Sophia Michaels
Hailey Kilgore is an absolute star as the anchor of this Blaxploitation-esque film that rolls romance, comedy, betrayal, and suspense all into one thrilling tale. Written and directed by Bryian Keith Montgomery Jr., “Cinnamon” follows the high-stakes journey of Kilgore’s Jodi, a gas station attendant and aspiring singer who goes to great lengths to make her dreams come true when she meets her hustling boyfriend Eddie (David Iacono). In an attempt to get away from her dead-end job and start a new life together, the Bonnie and Clyde pair scheme up a heist to set them up for their quest. But when their staged crime goes terribly wrong, they find themselves tangled with a ruthless family who stop at nothing to show the couple they picked the wrong crew to mess with — and that’s just the beginning of this nail-biting story. What follows is a surprising chain of secret-revealing events, all ending with a deadly showdown between Eddie and the family’s leader James, played by Jeremie Harris, whose performance is brilliantly diabolical. Kilgore’s passionate performance makes a strong case for why she deserves more leading movie roles. Let’s hope this is just her first of many. — Njera Perkins, associate editor, celebrity and entertainment
“Cinnamon” mixes action, comedy, and music in a movie that’s unlike any other. It’s anchored by charismatic performances by Hailey Kilgore and “The Summer I Turned Pretty”‘s David Iacono, who play lovers desperate to break out of their small town and make it to the big time. But their plan goes awry and entangles them with the type of people you definitely don’t want to mess with. The movie also features chilling performances from Pam Grier and Jeremie Harris. This was Bryian Keith Montgomery Jr.’s directorial debut, and I can’t wait to follow his career. — Victoria Edel, staff writer, TV and movies
