Get on the Bus (DVD, 2001)

Spike Lee accomplished a coup on Get on the Bus. He turned a simple story into a road trip with a lot of heart. And a lotta soul.

Watched this with a friend who, like me, missed it back when it was in local theaters-multiplexes. We got so caught up in the story that we did not stir, pause for any reason or even talk. When a story is this intriguing, the world stops.

Premise: A group of black men sign up to go from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. to be part of the Million Man March. The main players? The bus driver, an actor, a gay couple, a senior citizen, a father who chained his son to his belt to keep him out of trouble, a man who changed his life through a new religion, a silent man, a police detective and more.

What begins as a fun road trip for a cause turns into a quest for identity as both men and unique individuals by the time they reach Washington, D.C. Like many Spike Lee stories, the beginning is the set-up from which the story slowly evolves. The second act takes them through not only middle America, but through a tortuous road from being mere flip-glib posturing, two-dimensional characters into fully fleshed out people who almost leap off the screen. The third act takes place at journey's end, but not exactly where they planned.

This one, like other Spike Lee productions, is cause for late night drinks and conversation dealing with imagery, dialog and emotions. With few distracting FX, the story must stand on its own to capture the viewer's attention and their allegiance. Get on the Bus is one of those rare films.

Would I buy it for friends? In a minute!