Harlem Writer Spreads Her Wings: Radha Blank in ‘40-Year Old Version’
YO! Where my period at? These are the lyrics Radha Blank spits in the new Netflix film “The 40-Year Old Version.” Enter Radha. A Black female playwright, budding lyricist, poet, womanist, and arts teacher. She’s been writing for a long time and yearns to be acknowledged for her artistic genius. But she also wants to stay true to herself and her Harlem roots. Radha’s signature gold, door knocker earrings, African headwrap, and no nonsense attitude create the artist’s swag in the film.
The film is an ode to every Black girl artists’ dreams of making it in the Big City. It’s also an ode to New York City and Harlem itself, known for making and breaking dreams of those who dare.
Hip hop music is played throughout the film. The music of Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah and others create the overall vibe. You feel that the hip hop baton is being passed down from Queen Latifah to Radha in the film. It is more than fitting.
Her manager and bestie Archie has the perfect idea to help sell Radha’s work to a notable New York City play producer, yet it gets complicated because Archie has to “sell” a bit of himself to get into the producer’s good graces after Radha clobbers him at an upscale reception. Why did Radha beat the brakes off the producer? He hinted that Radha should write mainstream friendly “poverty porn” in order to appeal to the interests of theater patrons. Radha felt disrespected.
Questions surround Radha constantly during the film. Can an artist be successful without selling out? Can I make a mixtape at 40? Does anyone still want me? Paying my rent versus my integrity?
Radha says, “Even my dreams need a rewrite.” I could feel that. It’s so relatable that as her art is progressing, her personal life is falling apart. Radha battles loneliness, feelings that she’s having a mid-life crises, and fears about her financial stability. Sis was really going through it!
The humorous parts of the film include Radha’s impatience as she rides the city bus that has multiple delays when she’s running late to work. The hilarious personalities of the students she works with in the after school club in Harlem. The feelings of frustration she expresses being an artist whose representation wants…
