Charm City Kings

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2:13

Charm City Kings

R

2020

2h 5m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

79%

Tomatometer

57 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Growing up in West Baltimore, teenage Mouse (JAHI DI'ALLO WINSTON, Queen & Slim, Proud Mary, The Upside) feels the fierce pull of different forces: Between notorious ex-con Blax (Grammy-nominated best-selling artist MEEK MILL) and concerned Detective Rivers (WILLIAM CATLETT, TV's "Black Lightning"), and between the straight path set for Mouse by his concerned mother (TEYONAH PARRIS, If Beale Street Could Talk, Dear White People, TV's "Empire") and the dangers of gang life, which took his brother's life. The one truth Mouse knows is that he loves the power, artistry, and energy of "The Ride" -- the exhilarating motorized-dirt-bike scene that is both a pastime and passion on the streets of Baltimore. During one eventful summer, Mouse has to steer his way through two father figures, a first girlfriend, and the illegal but irresistible thrill of stunt-riding that makes him and his friends feel like CHARM CITY KINGS.

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Critics Consensus

Charm City Kings falls shy of more effective similarly themed coming-of-age films, but strong direction and engaging performances make its flaws easy to forgive.

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Tomris Laffly

Time Out

10/14/2020

4/5

The spirit of old-fashioned coming-of-age fare roars in director Angel Manuel Soto's sun-dappled Charm City Kings.

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Angie Han

FilmWeek (LAist)

10/10/2020

A really engaging story worth watching for the performances.

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Max Weiss

Baltimore Magazine

10/10/2020

3/4

Ultimately, Charm City Kings passes the Baltimore smell test, which is saying a lot.

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Craig D. Lindsey

Crooked Marquee

08/30/2021

D

TV scribe Sherman Payne's script is as predictable as they come...

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Witney Seibold

Critically Acclaimed Podcast

04/22/2021

The natural style and authentic locations add a great deal of excitement and purity to 'Charm City Kings.' I just wish the story weren't so predictable.

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Clement Tyler Obropta

Film Inquiry

03/20/2021

With its challenging performances, elaborate dirt-biking stunts, evocative cinematography, and unique setting for a coming-of-age narrative, it's one of the great gems of 2020.

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Mutalib A

@RT97954997 Jul 24

A really good movie. It contains some important morals. I really liked the setting of the movie and the soundtrack was also great. Overall, it was worth watching.

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Andy P

@RT63232189 Jun 2

Overall amazing movie

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Get S

@RT32782580 03/19/2025

How you got Meek Mill (A Philadelphia Native) in a movie about the dirt bike culture in BALTIMORE CITY! That was strike one. Strike two, the young kid who the movie was centered around did a terrible job of trying to mimic the Baltimore accent making this movie extremely hard to sit through. Baltimore City has a lot of young talent that always goes unnoticed ! It would’ve been refreshing to see an actual kid(s) from the city take on this role and do it’s justice because Jahi Winston did not.

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dave d

@RT34924333 11/29/2022

Jahi Di'Allo Winston shines in a complicated role and Charm City Kings is an off the radar gem. Other than a 3rd act turn, the film is generally a completely plausible one. These types of movies haven't been made for all races and it's about time there is one focusing on the city of Baltimore and how hard it is to make something of yourself in this place called America. It's not perfect, but for a complete culture this film should have been seen by tens of millions not tens of hundreds. It is a really good inner-city coming of age drama with a few laughs to keep it going. It is based on a documentary on the dirt bike and motorbike scene in Baltimore. It is well worth the time. Final Score: 9/10

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08/04/2022

The greatest 02 hours: and 05 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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avindu g

@RT86379654 04/23/2022

A great movie about the youthful pursuit of genuine freedom and expression. It's a big bad world that awaits a young man. But this cleverly acted out and well made story let us witness how a young man's future shapes up when met with a web of cross roads.

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Angel Manuel Soto

Director

Jahi Di'Allo Winston

Mouse

Meek Mill

Blax

William Catlett

Detective Rivers

Teyonah Parris

Teri

Kezii Curtis

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Charm City Kings: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Growing up in West Baltimore, teenage Mouse (JAHI DI'ALLO WINSTON, Queen & Slim, Proud Mary, The Upside) feels the fierce pull of different forces: Between notorious ex-con Blax (Grammy-nominated best-selling artist MEEK MILL) and concerned Detective Rivers (WILLIAM CATLETT, TV's "Black Lightning"), and between the straight path set for Mouse by his concerned mother (TEYONAH PARRIS, If Beale Street Could Talk, Dear White People, TV's "Empire") and the dangers of gang life, which took his brother's life. The one truth Mouse knows is that he loves the power, artistry, and energy of "The Ride" -- the exhilarating motorized-dirt-bike scene that is both a pastime and passion on the streets of Baltimore. During one eventful summer, Mouse has to steer his way through two father figures, a first girlfriend, and the illegal but irresistible thrill of stunt-riding that makes him and his friends feel like CHARM CITY KINGS.

Director: Angel Manuel Soto
Producer: Marc Bienstock, Clarence Hammond, Caleeb Pinkett
Screenwriter: Christopher M. Boyd, Sherman Payne
Production Co: Overbrook Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Rating: R (Some Violence|Sexual References|Pervasive Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 8, 2020
Runtime: 2h 5m