"Boyz n the Hood" is a film that isn't pleasant viewing....it's hard, sad and will likely leave you feeling like you could use a Kleenex. But this does not mean it's a bad film nor one you should avoid. After all, in a hellish environment like South Central LA in 1991, it's hard to make the story fun! But it is important to talk about this...and the film raises our awareness of the problems facing folks living there.

The story is about a group of friends who grew up in a horrible neighborhood due to all the violence and drugs. It's told from the viewpoint of Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) and you see the way the neighborhood and violence practically destroy him...and does lead to the deaths of some of his friends. In many ways, it's like watching a slow-motion car crash...you know something BAD is going to happen but it's inevitable as well.

The film is tough to watch...violence, crude and not exactly mainstream. But this is why I respect the film so much...it's NOT a typical story of black America that you see on TV...it's rough, unrelenting and sad...at least for these poor folks. Well worth seeing and with some excellent acting performances and a heart-wrenching script.

An intriguing look at life amongst the black urban classes in Los Angeles, BOYZ N THE HOOD might well be described as the black STAND BY ME. It's certainly an intense, well-acted and surprisingly mature drama that explores life, liberty, family relationships, education, and of course gang culture, examining what makes people tick and what leads to the senseless violence and murder that's blighted the streets since forever.

John Singleton is careful never to preach his messages, although there is a preacher of sorts in the movie: the excellent Laurence Fishburne as the mild-mannered but steely-eyed father who wants only the best for his kids. The acting from the young black cast, including Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut, and Ice Cube, is fresh and invigorating, as these guys actually manage to capture the fire and conflict within the souls of their characters. Nothing much that happens in BOYZ N THE HOOD will shock or surprise, as sadly the daily news is much, much worse, but this is a remarkably tough social drama that manages to be heartfelt at the same time. Authenticity is key.

It's 1984 South Central Los Angeles. Tre Styles is an angry young boy in a tough neighborhood. His mother Reva (Angela Bassett) sends him to live with his father Furious Styles (Laurence Fishburne) so he can teach him how to be a man. His fatherless friends don't have the same role model. Doughboy is arrested for stealing. Seven years later, Doughboy (Ice Cube) returns home as a tough gangster. His half-brother Ricky Baker (Morris Chestnut) is an athlete chasing a football scholarship with a baby. Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) has to find his way in this tough world.

This movie broke new ground with its gritty portrayal of inner city life. It has the racist black cop. It has the collapse of the African American family. Writer/director John Singleton brings a new view of the ghetto life. This is definitely a message movie. It is more than just about gangbangers. It is about what it takes to be a proper black father. It's about things other than the usual ghetto talk. It's about black power. It's about life.