Crooklyn (1994) User Reviews

Underrated gem from Spike Lee

[davidals · 8/10 · 16 September 2003]

CROOKLYN isn't Spike Lee's greatest, but it comes very close. Parts of the film hit so close to home with me - the sense of community so vividly depicted, and the 70s soul music (which is nearly ubiquitous through CROOKLYN) makes this film something much like a musical, with the grit and intimacy of Lee's visual realism constantly balanced against the idealism and romanticism of the music. As slice-of-life Americana, this is about as good as it gets. I disliked the scenes with the Aunt & Uncle - I felt that they were being ridiculed mercilessly, for no good reason (they are the living embodiment of the idealism contained in at least some of the music heard at other times in the film, whether they know it or not), and I wished those scenes were handled with more subtlety - Lee, like his NYC bretheren Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen has major issues with suburban types (this hits a peak in Lee's later BAMBOOZLED - an almost brilliant, but also almost cruel expression of rage at the excesses of the entertainment industry that also aimed merciless fury at uncritical audiences - audiences of any and every race and class).

But this scene aside, the remainder of CROOKLYN is so strong, and very well-made - I'd still offer a recommendation.

On the verge of classic

[karma185 · 7/10 · 1 May 1999]

This was the first movie done by Spike Lee that I have ever seen, and I saw this movie by accident. Out of all of his films, why is this one of the least known? It is worth seeing, because so many things work. It's definitely one of the most thematic movies I have ever seen, and I can definitely relate to many of Spike Lee's memories. It is sad, but it is also hopeful. Alfre Woodard was awesome, and I definitely think that she is one of the best unrecognized actresses in the US today. Delroy Lindo played his character well too. The relationship between Troy and her brothers was especially memorable and so universal! The best scenes in the movie showcase the children in front of the television. This movie was on the verge of greatness but it didn't capture it just because some parts of the movie were melodramatic and drawn out. The movie itself was about 15 minutes too long.

one of Lee's best

[heyjamesguesswhat · 8/10 · 19 April 2006]

Crooklyn is an engaging film that stands out in Spike Lee's filmography, not only for Lee's seamless storying of everyday life in 70's Brooklyn, but also because of his interesting and innovative cinematic imagery. The cinematography Lee employs in Crooklyn helps to create fantastic -sometimes even cartoon-like- environments in which his characters spring to life and thrive. His dollying techniques (placing actors on dollies), lens choice, and manipulation of color conspire to add special characteristics to this film. This is a great film to watch not only for Lee's ability to highlight the beauty of the quotidian in his storytelling, but also for the aesthetic qualities that Lee produces with his rich filmic vocabulary.

Uneven Joint

[OllieZ · 7/10 · 20 May 2007]

Although I wouldn't say this is a great Lee film, it is still very solid. There isn't a story as such, instead it is a love letter to childhood and family life in Brooklyn. Imagine Radio Days, including the sentimental streak.

The actors are great and this movie only goes to prove that Delroy Lindo is one of the best actors around. Zelda Harris as the young girl, Troy, is also brilliant. Alfre Woodard is the pivot of the film, around which most of the film revolves around - even if she has less than Troy.

Tonally the film doesn't quite click. Sometimes the original music is quite sour and does not fit with the images. Some scenes seem forced.

But the amazing soundtrack helps put things right.

Even though the film isn't perfect, it has a great soundtrack and a very unique take on things.

A Tresure

[ncoxny · 9 July 2001]

I remember seeing an interview with Neil Simon once who said

that he remebers that during the run of his play "Brightom Beach

Memiors", a black usher would crack up at every performance.

When Simon asked him why he laughed at every performance, the

usher told him "That's my family."

"Crooklyn" had the same effect on me. Just as a black ushers

family must have been light years away from a pre war Jewish

family in Brightom Beach, I can assure you that my childhood was

lightyears away from the Charmichles. True, I grew up in Brooklyn,

but I grew up in a upper middle class white neighborhood in the

early eighties. This world was light years away from the world of

Lee's film, but certain aspects of childhood ring true wether your

from Sachrimento or Siagon.

