Description
John Singleton emerged from USC film school with his passionate script already written, and at age 23 he made the film that spawned a score of ghetto dramas. From the opening shot--a sign reading "Stop"--to the final message of "Increase the Peace," Singleton's desire to galvanize his audience is clear. The violence destroying South Central Los Angeles is seen through the eyes of Tre Styles (Cuba Gooding Jr.), whose intelligence and common sense would be wasted in the 'hood if not for his father, Furious (Laurence Fishburne), who imparts discipline and responsibility to his son. Tre's friends aren't so lucky, though, especially Doughboy (Ice Cube), who has been in and out of institutions since childhood and now sits on his porch with a forty in his hand and a pistol in his waistband. Singleton is ambitious enough to tackle a host of problems, from African American business practices to the bias of the SAT test, but the real power of the film lies in the performances of its principals. Cuba Gooding, in his first role, doesn't let Tre come off like a goody two-shoes, while Ice Cube gives a tragic nobility to a young man who knows he's doomed.
| Credits | | Score Composer: | Stanley Clarke |
Editorial Reviews
"...Impressive....Powerfully affecting..."
Rolling Stone - p.78 - Peter Travers
"...BOYZ N THE HOOD juggles a half-dozen characters with remarkable ease, never losing sight of their destination....Singleton has made the punchiest feature debut in recent memory..."
USA Today - p.1D - Mike Clark
"...The movie has value. It corners moviegoers, almost at cinematic knife point, and tells them what they need and don't want to know..."
Film Comment - p.2-4 - Mary Corliss
"...Strong and striking....Singleton and his actors slowly involve us in an almost sensual melange of moods, images and situations that take us inside the ghetto in a way mainstream films almost never do....A debut to remember..."
Los Angeles Times - p.F1 - Kenneth Turan
"...[A] terrifically confident first feature....[Fishburne endows] enormous dignity and grace..."
New York Times - Janet Maslin (07/12/1991)
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