Sabrina Brandsema- Boyz n the Hood (1991)

Boyz N the Hood examines African American family relationships in an urban ghetto. The film is a good example of a how a success/good story can still have a downbeat tone. To be young, gifted and black in America today is to live on egg shells and constantly have to prove people wrong, because they at first will always make assumptions. There are doubtless more opportunities than ever for bright, ambitious kids to escape the ghetto. But the chances of being wasted by random violence have also increased.

In this review I asked myself what does this movie mean to me, what does it reflect? It enforces all the stereotypes that one already has lingering in their mind.  I was suprised to research and come across this information: on opening night in over 800 theaters, there were more than 25 violent attacks from local gangs, one in which openly fired inside a theater, wounded and killed 11 people! I believe that this happened because the writer/director of the film, John Singleton, really captured the realism and the essence of the struggles in the hood/ghetto.  I can see how uneducated gang members would be infuriated with the way the made "their daily struggles to stay alive into an entertaining movie." But of course that doesn't give anyone the right to hurt another human being. I thought this was extremely interesting.