I think this is Spike's best film after "Do The Right Thing". In some

ways even better. It's one of the best films ever made about

childhood. You have the joy of staying up late and watching "The

Partidge Family". The pain of losing your Mom and having your

Dad thrown out of the house. The humor, as when one of the boys

hits a girl with a cat. This is a magical movie in all respects.

a pleasantly buoyant and personal Spike Lee film that only feels disconnected in the last act

[Quinoa1984 · 7/10 · 4 August 2007]

Crooklyn has that subjective texture by someone of the New York independent school of film-making (which means it's a cool school more often than not), where personal expression through the medium leads directly into, or out of, the creator's own life experiences. It's a direct approach to call it autobiography, which I would imagine it is for not just Spike Lee (who could be seen, more or less, as the one Carmichael kid who wears big glasses and is obsessed with the Knicks), but Joie (the lead Troy perhaps ?) and Cinque (one of the younger kids I'd suppose as the youngest Lee sibling), who all wrote the script. It's about a family getting by and going through the struggles of the small kind (change the channel, turn off the TV, don't bother your sister/brother, did you steal that from him, etc) to the larger issues (parents arguing over money) that many families in urban sections of the cities have to go through every day. Only here the family is sassy, rude, cool, a little square, a little hip, and very identifiable in one aspect or another in just how siblings relate, how the neighbors get on nerves (in this case with a slight racial edge, it is a Spike Lee movie after all), and yet deep down lots of love all around.

The Lee's inject a good deal of humor and warmth for a good 2/3 of the film, even when Spike moves the scene down south where Troy (Zelda Harris) has to stay with relatives for a little while, and Lee takes off the widescreen anamorphic process in order to make it a consistently distorted image. This is actually quite a cool move, if at first a little uneasy, as it goes in and out sometimes of looking like its distorted and then it will look like the characters and set pieces are skinny and such (the fate of the relative's dog, by the way, is one of the biggest, if cruelest, laughs in the whole film). At Crooklyn's best, there's a whole feeling to the proceedings, much like Do the Right Thing- and going back as well to the early work of Scorsese- where just a small section of New York city opens up to the viewer as being as vivid and true as possible that the lack of a usual plot doesn't matter much. Sometimes a scene might not work quite as much as another, or one of the many songs Lee lays on (and there are many, as it's one of the best soundtracks he's presented) overrides what could do without in the scene. But in general these are small quibbles.

The biggest problem that the film has- and it's not without truth to Lee's real life- is the death of mother Carolyn. It happens as soon as Troy comes back from the south that she's in the hospital, and two scenes later she's gone. It's a sudden shift in the story that doesn't really feel as true as it could, almost as if Lee and his sibling writers don't know where to go once Troy gets back except to go towards sentimentality. It's still well-acted, particularly by Delroy Lindo, who overall gives one of his best performances to date as the struggling father of the family, but it's an odd jolt that doesn't rightly click (especially with a bit where a funeral scene is interrupted by what looks like a dream scene involving Spike himself, sporting a big afro, as a target of Troy's). And yet, I wouldn't stop anyone from seeing the Crooklyn, if they want to get to see some of the less politically charged and more personal and bittersweet side of Lee, and for those who have fond memories of New York (and TV or the Knicks) in the 70s.

vibrant vision

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 3 May 2020]

It's 1973 Brooklyn. Struggling musician Woody Carmichael (Delroy Lindo) and his school teacher wife Carolyn (Alfre Woodard) head a rambunctious family of five kids. It's a neighborhood of wild characters and loud personalities.

Spike Lee delivers a vibrant vision of his 1970's Brooklyn with flamboyant characters. It would have been nice if the movie could concentrate on one of the kids and have that kid explode cinematically. The girl comes closest although it may be due to the fact that she's the only girl and she had a shoplifting story by herself. The boys tend to blend together. The movie does need a clearer narrative plot to drive the story. It would be helpful to foreshadow the big turn in the family. Overall, there is something touching about Spike painting a picture of his roots.

