Boyz n the Hood (1991)

Director:

John Singleton

Writer (WGA):

John Singleton (written by)

Release Date:

12 July 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Increase the peace

Plot:

Saga of a group of childhood friends growing up in a Los Angeles ghetto.

Plot Keywords:

Loss Of Brother | Dysfunctional Family | Cult Favorite | Teenage Angst | Urban Violence

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Laurence Fishburne	...	Jason 'Furious' Styles (as Larry Fishburne)
Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	Tré Styles
Ice Cube	...	Darin 'Doughboy' Baker
Morris Chestnut	...	Ricky Baker
Nia Long	...	Brandi
Angela Bassett	...	Reva Devereaux
Tyra Ferrell	...	Brenda Baker
Lexie Bigham	...	Mad Dog
Hudhail Al-Amir	...	S.A.T. Man
Lloyd Avery II	...	Knucklehead #2
Mia Bell	...	Female Club Member
Kenneth A. Brown	...	Little Chris
Nicole Brown	...	Brandi, Age 10
Ceal	...	Sheryl
Desi Arnez Hines II	...	Tré Styles, Age 10

Also Known As:

Boys in the Hood

Runtime:

107 min | 112 min (Anniversary DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | South Korea:18 | Canada:14A | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Crenshaw Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

John Singleton's Oscar nomination for Best Director at the age of 24 makes him the youngest director to ever receive such an accolade, beating Orson Welles by a good 2 years.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: There are already bullet holes and blood on Ricky's shirt just before he gets shot.

Quotes:

Shalika: How do you know God's a he? He can be a she. You don't know that.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 1992 MTV Movie Awards (1992) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Sun Shower

Place for Race

Most movies about life in the hoods of LosAngeles, New York City, and other urban areas of the U.S. are discounted as novelty entertainment for audiences seeking sex and violence. Out of an era of gangster rap came a nationwide exposure of the issues within the Black and Latino communities, and directors like John Singleton and the Hughes Brothers follow in the footsteps of the great Spike Lee. The film Boyz n the Hood is an intricate examination of the archetypes and stereotypes of the hood, as well as an introduction to the survivors, both trapped in the violence and escaping the cycle. The film concentrates on a Black community without the interactions between communities shown in Do the Right Thing, another epic race commentary. The direction of the film is fluid and natural, the acting heartfelt and strong, the affect extraordinary. The message of the movie is deeper than White or Italian based gangland movies, because the human aspect and the characters are more solid and approachable, and rooted in highly intellectual and applicable theories on race and violence. This film is a showcase of the radical and moderate themes expressed by Black activists, with Laurence Fishburne's character as the leader and role model of the film. A careful examination of the film reveals a strong message and a strong film. Don't underestimate the power of this film.