‘Six Degrees of Separation’
If you want to watch an old-school Will Smith film, before he started choosing projects that are, let’s say, interesting, look no further than this often-overlooked 1993 comedy-drama from director Fred Schepisi. Smith stars as a skilled con artist who shows up at the Upper East Side home of a rich, white family (actors Stockard Channing and Donald Sutherland) and claims to be the son of Sidney Poitier. It’s a film adaptation of John Guare’s Tony-award nominated play of the same name, so prepare for play-like, bottled in pacing, but if you’re in the right frame of mind, Six Degrees of Separation is a fascinating exploration of race, class and the ability to “pass” for something you’re not. And for Will Smith die-hards, its a great, early performance from the now-superstar.