Personal, Endearing, Comical

[Monet11744 · 10/10 · 17 August 2002]

I thought this was a very personal, heartwarming and funny movie that also touched on very real social issues. It deals with the complications involved in family life like love, break up, sibling rivalry and making ends meet while also trying to lead a happy fulfilling life. It deals with the pains of loss and of struggle, the issues facing urban communities....self-perceptions and growing. Spike does all of this while giving a light and loving perspective to some hard issues. It is comical and endearing as you see all of these situations played out through the eyes of a young girl, trying to grow up. The odd struggle and perceptions of reality that we all face coming up...the embarrassment of a family, the neighborhood bully, etc....all gets played out in this summer classic.

--Not to mention the cinematography is wonderful and interesting.

Crooklyn-Stereotyping At Its Best ***

[edwagreen · 7/10 · 12 June 2010]

You wonder how N.Y.C. teachers can put up with what they have to after viewing this 1994 film. After all, Alfre Woodard plays a teacher herself who heads a dysfunctional family. She and Delroy Lindo give credible performances as parents trying to cope in urban society with 5 children.

The children act like too many of our children act today. Rude, loud, boisterous, fighting and again I heard the familiar expression-"Get off of me" when I taught as well.

There are 4 boys and 1 girl. When the girl goes stay with family in Virginia during the summer, we find a beautiful home but there is that constant bickering again this time between the uncle and aunt with an adopted teenage daughter.

It only takes for a family tragedy for the children to come together.

Sad, but unfortunately true, there is tremendous stereotyping here of the African American family. This is not the Cosby show.

A tree grows in Crooklyn

[Newsense · 10/10 · 3 January 2009]

Ahhh who can forget the good Ol' days of Spike Lee films that had heart as well as insight? Who can forget this gem? Crooklyn is loosely based on Spike Lee's life growing up. Its mostly a story that mostly details the struggles of a family growing up in Brooklyn as seen through the eyes of Troy(played by Zelda Harris). There are beautiful performances to be seen here. Alfre Woodard's presence is felt as the stern but loving mother of four kids and Delroy Lindo's is great as the father who is also dealing with pressure as a struggling musician and trying to pay the rent on time. They go through the normal strife that any black family has to go through in poor areas but they still find a way to maintain. I remember as a kid that the last scene with the mom passing on had me choked up. Troy and her brother holding hands at the reception for the funeral was a touching scene too. They drove each other crazy but it was still love in the end. Crooklyn has brief moments of awareness like one scene in particular: Troy's aunt comparing troy's hair to her adopted child's hair saying that the adopted child's hair was good hair and that Troy's hair was rough was a subtle form of self-hatred but most people wouldn't pick up on that. Of course Spike Lee has to make an appearance in the movie. He plays a junkie who chases kids around trying to steal money from them. In short Crooklyn stands out as one the best dramas of all time and one of Spike Lee's best work. The characters are ones that you care about, their struggles are real and anybody who has been there can also relate. Two thumbs up for Spike Lee's work of art on film.

One of my favorite Lee movies

[joycex4-1 · 7/10 · 29 September 2002]

I enjoy this movie because it leaves me feeling good about my background which is similar to the background of the main characters. This movie also has one of the funniest sequences in it that being the sequences involving the Aunt and Uncle who live in the south. The movie seems to suffer from poor editing which is why I rated it so low, but it is still one of my favorite Spike Lee movies.

Loving It

[sexyleo65 · 10/10 · 26 June 2006]

I love this movie. It reminded me of when I was a young girl growing up in the 70's. We should have more movies like this one. Good work Spike. I watch this movie with my two children who was born in the early part of the 80's and they enjoyed it as well, asking me all kinds of questions,Brought a smile to my face as I told them about me and my siblings growing up in the 70's. You can actually see how times has change, making up your own games and finding some positive things to do with your time.Like playing jump rope.what about marbles or Jacks. Do they even make them anymore? Then I really love the part when Mom came home and woke up everyone in the house.Now that was a blast from the past.

Lee's trip down memory

[DunnDeeDaGreat · 6/10 · 4 November 2001]

Crookyln involes Spike Lee's trip down memory lane and it's a memorable one. The cinematography and script are all excellent as always and the soundtrack represents the seventies very well. The film's only down point is that it's a bit long but still a great heartwarming film.

Maybe you needed to be there!

