Review of Boyz n the Hood (1991) by Ryan V — 30 Sep 2011

Boyz n the Hood is the contemporary public enemy, and as if Tom Powers's legacy meant anything, it's that the scum from whence he came remains incurable. Rather, it is steadfastly growing in numbers, affecting all ethnic backgrounds. In Boyz n the Hood, the archetypal gangster story is portrayed in South Central Los Angeles, following the lives of three downtrodden African American boys. One boy yearns for something greater than gang life. Another boy has the potential for a scholarship but is wrought with indecision. The third boy is a product of his environment. The movie occurs at the height of the city's darkest racism, predating the Los Angeles riots, where citizens are murdering one another on a daily basis and politicians ignorantly shun away the reality.

There are many movies that display poverty and sociological injustices, but Boyz n the Hood is perhaps one of the best. It's relatively simple story line, objective tone, and illustrations of racial prejudice run deep throughout the movie and its characters. I feel that this is a topic most filmmakers feel uncomfortable about depicting, but director John Singleton delivered a visceral story in order to garner the attention of both critics and general audiences. The hardest part is actually portraying a topic so real and molding it into a 2 hour feature. I wouldn't necessarily say Boyz n the Hood is fiction; it's more like dramatized reality.

Society is not entirely dysfunctional. Some characters in this drama believe that they are merely misunderstood by higher authority. Others think they are mistreated by the law. Nevertheless, the violence continues without any foreseeable end. This is where certain characters, like Doughboy, conform to the inescapable lifestyle while Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) seeks the nearest route out.

Boyz n the Hood is a unique movie; it's controversial content matter is often touched upon in today's documentaries (notably History Channel's Gangland). For this reason alone, the effect the film will have with certain audiences is varied. Most moviegoers flock to the cinemas to escape from reality; Boyz n the Hood suggests that there is no escaping. Just reality.