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New Jersey Drive (1995)
Rate:
6
Viewed:
12/11
12/11:
I'm a sucker for black ghetto pictures because they're always captivating.
New Jersey Drive seems to have the "it" factor but falls short of stepping up to the plate. The best part
is the authenticity of the atmosphere although it's not in the same league as
Straight Out of Brooklyn.
Although it showcases a recurring cycle of grand auto theft, arrests, and getting out of jail, many viewers may find the
whole thing hard to believe, but the reality is that car thieves are often leniently punished because of overcrowded jails
and prisons.
When somebody dies as a result of joyriding, the situation dramatically changes. For example, last summer, a
14-year-old Philadelphia boy named Winston Charleston took his mother's car overnight without her permission and engaged
police in a high-speed chase. At the end, he crashed into another vehicle, killing a 22-year-old driver. As a result,
he received a light four-year sentence to be served in reform school.
The incidents shown in New Jersey Drive aren't just confined to black ghettos. It's happening everywhere in the
country. That's why you see high-speed chase videos on TV. The driver is usually in his early teens. Just like
in 1995, Newark remains the stolen car capital of New Jersey. Once upon a time, it was the number one in the nation.
What's unrealistic is the overt police brutality. The cops are white. There's no drug dealing going on among the blacks. With
the exception of the van scene, the ending is as contrived as it gets. By the way, is that Heavy D? He just passed away last month.
All in all, if you want to have fun stealing cars, you're better off seeing New Jersey Drive.