[MOscarbradley · 4/10 · 30 May 2019]

Another semi-autobiographical Spike Lee Joint about growing up in Brooklyn in the seventies. "Crooklyn" is rich in atmosphere but low in incident. It looks great and the kids are terrific but you keep waiting for something to happen and when it does it's too late. In this picture, Lee's idea of action is a lot of shouting and running around. Maybe the problem was that he not only produced and directed it but also wrote it with his siblings; there's no coherence in the script. Maybe you needed to be there or maybe you needed to be called 'Lee'. The soundtrack consists mostly of a parade of soul classics but even these get wearying after awhile.

natural, well-acted, unwieldy

[nansense · 20 January 2002]

the cast was perfect. they seemed natural and almost documentary like. Troy was magnificent. the movie captures 70s culture, the games, the shows, the streetlife, the music with humor without becoming precious. the sense of family is remarkable: strong and a little sadistic. i felt like i was that little girl living in the middle of all of those brothers. i would like delroy lindo to be my father. the flow of the narrative was a bit unwieldy, bu the music carried me through. if you want a nice neat plot, this isn't the flick to see. it was gentle.

Well acted piece of shameless self-indulgence.

[Pedro_H · 6/10 · 8 November 2005]

The life and times of a large black family growing up in Brooklyn circa 1970.

I am told that Spike Lee got together with his sister and made a list of the things they remember about their youth. They then tuned this list in to a film script -- with the disclaimer that it is not really autobiographical.

I won't name the actors in this piece by name, but I would congratulate them on acting out a giant piece of nothing. It also follows the formula that is popular the world over - children are cheeky, men are feckless dreamers and only women can get their act together and stop life falling apart totally.

(Maybe this is true - discuss this among yourselves.)

There is no real drama here. No hero's and villains. There is bits of soap opera and kitchen table politics, but hardly anything that you couldn't see 7 days a week on TV.

I am not really fascinated by working class life in a black neighbourhood anyway - but I did watch and gave the movie a chance to get me involved. Sadly it failed, although it is not objectionable in any way.

Crooklyn proves that all great movies are actually about something and if you open your mouth it is best to have something to say. This is just a giant treading-water exercise for Spike Lee who, while not being very good or very polished, gets by because there isn't any competition for him.

Spike Lee does Woody Allen.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 10 June 2023]

It's not "Radio Days", perhaps "45 RPM" days, taking long forgotten gadgets, nostalgic references and trends, early 1970's style, not a boom box or cell phone in sight. The film focuses on the family of Alfre Woodard (always a delight) and Delroy Lindo, their adolescent children, assorted relatives and neighbors, not all likeable, but there for each other when they need to be. The script requires the kids to be constantly screaming at each other, so it's easy to feel a headache after watching this. That makes the quieter moments all the more special, and the use of various styles of music necessary to alter the mood here and there.

The film is a slice of a frantic, non-stop life, fights over eating food the kids hate, neighborhood feuds (race related), the local bodega and weird assortment of people who hang out and work there. I didn't care for the kids behavior or how they were constantly stood up for when wrong, but as parents usually do, they'll get disciplined in private away from the eyes of nosy neighbors. There's a visit to relatives out of town that show a contrast, so there's a sense of realism that is often uncomfortable to watch when seeking entertainment. Performance wise, it's as real as they come. A mixed bag, but a joint definitely worth a toke.

VIEWS ON FILM review of Crooklyn

[burlesonjesse5 · 6/10 · 26 May 2014]

The closing credits of Spike Lee's 1994 film Crooklyn state that what we saw as an audience was a work of fiction. They also state that Crooklyn had more than one writer and those writers (Lee and his real life brother and sister) drew some of their inspiration from their own lives growing up in a low rent Brooklyn neighborhood. If this is the case and the film is not exactly a true story, then after a recent viewing, I started to wonder why and for what reason, it was made. Now granted, Spike Lee always has good intentions. And most of the time he gets energetic performances from his cast. However, in Crooklyn's case, the material he is saddled with (the story and the monotonous, yet accurate script) is entirely lightweight, and it doesn't have the strength to fill a 2 hour-plus exercise. Whatever conflicts that occur between the characters (characters that fade in and out of the proceedings) are never fully realized and resolved, the one event or tragedy that occurs toward the film's conclusion does not fully beef up any dramatic momentum, and most of the scenes involving the main family depicted (the Carmichael family) feel tedious and in serious need of editing. In essence, Crooklyn would have more effective as a side plot of Lee's family childhood included in a T.V. special/documentary about his life as a director. What came out in 1994 though, is an authentic, yet unnecessary portrayal of a family of 5 kids (four boys, 1 girl) living in Brooklyn, NY in the summer of 1973.

