The first trailer for Morris From America, the coming-of-age story that debuted at Sundance this year, has arrived at last, and it does not disappoint. The film stars Craig Robinson and Markees Christmas as a father and son who relocate to Heidelberg, Germany, where Morris (Christmas) struggles not only with the usual angst of growing up but also with being black and American in a white, European city. As he dreams of hip-hop stardom in a culture that favors electronic dance music, Morris’ circumstances are also complicated by a crush on a German girl.
It’s a pretty straightforward-looking bildungsroman, in some ways—fish-out-of-water protagonist, forbidden romance, some (very funny) experimentation with drugs—but it also feels fresh and original, which is probably why the film took home the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance. Craig Robinson, while in a supporting role, is also a standout here: This is a more serious part than we’re used to seeing him in, and the trailer’s father-and-son scenes are among its best, especially the opening sequence where Morris is grounded for insulting his dad’s taste in music.
