This movie is great on many levels.

1. Soundtrack - Bill Lee, Spike Lee's father, crafts a soundtrack of layered jazz sounds. This is my second favourite movie soundtrack (the first being another Spike Lee movie, Mo' Better Blues).

2. Brooklyn - Lee is going to make movies set in Brooklyn, but not the Brooklyn we expected - nope, a fresh, edgy happening environment with fresh, edgy, happening people. (And these first two points also apply to Mo' Better Blues. My favourite soundtrack and a spectacular view of Brooklyn and the non-stereotyped culture of some black folks - seeing adult Denzel out playing catch with his father, who is still present and with whom they talk about life, was particularly uplifting, as was his cycling with Spike...but I digress)

3. Female lead - While it might not ace the Bechdel Test (although it comes close), this is Spike Lee's first feature length movie and he chooses to tell a story that centres on a woman. That's an avant garde move right there.