Product Details

• Actors: Clarence Williams III, Denise Nicholas, Shawn Michael Howard, Angelle Brooks
• Directors: Stanley Bennett Clay
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Urban Works
• DVD Release Date: October 26, 2004
• Run Time: 80 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002IQGQW
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #124,338 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Gotham Entertainment and the Raslan Company of America present Ritual, a powerful psychological drama written and directed by Stanley Bennett Clay, based on his award-winning stage play. "RITUAL" stars Clarence Williams III (The General’s Daughter), Denise Nicholas (CBS-TV In The Heat of the Night), Angelle Brooks (The VIPs), and Shawn Michael Howard (Above the Rim). Leon Becker (Clarence Williams III) is a successful and wealthy Malibu attorney and the patriarch of a seemingly perfect and harmonious family. Leon sees his brood not only as the pinnacle of personal achievement, but also as an example to all that the great American Dream is attainable, even if you are Black. But underneath the surface, the Beckers are a family in crisis. Leon is completely oblivious to the trials and tribulations that exist in his home and is equally detached from his ethnic soul. Wife and mother Sylvia (Nicholas) is on the verge of alcoholism and is threatened by her daughter Teresa (Brooks), a cunning "Electra" who seems to want to replace her in the house and, perhaps, the bedroom. And Becker’s brooding son Mason (Howard) drops out of his Ivy League school and returns home to confront his family’s problems. Yet, all these trials-by fire are the challenges along the path to survival for this American family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Great All-Time Acting ensembles, August 16, 2005

By 

Charles H. Wagner Sr. - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ritual (DVD)

Ritual is an in depth study of a successful but dysfunctional black family. It shows what can happen when favoritism is allowed to fester in a family and the resultant sibling rivalry. Especially when there is either a perceived or actual wide diaparity between the talents of the siblings. The acting is absolutely superb. I recommend it highly. It should be in everyone's video library. No drugs or violence, at least not the garden variety. However, there was a fatal editing error in judgement. Be forewarned; there is a thirty second scene that could have and probably should have been edited out. The movie would have lost nothing, but it would have gained a much wider audience. This movie is hard to find for that reason. The inclusion of the scene has given this movie an unrated rating. It could even be rated X. What a pity. Such wonderful acting. The best that I have seen....ever! for an acting ensemble. I have seen it at least eight times. I can't get enough of it. See it!!!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I took a second look..., May 28, 2006

By 

h.j "me too" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ritual (DVD)

I watched this moving while finishing my book and couldn't really catch the meaning behind it. I watch a second time with no distractions and I was very impressed by this movie. I have to say that I wasn't really a fan of the brother and sister doing the nasty, but overall, it was a good movie. I also agree with a previous viewer when they stated that that sibling incest could have been left out and the movie would have still remained a great movie.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good movie, December 4, 2006

By 

everywoman46 (kansas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ritual (DVD)

I saw this movie last weekend. It was well acted and quite moving. It shows that success and fulfillment are not always synonymous, and affluence does not insulate you from pain. I recommend it.