On B List of Movie Reviews
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Boyz n the Hood (1991)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
10/03, 11/04, 10/05, 10/10, 4/19
10/05:
Having seen the movie many times and comparing it with the others of black cinema, I'm convinced that
Boyz n the Hood is among the greatest films made.
Look no further than the edgy opening sequence which sets the tone for the rest of the way. Ice Cube gives the most
brilliant performance of the cast, especially how he delivers his lines. What a surprise that he wasn't nominated for an Oscar.
When I think of the movie, Doughboy comes to my mind first.
Cube Gooding, Jr., Morris Chestnut, Tyra Ferrell, Laurence Fishburne, and Angela Bassett, among others, are impeccable and
will always be memorable. The scene with Ricky and Tre, after they see the red Hyundai Excel, is unforgettable and powerful
and is why Boyz n the Hood has been catapulted to the top.
All in all, Boyz n the Hood is the best work of John Singleton's career.
10/10:
Ice Cube has never been this good as he was in Boyz n the Hood which is one of the most powerful films I've seen.
It can't be any more dramatic than the scene when Tre yelled out to Ricky after the sight of the red Hyundai Excel. Simply put,
Boyz n the Hood is the game changer of the genre and sets the standard that all black films are forever burdened to match.
All in all, Boyz n the Hood is as real as it gets.
4/19:
John Singleton passed away today, and what did I do tonight?
Watch Boyz n the Hood, of course. It's an amazing, powerful film that belongs in the top 100. I read the
following comment on Yahoo:
"I worked in the business at the time Boyz was released. Been to thousands of showings, thousands of movies, and this
was the only time I went into the theater packed with loud, rowdy noisy kids. When the movie ended, it was dead silence. People
left orderly and respectful, reflective and contemplative. It takes a great director to make such powerful message to the
public."
To this day, I'm surprised that Ice Cube never got an Oscar nomination. It's just phenomenal acting. His character,
Doughboy, was intelligent, and I wish he put his energy into something more constructive.
John Singleton shows the impact of fatherless boys versus boys with fathers. It's demonstrated by Furious Styles who guides
Tre and teaches him how to be a man and make the right decisions. There are also golden tickets such as college and sports for
anyone who desires to get out of the 'hood in South Central Los Angeles that's constantly besieged with crime and pervasive
police patrol.
The most powerful moment is when Ricky was about to lose his life. Think about how far he had come
to this point of his life. He didn't deserve to die just because of the touchy-feely behavior during that night at the
drag. The rest of the film is sad.
In 1986, John Singleton worked as a security guard for a Pee-wee Herman film and approached Laurence
Fishburne with his script for Boyz n the Hood which got him cast. Fishburne would have a great memorable
scene with Angela Bassett at the French restaurant that allowed them to be paired up again for their Oscar-nominated roles in
What's Love Got to Do with It.
Talk about life imitating art: Lloyd Avery II, whose character killed Ricky, joined the Bloods, got arrested for a double
homicide, and was sentenced to life in prison before being killed there. Dedrick Gobert, who always had a
pacifier in his mouth, was murdered at a drag race in Southern California a few years after the release of Boyz n the Hood.
Lexie Bigham, who gave the football back to young Ricky, died in a car accident in 1995.
All in all, John Singleton left behind a legacy in Boyz n the Hood.