Rent Prince of Broadway (2008)
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
A raw, disarmingly moving slice of neorealism, this early-career triumph from DIY auteur Sean Baker plunges into the world of West African immigrant Lucky (Prince Adu) and his Armenian Lebanese boss Levon (Karren Karagulian), two unlikely friends who peddle knockoff designer goods in Manhattan's wholesale district. When a long-forgotten ex forces him to take care of a young son he didn't even know he had, Lucky must figure out how to become a father without losing his edge in the counterfeit-merch game. Capturing the chaos of urban life through expressive handheld camera work, remarkably naturalistic performances, and flashes of manic humor, 'Prince of Broadway' is one of Baker's most vivid explorations of the illusory nature of the American dream. - Actors:
- Prince Adu, Karren Karagulian, Aiden Noesi, Kat Sanchez, Keyali Mayaga, Victoria Tate, Edwin Norteye, Edward Pagan, Mohamad H. Bzeih, Cindy Lopez, Magdalena Sarita, Pascal Menard, Brea Cola, Michael Sergio, Roger Harkavy, Stephen L. Baker, Kurt Leitner, Tony Roach, Roger Majkowski, Joel Saladilio
- Directors:
- Sean Baker
- Producers:
- Sean Baker, Darren Dean
- Writers:
- Sean Baker, Darren Dean
- Genres:
- Drama
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 05/05/2025
- Run Time:
- 101 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Two audio commentaries: one featuring Baker and the other featuring producer and cowriter Darren Dean, associate producer and actor Victoria Tate, and actor Karren Karagulian
- New introduction by Baker
- Archival interviews with Baker and actor Prince Adu
- Two documentaries on the making of the film
- Restoration demonstration featuring Baker and Coco
- Trailers
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Reviews (1) of Prince of Broadway
Selling fakes, living real — street-level NYC through Baker’s unfiltered lens. - Prince of Broadway review by griggs
Some documentaries feel scripted like everyone’s in on it. But Prince of Broadway has that gritty, lived-in feel that makes you forget there’s a camera. Watching it feels like you’re eavesdropping on real life—especially if you’ve ever wandered Canal Street and been approached by guys hustling fake handbags and AirPods. On the street, those vendors can blur into one faceless crowd. Baker reminds you they’re not. They’re individuals—each with a story, a hustle, a heartbreak.
It’s raw and rough around the edges, but that’s part of the charm. Baker makes these New Yorkers—intimidating to some, undocumented and vulnerable—feel deeply human, just trying to get by. There’s a tenderness beneath the chaos, especially in the unlikely father-son bond at the film’s core. It’s not flashy, and the pacing drifts at times, but it quietly earns your attention by spotlighting a corner of the city most films ignore.