Using many unknown child actors and casting himself as a neighborhood glue sniffing junkie, Lee shoots a film that follows the lives of the fictional family, the Carmichaels. They consists of a hard working school teacher (always tough as nails Alfre Woodard), her calming, hard- up musician husband (with this film and Lee's Clockers, Delroy Lindo is now one of my true acting heroes), and their five children (the film slowly begins to put its main focus on the only daughter in group being Troy, played with confidence by Zelda Harris). Although they are the main tenants of the building they are living in, they are struggling to make ends meet (they fail to pay the electric bill for everybody else and the building loses power) and Carolyn Carmichael (Woodard) being the sole provider, puts a strain on the family dynamic. She and Woody Carmichael (Lindo) fight and argue because he is not able to make any money playing his music (he's a piano player and composer). Crooklyn also in the smallest detail takes a look at some of the other people that live on the same block as the Carmichaels. They are side characters that don't get a lot of screen time to establish themselves, let alone add to the workings of the plot (a plot with a very thin skin). As I stated a couple sentences ago, watching this exercise, you begin to realize that the young Troy becomes the focal point of the movie in general. It's not entirely known upfront. But by the last twenty minutes or so, you understand why. By then it's too late because too much running time is passed and not enough has happened. If the whole entire film focused on this little girl, I think it might have worked. I stress the words might have.

When it's all said and done, this is a harmless motion picture that seemed close to Lee's heart. I don't think it's a bad film by any means. I just feel that the subject matter wasn't deep enough or potent enough to engage an audience seeking entertainment value or for lack of a better word, excitement. Yes, the period detail is pretty solid with the soundtrack being composed of some 70's classics and a few rap tunes. The opening credit sequence is excellent, depicting a normal routine of childhood antics (double dutch jump rope, tag, street races, etc.) on a hot summer day in NYC. And the closing credits are a delight leading with an intro by Soul Train creator Don Cornelius followed by a dance sequence on said T.V. show. But, in between, the movie glides by without really saying anything or provoking any deep meaning. So my high end analysis is this: instead of watching people's lives on screen, the only way to really embrace this film, is by being in that place and time, and actually inhabiting some form of their existence. If you lived in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood back in 1973, this flick might be your cup of tea. If you didn't, decide to take in a viewing, and wanted to immerse yourself in the world of Crooklyn, (you know its characters and its story) by hook or "crook", you'll ultimately feel cheated at what you just saw.

Anyone who grew up in NYC 1970's will love this film

[gelashe · 9/10 · 1 September 2006]

Having grown up in Queens in the 1970's, everything in this film hits home. I am sure anyone that grew up in any of the 5 boro's can appreciate it.

The music is what we listened to on AM radio, the TV shows, children's street games, sitting on the stoop steps, kids teasing their friends and neighbors are all something we did at that time.

The Carmichael kids in front of the TV singing along to the Partridge Family "I Woke up in Love this Morning", Walt Frazier being IT when it came to basketball. How many of us sat doing the same things? The kids fighting with each other are brother sister typical things.

But the film also shows the problems a family endures when financial strains hit. The father is a musician who wants to write and play classical music to audiences who can appreciate it. This becomes a burden when his wife is the one working as a teacher paying the bills. Domestic issues put a strain on their relationship as they get into who used to pay the bills and who's paying them now.

Mom getting the kids up in the middle of the night for not cleaning up, you can understand her frustration being the breadwinner, mom and everything else. When she complains later on that she is tired, you will have to watch the film to see why.

Sit back and enjoy a trip back in time when life was a lot simpler. Even Spike and his friend dabbling in glue sniffing isn't so bad compared to what is going on now.

