Juice

This picture is a disturbing but gripping urban thriller that details the lives of four youngsters who drift aimlessly day by day in search of manhood and self-respect. The film offers a realistic slice of street life in a rough neighborhood where families struggle to keep young teens in school and out of trouble. Peer pressure, petty crime and violence mark the lives of the principals and the lure of a gun and its power result in a showdown between the reluctant Omar Epps and the psychotic Tupac Shakur. The young men are on a macho trip throughout the story, squaring off with rival gangs, the police, authority figures and each other. The movie doesn't dwell on the scourge of drug use and pushers but instead essays the coming of age of black youths in an urban war zone and the many pitfalls they encounter as they approach adulthood. Samuel L. Jackson and Queen Latifah are great in supporting roles and the movie has a nifty hip-hop soundtrack that adds pace to a solid uptown crime drama.

This is one of the few, probably the only film in the urban youth genre, a la 'Boyz in the Hood' and 'Menace 2 Society' that I can truly appreciate. This film is as gritty and true to the life as the other films mentioned, but the story and acting in this film rises it above the rest. Tupac Shakur was excellent in his role as Bishop....he came through with a very intense and harrowing performance. If you need any convincing as to his talent, this film will show that. This was arguably Omar Epps' best performance, he was VERY convincing as 'Q'. Where a movie like 'Menace 2 Society' was just a showcase of the gang life, 'Juice' mixes that with an interesting and true-to-life story. It shows the struggle of black youth in a whole new light; I can't help but feel for Q and his friends because that is something that could happen to anyone. A classic for fans of hip-hop culture.

*** 1/2 out of **** stars.

Juice is yet another hood film that presents itself honestly and with a good sense of realism. It doesn't capitalize on anything but the reality and the dangers of growing up in a city lead by gun violence and senseless murders. In the mix of it all are four Harlem boys all portrayed effectively by Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, Jermaine "Huggy" Hopkins, and Khalil Kain.

The boys call themselves "The Wrecking Crew," and are trying to survive with what they have in a dangerous town. They spend most of their time at an arcade or a record shop when they cut school a little early, most of the time being harassed by the police or a gang in the process. One day, one of the boys named Bishop (Shakur) buys a gun, and convinces the other three members to come along in stickup. They rob the store, and from that moment on things go from bad to worse for the boys.

There is a subplot involving another one of the gang's members nicknamed "Q" (Epps) who is an aspiring DJ, and has a big DJ competition the night of the planned robbery.

Writer and Director Ernest R. Dickerson has worked as the cinematographer on various Spike Lee films, and this marks his very first shot behind the camera. While Juice is passable and well-made, it suffers by comparison with film's made by Lee like Do the Right Thing and School Daze. It also can be compared to Boyz N The Hood, another excellent hood film by John Singleton.

I believe because of Spike Lee films and works of John Singleton is the reason why Juice has slipped through the cracks. It has a following, but because of strong critical acclaim surrounding the other pictures and this one just having mixed reviews is the reason why this isn't remembered as well as the other films.

The moral of Juice is great about a psychological change one person can go through in a matter of time, the message about gun violence, and strong friendships being tested. However - this is taken in a more clichéd manner than any other hood film I've seen. We don't know a whole lot about the characters, and we don't know about they're raised. We don't get the parental backstory which is what Boyz N The Hood was cluttered with.

I'm recommending Juice for its morals, its sense of realism, and its subject matter. However, the delivery is a little askew, and the four boys aren't developed as well as they could be. This is still one more realistic hood film that many should make time to see, but this film only reaches the level of average to decent while all of Singleton's films surpassed the above average mark.

Starring: Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, Jermaine "Huggy" Hopkins, Khalil Kain, Samuel L. Jackson. Directed by: Ernest R. Dickerson.

Juice is an urban drama set in early 90's New York City. It is the story of four friends who each look to gain respect in the neighborhood one way or another. Q(Epps), Raheem (Kain), Steel (Jermaine ...), and Bishop (The Late? Tupac)have good chemistry as the group of friends looking to earn some props around the way. The standout performances were from Tupac and Epps. There are many cameos by famous hip-hop celebrities in the film. The story is good and there are many memorable lines for those who enjoy this genre.

The cinematography by Dixon gives you the feel of Harlem during that era. This will go down as a classic hip-hop film with a great soundtrack. All-in-all this film is a must have if you are a fan of the genre, and a decent pick-up if you are not particularly fond of these types of films.

Peace,

Buggieblade

Top performances from Epps and Shakur make this film watchable, the story a fairly mundane one of street youth gangs drifting into crime in search of kicks, streetcred and "juice" (or power). Shakur is the nutter who leads the way on a downward spiral, eager to get involved in any crazy venture and leading his more cautious friends down with him, Epps the good kid hoping to escape the ghetto life through his DJing skills. Uniformly good acting especially from the two leads, cameos from Queen Latifah and Samuel L. Jackson, tense atmosphere and a funny, slang-heavy script all act in its favour, but a lack of originality and a rather mediocre ending bring it down a notch or two. Worth a look if it's your scene though.