Boyz n the Hood Movie Review

Boyz n the Hood (1991)

Rent Boyz n the Hood on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: John Singleton
Directed by: John Singleton
Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Larry Fishburne, Angela Bassett, Nia Long, Regina King
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Follows the lives of three young males living in the Crenshaw ghetto of Los Angeles, dissecting questions of race, relationships, violence, and future prospects.

Verdict
If it's not the first movie to examine the complexities of the inner city, it is the most well known. Through three friends we see the pitfalls of the inner city and how difficult it is to escape the violence and poverty. This doesn't glorify violence or gangs, it just presents the realities and difficulties of the situation. We see how easy it is to become trapped in the city and mindset.
Watch It.

Review
This doesn't take long to get into it. School aged kids in a tough environment with tempers lead to a fight. On the way home we see what kind of environment Tre lives in. You mimic what you see and he sees a fight in public while walking home.

Laurence Fishburne, Cube Gooding Jr. play Furious and Tre Styles

Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is sent to live with his dad due to his school troubles. His dad Furious (Larry Fishburne) is strict, but he's one of the few characters we see that realizes what it takes to escape the gangs, violence, and discrimination. He doesn't want his son stuck in Crenshaw for life where he'll likely die early to violence.

It's from all sides. When Furious calls the cops due to a break in, he faces discrimination from the cops. That was probably a larger shock at the time that the cops don't always help. That sets the stage to jump ahead seven years where Tre and his friends are young adults. Tre is most interested in clothes and girls. Doughboy (Ice Cube) has just gotten out of prison. Ricky (Morris Chestnut) has the best chance to go to college, but he also has a girlfriend and son.

Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Dedrick D. Gobert, Cuba Gooding Jr. play Doughboy, Ricky, Dooky, Tre

This is insight into a life unfamiliar to many people. The concern is that you could see this as a glamorization of a violent lifestyle, but this movie isn't saying it's cool to be a gangster. This illustrates all the difficulties that prevent success. You have to worry about your safety here. There are places you shouldn't go.

It does seem strange, even for the time that a tricked out VW Bug is the car of choice. Tre and his dad both drive Bugs.

This movie had an impact because nothing like this had ever been seen in the cinema. You see these action movies with mindless violence that's glorified, and this movie denounces it all. This shows the difficulties and realities of living in the inner city where all you face is opposition.