CrimeDrama

Boyz n the Hood

- Once upon a time in South Central L.A... It ain't no fairy tale.

In the middle of the Los Angeles ghetto, drugs, robberies and shootings dominate everyday life. During these times, Furious tries to raise his son Tre to be a decent person. Tre's friends, on the other hand, have little regard for the law and drag the entire neighborhood into a street war...

Release Date : 1991-07-12

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Columbia Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Boys in the HoodBoyz n. the Hood

Cast

Character Name : Tré Styles

Original Name : Cuba Gooding Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Furious Styles

Original Name : Laurence Fishburne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doughboy

Original Name : Ice Cube

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ricky Baker

Original Name : Morris Chestnut

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reva Styles

Original Name : Angela Bassett

Gender : Female

Character Name : Brandi

Original Name : Nia Long

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Baker

Original Name : Tyra Ferrell

Gender : Female

Character Name : Shalika

Original Name : Regina King

Gender : Female

Character Name : Brandi's Mom

Original Name : Meta King

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Old Man

Original Name : Whitman Mayo

Gender : Male

Character Name : S.A.T. Man

Original Name : Hudhail Al-Amir

Gender : Male

Character Name : Knucklehead #2

Original Name : Lloyd Avery II

Gender : Male

Character Name : Female Club Member

Original Name : Miya McGhee

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mad Dog

Original Name : Lexie Bigham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Little Chris

Original Name : Kenneth A. Brown

Gender : Male

Character Name : Brandi Age 10

Original Name : Nicole Brown

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sheryl

Original Name : Ceal

Gender : Male

Character Name : Keisha

Original Name : Darneicea Corley

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lewis Crump

Original Name : John Cothran

Gender : Male

Character Name : Trina

Original Name : Na'Blonka Durden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Olaf

Original Name : Susan Falcon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Officer Coffey

Original Name : Jessie Lawrence Ferguson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dooky

Original Name : Dedrick D. Gobert

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chris

Original Name : Regi Green

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ice Cream Truck Kid

Original Name : Kareem J. Grimes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rosa

Original Name : Tammy Hanson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bobby Age 10

Original Name : Valentino D. Harrison

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tré Age 10

Original Name : Desi Arnez Hines II

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doughboy Age 10

Original Name : Baha Jackson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Renee

Original Name : Dee Dee Jacobs

Gender : Male

Character Name : Officer Graham

Original Name : Kirk Kinder

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gangster #2

Original Name : Leanear Lane

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ricky Age 10

Original Name : Donovan McCrary

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gangster #1

Original Name : Don Nelson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kid

Original Name : Jimmy Lee Newman Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Knucklehead #1

Original Name : Malcolm Norrington

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shanice

Original Name : Alysia Rogers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tisha's Grandmother

Original Name : Esther Scott

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tisha

Original Name : Leonette Scott

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ric Rock

Original Name : Vonte Sweet

Gender : Male

Character Name : Monster

Original Name : Baldwin C. Sykes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ferris

Original Name : Raymond D. Turner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Yo-Yo

Original Name : Yolanda Whitaker

Gender : Female

Character Name : The Mailman (uncredited)

Original Name : John Singleton

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Rick, it's the Nineties. Can't afford to be afraid of our own people anymore, man. 1991 "One out of every twenty-one Black American males will be murdered in their lifetime" "Most will die at the hands of another Black male" "Increase The Peace" is the closing message of John Singleton's powerful, intelligent and affecting call for calm in South Central Los Angeles. Often mistakenly presumed by those who haven't seen it to be a film that glamorises violence, Singleton's debut film takes us into South Central and holds us there by just shooting the story. No trickery or overtly moralistic posturing from the director (and writer), just an unpretentious look at life in a modern ghetto. The story follows three black teenagers as they ponder on what life holds for them as adulthood lurches from around the corner. Brothers Doughboy (Ice Cube) and Ricky Baker (Morris Chestnut) and best friend Tre Styles (Cuba Gooding Jr), each have the usual worries that come with leaving the teenage years behind. Parents, girls, careers, not returning to the pen! But this is no ordinary coming of age drama, we have been party to this neighbourhood that these boys live in. This is a place where a trip to the store can get you killed in a drive by shooting. A place where those keen to learn and do their homework have their muse shattered by the frequent sound of gunshots and sirens filling the South Central night. Though Singleton can be accused of painting some of his characters as too saintly, he should be forgiven since this is after all, a message movie. Besides which his portrait of this particular neighbourhood is done from honest memory since he himself be a former youth of South Central LA. There in lies one of Boyz's trump cards, Singleton, through his own observations, asks of those in "The Hood" to take responsibility for what they do. Something that is potently given narrative credence courtesy of Tre's father's (a fabulous understated Laurence Fishburne) deep musings. Once the built up tension explodes with the inevitable tragedy that all should be ready for, the impact is like a sledgehammer hitting bone. Not in a blood letting for impact sake, but with the aftermath as a family soaks up the situation. It gives 90s cinema one of its most affecting and damning scenes, one that once viewed is hard to fully shake out of the memory bank. Here Singleton could possibly have bowed out of the story, but he goes further, expanding the aftermath and taking us, along with the characters, to the final "Increase The Peace" dénouement. It's been called everything from an After School Special to the most important Black American movie made thus far. I agree with the last assessment. 9/10

GenerationofSwine

@GenerationofSwine

2023-01-14

John Singleton really isn't my thing. I mean, the movie came out in '91 but didn't get much exposure out in the country where I grew up until it was on HBO. However "Poetic Justice" DID and when I finally came around to watching "Boyz n the Hood" I had extremely low expectations. I honestly thought it was going to be as absolutely pointless as "Poetic Justice" was. And, yeah, I did kind of like "Higher Learning," which I also saw before this, but I still kind of feel that he was pointing the finger at white people and telling the viewers that we are all evil and the cause of all the problems in the world. So I went in here thinking it was going to be a talented racist mess. However, it wasn't. The fact is the film was absolutely amazing. And, honestly, it was the first film I saw about gangs, from a non-police POV, that didn't glorify them. And it remains one of the few gangland movies I've seen that doesn't glorify the lifestyle. And I understand that they are two completely different beasts, but the film felt like it was taking the issue of gangs and giving it a "The Godfather" treatment...and it worked. It worked brilliantly. You can both relate to the characters--although I'm probably not supposed to say that--and see that the gang culture is a horrible thing. Unlike "Poetic Justice" it has a point. And unlike "Higher Learning," it doesn't cast as racist of a finger. It actually deals with issues and tells a story and, honestly, to watch it is to love it.