Bow Wow on skates -- a major mistake

It's official: Bow Wow is no longer lil'.\nNo one with moves like his in the roller rink can be anything less than a man. \nIn "Roll Bounce," Bow Wow, who -- seriously -- is no longer called "lil'," plays X. X lives in an unrecognizable south Chicago with his widowed father (Chi McBride), and spends all of his free time at the local skating rink with his friends. When their hangout closes its doors, they take the bus uptown to Sweetwater, a newer rink with an arcade, tons of chicks in hot pants and at least half a dozen disco balls. They skate. A lot. Which is good, because it's the best thing this movie has going for it.\nIf there were ever a case for quad skating, this movie is it. Bow Wow and a dedicated group of stunt doubles can really tear up the hardwood, and there is a certain magic to be caught in that. There are more than a few moves that will have you saying, "I didn't know you could do that on wheels." \nOutside of the rink, however, the movie falters. \n"Roll Bounce" is a film that tries, very hard, to capture the aura of the late seventies. And it does. Director Malcolm Lee (cousin of Spike) spends a lot of time on the details: Ataris. Bell bottoms. Lots of split-level ranch homes. Plenty of Yoo-Hoo. And afros -- oh, the afros... \nSo his film looks the part; that's not the problem. The problem is its focus. \nWhen I read an early synopsis of "Roll Bounce," it was described as a dramatic comedy. I guess that's because it tries to do both. You've got your "Bow Wow and his goofball friends cracking dumb jokes all summer" storyline on one hand, and the "proud but unemployed father trying to keep the family together after mom dies" on the other. Coming-of-age movies aren't easily balanced, but they can be done. "Sandlot" did it with baseball. But "Roll Bounce" can't seem to find its footing on skates.\nThe movie works when it's trying to be lighthearted. Nick Cannon appears, looking like a holdover from the Jimi Hendrix Experience, as the rink's rental desk jockey. Wayne Brady makes a late appearance as the film's climactic skate-off emcee. And Mike Epps and Charlie Murphy are hysterical as the neighborhood garbage men, particularly Murphy's unexpected monologue about back alley prostitution. \nWhen it has its serious face on, though, "Roll Bounce" becomes a drag. The movie weighs in heavy at two hours, which is about half an hour more than we need. If you were to cut out the weepy-eyed "father and son coming together" plot, you'd be right at an hour and a half. So maybe when the DVD arrives, that's right where it'll be.