The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

"To All My Friends On Shore" presents Bill Cosby in a light you've probably not seen in him before - in a dramatic production with no humor whatsoever. Since I've found many comedians to be effective at drama when given the change, I was looking forward to this. Added to the interest was that Cosby is not only credited with coming up with the basic idea for the movie, he also composed the music score. But in the end, the movie is kind of disappointing. Cosby keeps the same basic tone throughout - even when he learns his on screen son was taken to the hospital, he remains at the same tone! The first half of the movie is somewhat slow as well. Things do improve in the second half of the movie, with Cosby's character forced to change his way of thinking, and that is interesting. But the movie still suffers from technical goofs ranging from seeing the reflection of the cameraman to poorly recorded audio that makes it hard to make out what people are saying at times. Still, while this movie is somewhat disappointing, it's way, way better than "Top Secret", another dramatic turn by Cosby made six years later.

Bill Cosby stars in this very serious drama about a working class man,his wife and their young boy. Cosby's father character (nicknamed "Blue") is trying to get his family out of the ghetto & into a house. The couple discover that their son has sickle-cell anemia, leaving Cosby's character with the difficult & harsh task of telling his son the truth about his chances & mortality.This is a $1 DVD,the film is straight from a VHS copy,the sound is awful (turn up TV almost all the way) and almost all the color is gone.It's so old looking,it almost looks like the old educational films I used to see in school in that decade. Still,if you pay attention,you can see the good in the movie's storyline. Some of the dialog is a bit daunting and irrelevant but this and the fact that this should be cleaned up and put on a professional DVD,are my only complaints. Otherwise,it's a great look at an very realistic struggling African-American family in that era. (END)

I also spent $1 at Wal-Mart for this film. I thought it would be interesting to see early Cosby.Wow, was I in for a delightful surprise. Cosby already showed his genius and sensitivity. His film is a masterpiece.The movie may be viewed as a period piece of life in the projects in the early 1970's. However, as with Cosby's later work, universal themes come through so that the film skillfully portrays both its time and also transcends its period.The film has all it needs to become a classic except for publicity. This film should be re-released and given the marketing it deserves to reach a wide audience.

I purchased this DVD for $1.00 at the Walmart bargain-bin with the expectation that, at the least, it would be funny to see what Bill Cosby was up to in 1972. Remember, The Cos' had just finished his TV run as Coach Chett Kincaid on "The Bill Cosby Show". He was hanging out with Quincy Jones and digging Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew". He wasn't yet working on "Fat Albert and Cosby Kids"...but, he had already broke ground with "I-Spy" in the late '60s...and remember...his record albums were part of every mom-and-dad's collection.So, Bill Cosby in 1972 turned out to be a renaissance man, of sorts. He wrote the music for this made-for-TV movie. He produced. He acted. He even supplied the "original idea".This funky (okay...what I really mean is...FUNK-KAAAYY) little movie really is a swell period piece...East Coast Ghetto Project dwellers struggling to escape...Mom works as a maid...she's a nursing student, too...Dad works odd jobs and is a talented "scavenger". Dad is scrimping and saving to buy the house of his dreams. Unfortunately, in the process, Dad is missing out on his son's growing-up years. Dad is so cheap, saving every nickel for their escape house dreams.Mom and Dad are busy fussing and fighting...and then the kid gets sick...real sick...Good people stuck in hard times. Better than "Good Times"...but, in a sense, this seems like an embryonic version of the classic '70s sitcom.But, take heed: "To All My Friends on Shore" is not even one little bit funny. Once again: THIS IS NOT A FUNNY MOVIE! This movie is hardcore serious. Serious as a heart attack! And, that's why it's great...If you watch this movie and you are not moved by it's strength and beauty...well...then I don't think there is any hope for you. What the heck...give it a shot...for one measely buck you can't afford not to see this little forgotten gem.