fleder's inspirational sports docudrama. As a young boy reared not far from the northern Pennsylvania state line, Davis dreamed of blasting through the end zone and scoring a triumphant touchdown while fans rose to their feet and cheered. When Davis later became a star running back for the Syracuse Orangemen, his dreams were finally on the way to becoming a reality. Under the wing of coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid), it seemed as if there is nothing that could stop Davis from entering into the annals of sports history; even during an era in which the civil rights movement was just gaining momentum, this fledgling gridiron giant never once doubted his ability to rise to the top. When Davis was diagnosed with leukemia shortly after being drafted into the NFL, however, his will to survive soon eclipsed his dreams of success. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Starring:
Rob BrownDennis Quaid, (more)
 
2007  
R  
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Eva Mendes, Jay Hernandez, and Eric Lively star in a scathing mockumentary/media satire concerning a network executive (Mendes) who pitches a controversial show in which willing contestants participate in a real-life game of Russian Roulette. As the show goes into production, a documentary crew turns their cameras on the production to capture the firestorm of controversy that erupts as the premier date draws ever closer. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Starring:
Eva MendesDavid Krumholtz, (more)
 
2006  
PG13  
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A teacher and his students open up new worlds for one another in this urban drama inspired by a true story. Pierre Dulaine (Antonio Banderas) is a prize-winning ballroom dancer and instructor from Manhattan who volunteers his services to a high school in one of the roughest neighborhoods in the Bronx. Principal Augustine James (Alfre Woodard) in turn gives Dulaine a tough assignment -- a detention class with some of the biggest troublemakers on campus. When the kids learn that Dulaine intends to teach them how to dance in the classic style, they're incredulous at best and dismissive at worst -- until Dulaine demonstrates his moves for the class. While Dulaine's charges -- including Rock (Rob Brown), LaRhette (Yaya DaCosta), Ramos (Dante Basco), Eddie (Marcus T. Paulk), and Sasha (Jenna Dewan) -- respect his talent, they have their own way of dancing, and as they mix hip-hop moves with ballroom discipline, they create an exciting new style. Dulaine also strives to instill self-confidence and a work ethic in his kids, insisting they can make their way out of the ghetto if they're willing to try. Screenwriter Dianne Houston based Take the Lead on the real-life story of Pierre Dulaine, who taught dance as a volunteer to at-risk students at New York elementary schools. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Antonio BanderasRob Brown, (more)
 
2005  
PG13  
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The true-life story of a coach who tries to teach his players that there's more to life than basketball is brought to the screen in this sports drama. Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) was once a star player on the Richmond High School basketball team in Richmond, CA, and years later, after establishing himself in publishing and marketing, he returns to the school and to the team as the new basketball coach. Carter quickly sees that his work is cut out for him -- the team is having an awful season, and their fights off the court are more decisive than their play on the court. While Carter wants to make the Richmond cagers into a winning team, he also wants a lot more -- to teach the boys to respect themselves and one another, and that they must excel in the classroom as well as in the gymnasium. Under Carter's guidance, the team turns their losing season around, with the state title a genuine possibility. However, when Carter learns that a number of his players have let their grade point averages slip below 2.3, as mandated in a contract he entered into with the students, he decides to lock the team out of the gym and send them into study hall until their marks improve. Carter's plan quickly becomes a subject of controversy among parents and team boosters, and their objections are soon picked up by the local news media, many of whom are not sympathetic to Carter's belief that his players must have goals beyond college ball or the NBA. Coach Carter also features Rob Brown and Rick Gonzalez as members of the team, and R&B diva Ashanti in her film debut as the girlfriend of one of Carter's players. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Samuel L. JacksonRobert Ri'chard, (more)
 
2000  
PG13  
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In the spirit of his Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting, Gus Van Sant directs this tale of the unlikely bond that develops between an aging, reclusive novelist named Forrester (Sean Connery) -- who hasn't written anything since winning a Pulitzer Prize decades earlier -- and Jamal (Rob Brown), a 16-year-old with a hidden desire to be a writer. When Jamal is cited for his athleticism in basketball by an elite Manhattan prep school, he is forced to adapt to an environment far from his South Bronx upbringing, and a small mishap leads him to the eccentric, uneasy Forrester. After their initial apprehension of each other, they begin to fuel each other's fire for writing, and become unlikely friends despite their ages and backgrounds. Forrester's devotion to Jamal becomes enhanced when he must defend allegations of plagiarism enforced by Professor Crawford (F. Murray Abraham), jeopardizing Jamal's future. The film also features Anna Paquin, Busta Rhymes, and Zane Copeland, Jr.. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi

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Starring:
Sean ConneryRob Brown, (more)