HBO presents rapper/actor Mos Def and veteran actor Alan Rickman in this story about a talented black man aspiring to be a doctor and the doctor who helped him and his self in the process.  

The story starts in Nashville with a young carpenter named Vivian Thomas (played by Mos Def) saving for medical school who loses his job and has to find work to eat and live with his significant other played by Gabrielle Union.   He goes into an interview with Alfred Bullock (played by Rickman), a renoun doctor in the area and gets a job a janitor, although he shows his aptitude with biology, science, math and worth ethic and quickly becomes Bullocks right hand man.   The movie shows the journey towards each of the men's goals and endeavors.  

This movie is based on a true story and the men are real doctors who have contributed to Johns Hopkins University's legend as an institution and especially as a hospital.   Mos Def who is nominated for an Academy Award is excellent in this film showing range in emotions and looking like the man he was portraying not a actor (or rapper for that matter).   Mos even had a nice southern accent and show that he is going to be a great actor for years to come. Rickman played his role well as well showing the mannerisms of a doctor who deeply cares for his work and respects Thomas' help but yet is stuck in the times and Black people role in it.  

I don't want to give the movie up but I will say it was well acted, was very inspirational and could be played in the movies or in a classroom.     It had a very educational element to it and was still fluent and not over exaggerated trying to convey a message.   You see the difficulties of the time and how these men brought stereotypes and prejudice to the front of the action.   Two men: one black one white worked together and depended on each other and succeeded together to make history.

Suggestions, comments, questions feel free to drop me a line at clayton@geoclan.com. One!