LOS ANGELES – It’s simple: By going to see the family film “Roll Bounce,” you’ll also contribute money to Operation USA for Hurricane Katrina.
“What we are going to do is donate 10 percent of opening box office weekend to the relief efforts,” says director Malcolm D. Lee while promoting his latest film. “We – the filmmakers and the studio – all kind of said, “This is the right thing to do.’ It’s a small part in a very large relief effort.”
“Roll Bounce,” which opens today on 1,700 screens, is a 1970s-era coming-of-age tale about teenager X (rapper Bow Wow), who is forced to hang out at the swank Sweetwater roller rink with his pals after their local rink is closed. While training to compete in the big skate-off, X also struggles to establish a relationship with his dad (Chi McBride) after the death of his mother.
The film will also do its part to boost morale, by screening in a number of shelters throughout the Gulf region via DirectTV on Thursday, the day before its nationwide release. As in other troubled times, Lee acknowledges that sometimes the public needs escapism with a healthy dose of heart.
“I think this movie has something to say about family – a black family in particular. We are hoping the movie will play a small part in giving them some normalcy in that,” says Lee. “It’s not like it’s going to change the world, but media does have that influence at times to shape behavior and attitude. If we can bring people some happiness and a couple of laughs and some things to think about and some good music then we feel like we’ve made a contribution.”
“Roll Bounce” also features Meagan Good, Jurnee Smollett, Nick Cannon and Charlie Murphy.
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