A skilled young street fighter battles criminals across the rooftops of New York City.A skilled young street fighter battles criminals across the rooftops of New York City.A skilled young street fighter battles criminals across the rooftops of New York City.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Jay Boryea
- Willie
- (as Jay M. Boryea)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis is the final theatrical film directed by Robert Wise.
- SoundtracksAvenue D
Written by David A. Stewart, Etta James and Richard Feldman
Performed by Etta James featuring David A. Stewart
Featured review
A nostalgic time capsule.
A love struck roof-dwelling combat air dancer battles criminals in a Manhattan ghetto.
From a decade of dance and pop, pre CGI, when the safety of actors doing stunts wasn't priority comes Robert Wise's Rooftops...
With plenty of F' bombs, a few chases, fights and some moves from Breakin' and The Electric Boogaloo, the tone is inconsistent, it unrealistically sugar-coats the grim realities facing homeless teenagers. Wise echoes the atmosphere of New York reminiscent of like of The Equalizer TV series, Death Wish 2 and Wild Thing to name a few. Writers Allan A. Goldstein, Tony Mark and Terrence Brennan touch on abuse, gang crime and other serious problems of the day, many of which are still issues.
The pacing is slow pace and plot thin but the cast are more than competent, leads Troy Byer Jason Gedrick are solid. Alexis Cruz is notable. However, the real star of the show is the location. With a fitting score and soundtrack, Wise offers the New York streets, abandoned buildings and 80s skyline. Showing the contrasting rich to the ghetto poor.
Worth a watch if only from a nostalgia or time capsule perspective.
From a decade of dance and pop, pre CGI, when the safety of actors doing stunts wasn't priority comes Robert Wise's Rooftops...
With plenty of F' bombs, a few chases, fights and some moves from Breakin' and The Electric Boogaloo, the tone is inconsistent, it unrealistically sugar-coats the grim realities facing homeless teenagers. Wise echoes the atmosphere of New York reminiscent of like of The Equalizer TV series, Death Wish 2 and Wild Thing to name a few. Writers Allan A. Goldstein, Tony Mark and Terrence Brennan touch on abuse, gang crime and other serious problems of the day, many of which are still issues.
The pacing is slow pace and plot thin but the cast are more than competent, leads Troy Byer Jason Gedrick are solid. Alexis Cruz is notable. However, the real star of the show is the location. With a fitting score and soundtrack, Wise offers the New York streets, abandoned buildings and 80s skyline. Showing the contrasting rich to the ghetto poor.
Worth a watch if only from a nostalgia or time capsule perspective.
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- amesmonde
- Mar 8, 2021
- How long is Rooftops?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,043,889
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,111,263
- Mar 19, 1989
- Gross worldwide
- $2,043,889
- Runtime1 hour 38 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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