Watch American Milkshake

American Milkshake is a 2013 coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by David Andalman and Mariko Munro. Set in 1990s suburban Maryland, the movie follows Jolie (Tyler Ross), a white high school student who dreams of being popular and fitting in with his Black classmates. Jolie's best friend and confidante is his Black classmate, Wes (Shareeka Epps), who is popular and well-liked among their peers. However, Jolie is awkward and struggles to connect with his classmates, especially the girls he is interested in. He is also dealing with tension in his family, as his father is a conservative who is opposed to Jolie and Wes's friendship.

To win over the girls he has a crush on, Jolie decides to try out for the school's basketball team, hoping to impress them with his athleticism. Wes helps him train and gives him pointers, but Jolie finds himself struggling to keep up with the other players. Meanwhile, tensions between Jolie and his father come to a head, with his dad accusing him of trying to be something he's not by hanging out with Black kids.

As Jolie continues to try and fit in with his peers, he becomes more and more desperate, resorting to racist and offensive humor in an attempt to win their approval. However, he soon realizes that his behavior is hurtful and wrong, and he begins to question his own identity and values.

One of the standout performances in the film is by Leo Fitzpatrick, who plays Jolie's father. Fitzpatrick brings a lot of depth and complexity to the character, portraying him as a harsh and authoritarian figure but also showing glimpses of his love and concern for his son.

Another standout is Danny Burstein, who plays the school's basketball coach. Burstein brings energy and humor to his role, and his scenes with Tyler Ross are some of the funniest in the film.

The film's setting in the 1990s is also well-realized, with plenty of period-specific details like grunge music and clothing, as well as references to cultural touchstones like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and The Simpsons.

Overall, American Milkshake is a thoughtful and nuanced film that explores themes of identity, race, and teenage insecurity with humor and sensitivity. The performances are strong across the board, and the direction by Andalman and Munro is confident and assured. This is definitely a movie worth checking out.

American Milkshake is a 2013 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 28 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.7 and a MetaScore of 30.