This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

I really enjoyed this movie - it was excellent! The acting was great and is definitely one of the best films I've seen in 2012. The storyline and the ending were well worth watching. It even had some tear jerker moments. I kept replaying some parts of the movie because it was so good! The entire cast was excellent and very memorable. The layered messages of morality and spirituality will not be caught by all. You have to have a real moral compass to be able to appreciate everything offered in this film, because it hasn't been offered before. For those who have an open mind without all the negativity, you will enjoy this movie! It was full of action from the beginning to the end!

One of the major keys to a great film, is a solid story directed by an able hand, since if the plot is delivered adequately the viewer is almost able to visualize internally without a screen. Fortunately in the case of the Rel Dowdell directed film, "Changing the Game," the viewer is granted the benefit of a well crafted screenplay (Rel Dowdell & Arron R. Astillero), delivered by an able cast, captured with entrancingly and captivating visuals, which echo back to such early independent classic black films as Larry Cohen's "Black Caesar" and Ivan Dixon's "The Spook Who Sat By the Door." "Right now I'm on my way to your trough to eat your breakfast, since you don't have sense enough to eat it yourself." Templeton Set in the colorful yet gritty North Philadelphia backdrop, Changing the Game begins with a young Darrell Barnes (Jakobi Alvin), adeptly reading the above quote from E.B. White's children's classic "Charlotte's Web" in front of his mildly attentive elementary class, while doting instructor Mrs. Davis (Suzanne Douglas) looks on admiringly. It is Mrs. Davis interest in Darrell's background, added with her compliment heavy motivation, which gives the sense that she was integral in shaping Darrell's early academic aspirations. Forward to the drug infused, crime ridden mid 1980s, Darrell (Sean Riggs) is now an accomplished and intelligent high school senior with intentions of attending college for business. It is at these formative beginnings, where Barnes's life and death circumstances and personality shaping people, such as his shrewdly tactical, highly ambitious, long time friend and street hustler Dre (Dennis L.A. White) as well as his morally influential and religiously devout guardian Grandma Barnes (legendary Irma P Hall), begin to give the viewer a more concise image of the potentially multi dimensional character Darrell may truly be.I do not wish to give many of the plot details due to the fact that Changing the Game is a film that must be watched carefully in order to understand the nuances and depth of Darrell's and his surrounding character's roles in the story-line. I will only share that this is a not the typical cliché shoot em up, hood tragedy flick. Not only does it subtly touch upon the struggles and ills of a desperate impoverished ethnic community, it also ventures off into the social and political dynamic of higher learning institutions, the typically white male dominated American corporate boardroom and the more ethnically and culturally diverse international business environment. There is an interweaving of classical literature such as Machiavelli's "The Prince," which only embellish and compliment an already intriguing story about a not so common man, facing all too familiar circumstances with an intelligently creative and militarily calculated ambition. Those aforementioned qualities alone have made this a film that must be watched more than once to gain full appreciation of how dynamic Darrell Barnes' character is. 8/10

Excellent - MUST SEE FILM! Changing The Game is hands down one of my favorite independent films of all time. It is an intelligent, moving, timely, brilliantly told story filled with depth of emotion, strong characters and dialogue, classic literary references, superb acting by a diverse and well chosen cast, with a surprise ending Hitchcock himself would applaud. While the film takes place in an Urban setting, this is NOT your typical "Urban Drama". It has heart, honesty and shows that Black Men in the inner city can be victors in any circumstance as opposed to victims of their circumstances. The characters are so well scripted and acted, as a viewer, you are engaged and involved in each of their story lines. They make you laugh, cry, cheer and they make you care about their fate or outcome. The production, props, set design, wardrobe and special effects make you forget this is a small budget film shot in Philadelphia in just 21 days. This film by Director and Writer Rel Dowdell, fills a void in modern Black Cinema, by artfully and masterfully maintaining a balance of great story telling, with believable characters and multiple themes which are thought provoking without being "preachy". Sean Riggs, Dennis L.A. White, Irma P. Hall, Nicoye Banks, Kirk "Sticky Fingaz" Jones, Tony Todd, Brandon Ruckdashel and the rest of the cast, do a phenomenal job telling a great story. This is a film you will definitely want to see multiple times.

Twiintone Entertainment gives this film two thumbs up.. The Twiins enorse Rel Dowdell's writing and directing. Looking forward to seeing it again! I thought the characters really brought our the time period of the 80's, in the early parts of the film, and the casting was great. The end really surprised me, and I'm glad to see that it was a story with a message. Being a native of Philadelphia, Im glad that Rel Dowdell actually filmed here, in our hometown. I thought the locations that he picked were excellent, and even the soundtrack and score made me feel the film like I was actually there. Being a screenwriter and actor myself, I'm very hard to impress. Rel, job well done!