Review: Gun Hill (BET)

Did you ever want to trade places with someone for just one moment in time?  Do you have a “black sheep”sibling  seems to always be on a fast track down the wrong road and another who is revered “all” the time for being “goody two-shoes”.  Starring Larenz Tate, Gun Hill explores and answers those burning questions by sharing the lives of identical twins Trane and Bird.   Just released from prison, Bird meets up with Trane (a DEA agent), as Trane is mysteriously gunned down, Bird assumes his identity.   Set in the mean streets of New York, Gun Hill, features an ensemble cast of characters operating on all sides of the law, where no one is quite what they seem.

Written, directed and produced by Reggie Rock Bythewood the film also stars Emayatzy E. Corinealdi (The Middle of Nowhere), Tawny Cypress, Aisha Hinds, Michael Aronov, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, Shanti Ashanti, Hisham Tawfiq and Daniel Stewart Sherman. Blythewood is joined by Don Kurt in his title of executive producer.

Larenz Tate is kind of sexy as an action adventure dude, but carries enough that innate boyish charm to make you want to believe he really is his identical twin Trane.  Phyliss Yvonne Stickney strips it all down and seems to be speaking a monologue without ever uttering a word.  Bravo and kudos to her for showing that character development  comes from the inside…not out.  Aisha Hinds is her usual stellar self and is giving us yet another layer to her arsenal of complex characters.

I couldn’t help but be reminded of s show with a similar theme that was on FOX a few seasons back called RINGER starring Sarah Michelle Gellar portraying twins.  Kudos to BET for bringing us another made-for-televison film with a possible series to follow like they have done with “Being Mary Jane”.  It will be nice to see what happens to Bird and the lives he has effected down the line in many more episodes to come…

Gun Hill premieres tonight on BET.  Don’t miss it and tell your friends!!!