70's Brooklyn

[allanfstudent · 7/10 · 21 April 2015]

I am a 17 year old guy who has been living in Brooklyn all his life so I know what Brooklyn is like. I say that this film was good because it shows how Brooklyn used to be back in the days before i was even born.It was actually smart to make the girl in the family the main character in the film. I say this because she was the only girl out of four boys in the family. This movie was very kinda sad to because when.....spoiler alert... the mom died in the film the girl basically took over the mother's life. But the film actually reminds me of when I was little when she used to yell at me and stuff. The mother raised her kids with respect.The would have the kids wake up at certain times and sleep at certain times, thats a good mother in my book. But anyways good film that reminded me of real life.

Crooklyn is one of my favorite Spike Lee movies

[Drea_mz · 9/10 · 13 September 2004]

Growing up as a teen in today's age ( I'm 18 ) I love watching movies that take place in the 60's and 70's that showcase what it was like growing up in those days."Now and Then" "Cooley High" and "Dazed and Confused" ring a bell when it comes to this genre . "Crooklyn" has to be one of my favorites out of this group of movies because of the bittersweet story of an interesting enjoyable lead character Troy (Zelda Harris). This young lady bought something special to the movie along with Alfre Woodard and Delroy Lindo.

The movie starts off to be a fun loving look in the eyes of Troy. While she goes through dealing with her annoying brothers, her parents marital issues, and just being a kid in Brooklyn. The entire movie had me laughing from the beginning to when Troy stays with her southern family members. Even though the distorted camera work is annoying, those were my favorite scenes in the movie.

The movie takes a change of pace when Troy returns to NYC to find out her mother is sick with cancer. The lightheartedness of the movie is replaced by sadness when her mother dies. The scene at the funeral when Troy's older brother sits next to her and holds her hand was one of the most touching scenes in the movie. Despite the death of her mother (which was very sad) the ending wasn't exactly displeasing because in the end Troy had a father who truly loved her and her brothers. I kinda felt that in the long run Troy and her family would make it through in life with their mother's memories and what they learned from her. This movie will continue to be one of my favorite movies ever. The characters, comedy, and charm of this movie will make it a good one for viewing pleasure.

loved this movie growing up

[Qu33nJazzy · 7/10 · 29 December 2015]

i grew up on this movie, its really funny. i love the Crooklyns. its funny,joyful, and a family movie to watch. its about family and growing up. singing and dancing fighting with your family. its a great movie and i love it. I HOPE THE COME UP WITH A NUMBER TWO AND ADD ME. THEY NEED A NUMBER TWO TO BETTER THE FILM.i grew up on this movie, its really funny. i love the Crooklyns. its funny,joyful, and a family movie to watch. its about family and growing up. singing and dancing fighting with your family. its a great movie and i love it. I HOPE THE COME UP WITH A NUMBER TWO AND ADD ME. THEY NEED A NUMBER TWO TO BETTER THE FILM.

Endearing

[annaily · 8/10 · 16 September 2017]

Endearing, sweet, funny, sad. This movie had the pacing of a book, slow and detailed, but it was excellent. Visually, I adored the colors and scenery of 1970s New York. Many colorful minor characters that really represent the scene well. The Ru Paul cameo was a nice touch.

It's not gimmicky or trying to be funny. It's actually genuinely funny in spots, but mostly it is just very endearing and heartwarming. Brings back memories of childhood, no matter who you are or when you grew up, you'll relate to some aspect of this movie.

It's a feel-good, coming of age, chaos and struggle of life movie through the eyes of Troy, the only girl of 5 children of a lower class family in New York.

Alfre Woodard and Zelda Harris are fantastic. Harris is quite the little actress.

A Wholesome Portrait of Spike Lee's Family

[elicopperman · 7/10 · 19 February 2024]

30 years ago, filmmaker Spike Lee and his siblings Joie and Cinque put together their own personal nostalgic feature called Crooklyn. Loosely based on the siblings' childhood growing up in Brooklyn, New York, the film is possibly the most personal project of Lee's filmography to date, and it has remained a deeply passionate staple of his works now that it has garnered minor cult status over the years. Looking back at the film today, while it's by no means perfect in every single regard, it nonetheless works quite well as a complicated coming of age dramedy from the point of view of Lee and his own family.

