Friday

When I was 14, I first saw Friday and almost choked from laughter. The script by Ice Cube and DJ Pooh is right on target with it's ghetto humor. Another plus point for the film is it doesn't stereotype. But it's Chris Tucker as Smokey who makes this film. His high pitched voice and mannerisms are classic.Hard-core rapper Ice Cube, after appearing in such hard-hitting films as Boyz 'N the Hood and Higher Learning, played his first comic role in this picture he co-wrote with frequent musical collaborator DJ Pooh. Craig (Ice Cube) manages to get fired on his day off (though he claims it's through no fault of his own) and spends the day hanging out with his buddy Smokey (Chris Tucker) and trying to avoid his father (John Witherspoon), who wants him to find another job immediately. Smokey (whose name might have something to do with his tremendous fondness for marijuana) has even more serious problems; he was given $200 worth of weed to sell by Big Worm (Faizon Love), but he ended up smoking it instead, and if he can't come up with the money by the end of the day, he'll be in a world of hurt (and will put Craig in the same place just for being his friend). And Deebo (Tom "Tiny" Lister, Jr.), a gargantuan bully who roams the neighborhood on his bicycle, has it in for Craig, while Craig tries his best just to stay out of his way. As one would expect, Friday features a strong hip-hop soundtrack, featuring tracks by such artists as Dr. Dre, Cypress Hill, Mack 10, and Funkdoobiest, as well as old-school R&B selections from The Isley Brothers, Roger, and Rose Royce

Eleven years ago (one year before this movie debuted), if you'd have told me you can get an entire movie from two guys sitting on their porch on a hot Friday afternoon, I'd have said you were nuts.

I first saw this movie on a date with my girlfriend as a teenager way back in 1995 (it's hard to believe that was 10 years ago, I laughed through it then and I laugh through it now.

It's also the movie that made me a Chris Tucker mark.

I see everything that guy is in.

The same goes for Cube.

I love this movie's ability to show that ghettos aren't all like the 'Good Times' TV series.

This movie keeps it's lightheartedness throughout especially with funny characters to support Cube and Tucker like DJ Pooh, A.J. Johnson and Tiny Lister.

It also doesn't hurt to have Nia Long with her fine self in it either.

But as I stated this movie is very lighthearted and doesn't begin to get serious at all until the end where Craig tears Smokey a new one for getting him involved in the mess, Big Worm's assassination attempt on Craig and Smokey and Craig coming to the aid of Debbie (Nia) when D-bo (Lister) is beating her up.

It's at those two points you almost forget this is supposed to be a comedy movie.

The most important message in this movie actually came from Johnny Witherspoon who portrayed Craig's father.

He gave his son some very fatherly advise...which I hope to follow with my own son one day.

Although I can't say I'd have been that calm if I walked into my son's room and saw him holding a semi-aotumatic 9mm pistol.

But I did like his advice....as I believe it was meant to be a message to the audience.

"You kids today are nothing but punks, so quick to pick up a gun. You scared to take an ass-whipping!" (referring to his fists) "These are all the protection you need. You win some, you lose some, but you live!"

After listening to Ice Cube's song "Friday", I was very curious to know how good the actual movie was. Then when I finally bought the DVD of the film, I was very pleased. The movie was a great comedy, filled with laughs and an interesting story.

The whole movie's story takes place on a Friday. It's about two friends (played by Ice Cube and Chris Tucker) who try to get through a regular Friday in their urban neighborhood. Little do these two fellows know, this Friday will be anything but regular. This Friday will be the most different Friday they will ever experience.

The best thing about the movie is Chris Tucker. He gives a very comical and humorous performance as Smokey, the weed-addicted home boy. I've heard that Chris Tucker didn't star in the sequels to this film, so I refuse to watch the sequels. Ice Cube was pretty good in the movie too, but I wish he didn't have to star in the Tucker-less sequels, since Cube & Tucker go well together as buddies.

The soundtrack of the movie is great as well. There are lots of hip hop songs played in various parts of the film. I particularly like the songs from Dr. Dre, Cypress Hill, and Ice Cube himself.

