Jamesy Boy

Jamesy Boy
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Trevor White
Screenplay by	Trevor White Lane Shadgett
Produced by	Scott Mednick Maria Norman Wayne Rogers Steven P. Saeta Galen Walker Tim White
Starring	Mary-Louise Parker Ving Rhames Spencer Lofranco Taissa Farmiga James Woods
Cinematography	Robert Lam
Edited by	Josh Noyes
Music by	Jermaine Stegall
Release date	January 3, 2014 (2014-01-03)
Running time	109 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Jamesy Boy is a 2014 American crime drama film directed by Trevor White and written by White and Lane Shadgett. It stars Taissa Farmiga, Spencer Lofranco, Mary-Louise Parker, and James Woods. The film relates the true story of James Burns.

It was released on January 3, 2014 (Video on Demand) and in select theaters on January 17, 2014.

Synopsis

A young gang member turns his life around in prison, thanks to the friendship he forms with a convicted murderer who becomes his mentor.

Plot

James Burns (Spencer Lofranco), a young gang member is in prison for selling guns, drug possession and illegal possession of a firearm. In the opening scene he is tackled by a guard after elbowing another inmate in the face.

The movie then flashes back to before James went to prison, showing us that he has always been a troubled kid. Some years earlier his mother Tracy (Mary Louise Parker) attempted to enroll him in school, but was told that he could not enroll because of his history of violent behavior. She doesn’t blame him, and later reminds him that his recent behavior has been good, but he must have patience in order to get back on track.

One night, while at a convenience store, a couple of kids that he doesn’t know grab some items and run for the door while the manager is in back. The three, which include a girl name Crystal (Rosa Salazar) and a guy named Drew (Keon Clayton), get away. They befriend James and ask if he wants to get high. James tells them that he is under house arrest after his mother called the police when he brought home a gun. If he isn’t home by a certain time, the box around his ankle will call the police.

Drew, Crystal and James make friends with a young rich white girl and get her to take them to her parent’s place. While there, they drink and casually reveal that their purpose is to steal her parent’s jewelry. Afterwards, Crystal tells James about Roc, a guy they do odd jobs for and offer him a chance to get in on it.

James’ mother reads his diary and finds out what he’s been doing. She reminds him that they are close to his legal appeal. He argues that he has no interest in going back to school. He defies his domestic incarceration by cutting off his ankle bracelet.

James arrives at Roc’s house asking how he can make money. He proves himself when he doesn’t flinch after Roc puts a gun to his crotch. Roc asks James to be the getaway driver when he and his crew break into a rival drug dealers house. Sitting behind the wheel, James sees the homeowner sneak in the front door with a gun. James sneaks in through the back door and sees that Roc and his friends are at gunpoint. He hits one of the guys over the head with a frying pan, allowing Roc and the gang to get away.

Back at the car, Roc tells James that he has earned his respect. Later, at a strip club, Roc offers James a chance to work for him full-time. James immediately says yes, but Roc insists that he must be serious before accepting the offer. He assures him that he is, and soon James is caught up in Roc’s world of drugs, money and excess. At a party, he tells Crystal that he has broken ties with his mother.

James and Crystal are horsing around in a convenience store. When James tries to buy cigarettes and liquor, the cashier named Sarah just tells him to take it, she doesn’t want any trouble.

Driving around, James starts speeding through traffic. Crystal demands that he pull over and reminds him that the merchandise in the trunk could get them both 10 years in prison if they get pulled over.

While at a strip club, Drew points James in the direction of a man who owes Rock money. Bursting into the man’s office, James pulls a gun on the man but his thugs break in and beat up Drew and James and then throw them into the alley. James runs to the parking lot and busts the windows out of the man’s car and finds a bag of guns in the back seat.

Later, while cleaning up his wounds, Crystal warns James that he’s being too fast and loose. He goes for a walk and ends up back at the convenience store where he meets Sarah again. He makes friends with her and the two share a smoke.

James runs into Roc who is upset over the confrontation with the thug. He pulls a gun on James and reveals that he’s angry over the bag of guns and orders him to fix the situation.

James goes to the store and finds Sarah again. They go for a walk and she reveals that her mother got sick some time ago, but never fully recovered. He tells her that he’s been in one institution after another since he was 6 years-old. Yet, despite his problems, his heart’s desire is to have a normal life. He sees in Sarah the potential for a normal life, and begins a relationship with her, seeing her as the contrast to the unpredictable Crystal.