Set in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn during the summer of '73, the film follows a young girl named Troy Carmichael as she learns life lessons through her family, such as her rowdy brothers Clinton, Wendell, Nate, and Joseph, her strict yet caring mother Carolyn, and her naive, struggling father Woody. As a film inspired by the life Lee and his siblings experienced, Crooklyn is a psychologically stimulating feature that is carried through Troy navigating a tough world that she nonetheless resonates in. Although the plot is fairly scattered and feels more episodic than coherently structured, it feels appropriate considering how crazy and unpredictable the life of any child can be, such is the case with Troy having to deal with her uncontrollable brothers, eccentric neighbors, and wacky kids her age and beyond. Zelda Harris captures the insecurities of childhood pain through subtle facial expressions and genuine snark that make Troy that much of an endearing lead protagonist, arguably more so than the factor of Joie Lee being who she's clearly based off of in the first place.

In depicting an authentically harsh view of childhood without sugar coating the lives of New Yorkers, many of the people Troy tries to gain respect from either make or break the poor girl. Delroy Lindo and Alfre Woodard share conflicting roles as Woody and Carolyn respectively, with both actors working off their individual roles for the benefit of their children all while struggling to make end's meet. Considering that they're both based on Lee's own parents, the film is at its most tender and vulnerable once Troy and her brothers have to face the harsh reality of growing up too soon. Other characters can range from basic opponents like the Carmichael's noisy next door neighbor Tony Eyes and the whack glue sniffers Snuffy and Right Hand Man or colorful friends like the flamboyant singer Tommy La-La and war veteran Vic Powell. However, Woodard and Lindo are such powerfully emotional players that the film simply would not have been anywhere as effective without their appearances, showing how much a father and mother's love can truly go a long way.

As this is a Spike Lee joint, the unsubtle director manages to incorporate his own style within the more heartfelt and tender sequences. By means of emphasizing the film's time and place, the soundtrack consists of period music from the 1960s and 1970s that displays the nostalgic throwback Lee and his siblings were going for in representing their own memories. In addition, the on location shooting aesthetic portrays the Brooklyn township backdrops as full of life and community not unlike the people who grow up there today. Much of this can be attributed to the smooth playful cinematography of Arthur Jafa, the cooky editing of Barry Alexander Brown, and the melancholy somber jazz score of Terence Blanchard. In many ways, the Brooklyn location is almost a character in itself thanks to how much the people there thrive off of the surroundings, whether for better or worse. Through genuine soul and visual representation, coming of age films like this have proven to succeed in feeling humanly natural and full of life beyond the mere dramatic elements alone.

As crazily episodic as it is indelibly remorseful, Spike Lee's Crooklyn succeeds in capturing the conflicts of youth and family that can never be broken in spite of the circumstances happening during one's life. If you have not seen this film yet, do yourself a favor and give it a go, regardless if you're a New Yorker or not. Even if you're not familiar with the contextual story behind the making of the feature itself, there is more than enough to appreciate about a film that depicts black girlhood with such raw power and love all over each frame. It remains a landmark cult classic of New York for good reason after all.

The film was just ... too clean

[tim_simpson · 5/10 · 20 November 2004]

I've seen this movie described as vibrant .. I guess it was in a way. But I really don't know if that was a good thing for this film. I started watching this film knowing nothing about it. The kid on the bed did remind me of Spike Lee, and I thought to myself "yeah this is a Spike Lee kinda thing" but not something he'd do. I'm surprised to see it is a Spike Lee film.

It's too clean, too fairytale, too ... contrived.

That needs explaining. All the poor, rough kids stealing candy and beating

each other up in the street .. including the glue-heads and the gangsters ... they are all wearing shiny brand new clothes, they're clean shaved, their makeup is immaculate, teeths sparking white (what is that fixation about!).... All of them!!!

The paint on the railing is new .. all of it!, even the garbage and the dirty building frontage is immaculately clean ... it looks designed, not natural.

That's all I saw through the entire film. In fact the props, costumes, and sets we're so unnatural, that several times I found I had been distracted from the story ... I lost the plot so to speak ...

The filming was great ... beautiful shots ... nicely cut .... technically great. But everything got in the way of the story, so it failed in the single thing you make a movie to do.