Although most descriptions of this film will suggest that Black & White is primarily about white America’s fascination with black culture, there are actually three additional facets to its story.  People seem to immediately latch on to the idea of a group of rich, white teenagers from Manhattan’s Upper East Side that fall in love with the whole hip-hop mentality.  They come from big houses with black servants and, in their eyes, there is nothing cooler than hangin’ wit’ the homeboys down at the crib.  These kids are played by William Lee Scott (October Sky), Eddie Kaye Thomas (American Pie), Bijou Phillips (Sugar Town), Gaby Hoffmann (200 Cigarettes) and Elijah Wood (The Faculty).

The second piece revolves around a gangsta named Rich Bower (Wu-Tang’s Power, in his film debut), who desperately wants to shed his criminal past and become a rap mogul.  This change in lifestyle means that Rich has to deal with white people for the first time in his business life.  In addition to having the little caucasian kids flock to him, Rich’s crew also includes fellow Wu-Tang Clansmen Method Man and Raekwon, the latter of whom also serves as the film’s associate producer.

Story No. 3 involves Rich’s best friend Dean (N.Y. Knick Allan Houston, Blue Chips), a basketball player dating a genius anthropology grad student (supermodel Claudia Schiffer).  Dean is approached by a shady character (Ben Stiller, Mystery Men) that offers him a wad of cash to shave points off of an upcoming game.

The fourth section in Black & White concerns a sexually ambiguous husband-and-wife documentary filmmaking duo played by Brooke Shields (The Bachelor) and Robert Downey Jr. (Wonder Boys – that’s two films in a row that he’s played a gay character named Terry).  They’re crazy about the idea of making a film about the black-acting white kids, and much of Black & White is shown through the eyes of their camera, giving the film a bit of a documentary feel itself.

There are other elements to the story, but these four make up the majority of Black & White.  The result seems like an ambitious attempt at remaking Robert Altman’s Nashville into a hip-hop flick.  But it’s just not that interesting.  While the film is sort of curiously unpredictable, the only story that held my interest was Dean and the point-shaving incident.  I am interested in the phenomenon where white youth are drawn to the whole hip-hop thing, but Black & White never takes a stab at trying to answer why.

Much is made of the scene with potential future cellmates Downey Jr. and Mike Tyson (playing himself).  It deserves the buzz - the improvised gem is as electrifying as it is frightening.  Tyson does a surprisingly good job in the film, as does Schiffer, who is somehow believable as a braniac.  Writer/director James Toback (Two Girls and a Guy) allegedly picked up random street kids to help him edit the film in an attempt to achieve a more realistic feel.  It’s gritty and all, but there isn’t much meat to it.

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