The Avon Barksdale Story: Legends of the Unwired (2010)

Directors: Drew Berry, Bruce Brown, Kenny Jackson

Writers: Drew Berry, Kenny Jackson

Starring: Troy May, Nathan Avon Barksdale, Wood Harris, Emma Barksdale Grier, Oscar "bunk" Requer, Dante Barksdale, Aaron Rasheed, Victor Smith, Marvin McDowell, Larry Middleton

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Based on a true story

Plot: The HBO series "The Wire" was based on the lives of real people from Baltimore. This documentary exposes those real lives, the real people that the characters of The Wire is based upon. In this DVD, the real Avon "Bodie" Barksdale, talks to his on screen character's actor, Wood Harris. Bodie reveals stories about drugs, sex, violence and death.

My rating: 6.5/10

Will I watch it again?  No.

This documentary is probably most enjoyed by those who know Avon 'Brodie' Barksdale (and just like 'Bugsy' Siegel, don't call him Avon). Yeah, it's not all that professionally made but that's part of the fun of the moments that are so bad it's good.  Remember that scene in BLACK DYNAMITE (2009) when Black Dynamite says, "I'm declaring war on anyone who sells drugs to the community." and Chocolate Giddy-Up immediately replies, "But Black Dynamite! I sell drugs to the community."?  The repetition from the narrator behaves like this sometimes and it's unintentionally hilarious.  Look, these three filmmakers either have this as their sole movie credit or a couple others and that's it.  I didn't know what to expect going into this but I think they did a decent job considering.  I haven't seen THE WIRE (2002-2008) but I've heard nothing but great things about it.  Am I more encouraged to see the show after watching this?  Nope, but I will get around to it someday.  The filmmakers & Barksdale seem like they want to get down and dirty with Barksdale's exploits but they hold back a lot, presumably because it would incriminate him in crimes he didn't do time for which is too bad.  A hardcore, let's show the warts and all and really ratchet this up to exploitation territory would've been a lot more interesting and entertaining.