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Explicit Ills

Play trailer Poster for Explicit Ills R 2009 1h 27m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
54% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 39% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Various lives intersect within urban Philadelphia in unpredictable and dramatic ways. Babo, a young asthmatic boy, resides with his mom in a rough part of town, and their quirky neighbor Dimitri is intent on improving his life by posing as a smart kid. Elsewhere in the city, Jill is having a marital crisis and must contend with her teen son, who has become obsessed with bodybuilding.
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Explicit Ills

Explicit Ills

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Critics Consensus

Though its politics can be heavy-handed at times, Mark Webber's directorial debut is sincere and well-acted.

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Critics Reviews

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Andrew O'Hehir Salon.com 12/17/2021
This gentle, lovely and consistently surprising survey of life in a Philadelphia inner-city neighborhood that's gradually succumbing to gentrification marks the writing and directing debut of 28-year-old actor Mark Webber. Go to Full Review Robert Abele Los Angeles Times 03/20/2009
2/5
A movie that too often feels comprised of arty public service announcements can only be considered a lost opportunity. Go to Full Review Lou Lumenick New York Post 03/06/2009
Despite a good cast, Explicit Ills is about as phony as it gets. Go to Full Review David Harris Spectrum Culture 08/05/2020
1.5/5
There is nothing worse than heavy-handedness when it comes to a political film and Explicit Ills, produced by Jim Jarmusch, is ham-fisted in its own subtle way. Go to Full Review Kevin Carr 7M Pictures 03/02/2011
1.5/5
suffers from a simultaneous affliction of overwriting and underwriting Go to Full Review Bill Gibron Filmcritic.com 07/08/2009
2.5/5
all social smoke and mirrors. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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09/11/2019 This is a great ensemble cast, especially the boy who play Babo. The concept for a great movie is there, it just is executed poorly. Some of the most fantastic camera work I have seen in a movie though, hats of to Rosario for a very deep part. See more 08/30/2013 I don't really like giving one star votes but there was nothing fresh about this story and it couldn't hold my attention. I'm a fan of Rosario Dawson and she's why I watched it but she was only part of a vignette so it just wasn't enough to save it. I watched most of it but didn't finish it, unless there was some sort of amazing ending (which I doubt) this one was just boring to me...kind of on the same lines as those cigarette commercials that went on for a while as a public safety announcement that show mortality in a way that's not really effective. See more 08/30/2013 I don't really like giving one star votes but there was nothing fresh about this story and it couldn't hold my attention. I'm a fan of Rosario Dawson and she's why I watched it but she was only part of a vignette so it just wasn't enough to save it. I watched most of it but didn't finish it, unless there was some sort of amazing ending (which I doubt) this one was just boring to me...kind of on the same lines as those cigarette commercials that went on for a while as a public safety announcement that show mortality in a way that's not really effective. See more 05/13/2012 Ensemble drama clumsily works its way to a Big Message See more 02/16/2012 another lost review flixta! See more 02/08/2012 its a good drama that has parts dat are just boring and make u not care. See more Read all reviews
Explicit Ills

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Cast & Crew

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Mark Webber

Director

Rosario Dawson

Babo's Mom

Francisco Burgos

Babo

Martin Cepeda

Demitri

Rebecca Comerford

Kelly

Paul Dano

Rocco

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Explicit Ills

Explicit Ills (2008) Explicit Ills (2008) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Various lives intersect within urban Philadelphia in unpredictable and dramatic ways. Babo, a young asthmatic boy, resides with his mom in a rough part of town, and their quirky neighbor Dimitri is intent on improving his life by posing as a smart kid. Elsewhere in the city, Jill is having a marital crisis and must contend with her teen son, who has become obsessed with bodybuilding.
Director
Mark Webber
Producer
Liz Destro
Screenwriter
Mark Webber
Distributor
Peace Arch Entertainment Group Inc.
Production Co
Mangusta Productions
Rating
R (Language|Some Drug Use)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 6, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 25, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$28.6K
Runtime
1h 27m
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