Get on the Bus Soundtrack

Prolific director Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X) offers the fictionalized account of the pilgrimages black men all across the country made to the Million Man March in Washington, D.C., and the process showcases a fine ensemble cast of eclectic actors. Shot in a fast-paced low-budget style, the film chronicles a bus trip beginning in Los Angeles and the passengers, all from vastly divergent ages, backgrounds, and beliefs, getting to know one another and discussing their respective reasons for making the trip. The group, including a gay couple, a father and his son, a cop, and an actor, each confront the hostilities and prejudices they have faced as well as the ones they hold within themselves. And along the road they encounter incidents that bring into sharp focus the need they feel to acknowledge their heritage and shared struggle. Frequently entertaining in its rapid pace and cutting dialogue, this small but ambitious effort is sure to provoke debate even as it entertains. --Robert Lane