"Screw Boyz N the Hood...this is where it's at..."
Goddamn, this movie is incredible...Albert and Allen Hughes bring us this incredible drama about a young man who just wants out of the hood.
Menace stars Tyrin Turner as Caine, a boy who has lived with violence all of his life. At a young age, he witnesses his father (Samuel L. Jackson) commit murder over a money dispute. His best friend O-Dog (Larenz Tate) is what he calls "America's worst nightmare...young, black, and doesn't give a fuck." During a carjacking, Caine's cousin is killed, and he is left critically wounded. He recovers and begins spending a lot of time with Ronnie (Jada Pinkett Smith), the wife of the man who was like a father to him, Pernell (Glenn Plummer). Pernell is serving up a life sentance and asks Caine to take care of his wife. When Ronnie gets a job away from the hood, Caine decides to go with her and turn over a new leaf.
This film is not just another "growing up in the hood" flick. The visual style reflects the Scorsese influence that the Hughes brothers have spoken of in interviews. The risks that the script takes make the movie all that more real and convincing. Instead of feeling like you are watching a Dr. Dre video, you are left with the idea and thought of how incredibly hard it is to live in a place where the law isn't too concerned whether you live or die.
A definite two thumbs up and a must see even if you are not a fan of the genre.And Larenz Tate is definitely an absolute bad ass for the entire flick...
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