James tries to leave Roc’s crew. Crystal says she knows that he’s been hanging out with Sarah. She calls him pathetic but she cries when he leaves. He runs into Roc who is offended that he is trying to walk away. He tells James that there is a deal going down that night. He plays on James’ sympathies and gets him to agree to go in on the deal. That night, James and Drew show up to sell the guns, but a shoot out breaks out. The cops show up but James walks away. He runs to Sarah’s house and tells her to pack so they can leave town together. She refuses, leaving him alone to face his crimes.

Interwoven into the flashbacks, we see the present day story of James while he’s in prison. He makes an enemy in Guillermo (Taboo), a Hispanic gang member who is picking on a new inmate. Correctional officer Lieutenant Falton (James Woods) questions his motives.

Later, Guillermo’s gang attempt to kill James in the shower but he fights back. Chris is stabbed in the stomach. Later, Falton asks him for answers, but James won’t talk and is thrown in solitary confinement. Days after the attack James has nightmares about the attack on he and Chris in the shower. One night he wakes up and asks the inmate in the next cell, an older man named Conrad (Ving Rhames) for something to read, but the man says he doesn’t want to talk to him.

In line, James finds himself behind Conrad and notices that he carries a book about Rio de Janeiro, and asks him about travel. Again, the man says he doesn’t want to talk to him. The next day, in his cell, he tries again. Again, nothing.

In the yard the next day, he tries again. The man finally breaks his silence when James admits that he wants revenge for the guys who stabbed Chris. Conrad just laughs and informs him that he is really no different than any of the other inmate. At night, he starts writing poetry in prison and uses it to strike up a conversation with Conrad. He tells the kid to keep writing in order to block out life in prison.

Chris returns to the yard and reveals that he has gotten a Dear John letter from his girlfriend. James tells him not to worry about it. He tells him to keep his head down until his hearing.

Worried about Chris, James goes to Lt. Falton and requests that Chris be taken out of the yard until his hearing for his own safety. Falton refuses mainly because James wouldn’t give a statement immediately following the stabbing. In the yard the next day, Guillermo tells James that he knows he’s been talking to Falton and that it will be fatal for him to mention him or his gang. Guillermo tries to start a fight, but James just walks away.

Chris finally has his hearing, but James is angry when he hears the he got revocated for another 6 years. Several weeks later, weary from his prison existence, he hangs himself in the hallway one morning. Out of anger, James beats up Guillermo. Falton orders the guard to put James back in his cell and to lock down the cellblock.

James starts a fight in the yard, but Conrad breaks it up telling James that he needs to keep his head about him because he is one day away from his hearing. His flippant attitude causes Conrad to threaten him.

At his hearing, James admits regret over Chris’ death and that he has regrets over the decisions he has made in his life. He knows that people will judge him for the rest of his life, but he takes responsibility for everything he has ever done, even if it means he has to sit in jail for another 4 to 6 years.

He is released from prison, and on his way out, he passes Conrad who informs him “If I see you again, I’ll kill you.” He is met outside by his mother and sister. The scenes of James leaving the prison are intercut with flashbacks of James getting arrested and going to prison.

Out of jail, he gets a job as a janitor. One night a friend comes by and offers him some work, but he turns it down. Arriving back at Sarah’s father’s store, he finds that it is now closed and boarded up. He goes to her house but her father says that she doesn’t live there anymore. He finds her at her mother’s house and recites some of his poetry for her. The end of the film is a montage of the things he is currently doing to go straight, including getting an apartment.

The closing text tells us:

“James Burns currently lives in New York City.

He studied writing and poetry at the Borough of Manhattan Community College and hopes to continue his higher education.

Each day, he defies the statistics of institutionalized and troubled youth.”

Cast

• Mary-Louise Parker as Tracy
• Ving Rhames as Conrad
• Spencer Lofranco as James
• Taissa Farmiga as Sarah
• James Woods as Lt. Falton
• Rosa Salazar as Crystal
• Taboo as Guillermo
• Ben Rosenfield as Chris
• Courtney Rogers as Mary

External links

• Jamesy Boy at IMDb
• Jamesy Boy at Rotten Tomatoes
• Jamesy Boy at Swikat