The bad part about the movie is that the story itself seems to be over-simplistic. I think a way to improve the movie would have been to add more sub-plots, therefore making the movie contain many funny twists. But still, the movie is pretty good as it is.

To sum up, this is a great movie to watch on a day when you're in need of some good comedy. I'd recommend watching the movie on a good ol' Friday night!

I give this movie a 7/10.

Chris Tucker and Ice Cube what more do you want for a Movie like this!? This movie was funny, bright and original. theirs not a point in the movie where it goes dull or boring.

Its starts off when Craig (Cube) wakes up on a Friday morning with his friend Smokey (Tucker) outside of his house for only Smokey to find out Craig got fired on his day off, Smokey tries helping Craig feel better by Rolling him Joints and drinking beer, Craig doesn't touch weed, until Smokey forces him to, they both end up getting high, Along comes Big Worm, the man that gives Smokey the weed to sell, only for Smokey to smoke, later on Big Worm finds out Smokey doesn't have the cash to cough up so Big Worm gives Smokey a deadline warning, or a drive-by. Craig has nothing to do with it, but nothing matters no more.

Through out the movie comes local bully's, Stupid Neighbours, dumb friends, Early 90's rap music, drive-by's, Horney midgets, fights and Craig & Smokey. A lot can go down between Thursday and Saturday!

10/10

(Re-review in 2015): It's interesting to see how this has been labeled the first "Hood" comedy. I'm sure there have been others - though written by, of all people, Joel Schumacher, I've always thought of 1976's Car Wash as the grand-daddy of them. It's also become a benchmark for stoners; for the 20th anniversary, it was screened for a special event on 4/20. Sadly, I couldn't attend full of the green stuff, but it was still an enjoyable experience seeing it again. Not great, but good.

For all of the comparisons to it being Boyz N tha Hood as a crude comedy, that it is in part. But it's also like the Watts equivalent of something closer Clerks, also by first-time filmmakers: it's mostly about two guys who don't have much going on with their lives or prospects or action, but they're surrounded by so many 'lively' personalities and moments that are meant to get BIG laughs, regardless of a story structure that is super-strong outside of the Day-In-The-Life thing. And both borrow of course from Do the Right Thing, though Cube actually goes for his own version of the violent climax with a fight. The lack of any cops shows this is a fairly insulated world. Works for me.

If it doesn't really have the same existential heft as Clerks, well, it's not fully trying to be that anyway. What we get here also, of course, is the breakthrough for Chris Tucker - an opportunity he'd only really pursue for another few years before spending his life, it appears, on Rush Hour checks (and a surprise guest spot in Silver Linings Playbook, of all things). His work here is still electrifying and high-charged, though maybe this time I saw more of the obvious "tics" of the character (like, we get it, the Angel Dust bit is one of the major highlights of the movie, but can't you move on?) And Cube is good as straight man for Tucker's foole, and has a few moments too.

This is one of those movies I watched a LOT 'back in the day' as one might say. It's really a movie, despite being rated R, for 13 year olds, black or white, and seeing it at 13 made as big an impression as seeing Clerks or Pulp Fiction or whatever. At the time I thought it was that good on the level. But some things do last better than others, and the seams in Friday show much more over time. Some bits don't work - the crackhead (?) hustler is hit or miss, mostly great in the "HEY, SMOKY BACk HERE TAKING A S***!" bit - though Tony Lister, DEEBO of course in capital letters, is still amazing. And I found myself laughing often through the film, in part due to things still working, like anything with Bernie Mac (and Tony Cox!), and sometimes just nostalgia. It surprised me just how much I remembered in terms of dialog - if only I remembered everything from school like this, I'd be probably a smarter man today... oh well.

Bottom line, enough of it holds up to recommend as a fun comedy, but the effect of 20 years of stoner/hood/black comedies have diluted some of its effectiveness; any time Craig narrated, or that quick montage of 'things that happened today' right before the fight, drag the movie down. And why do they go OUTSIDE knowing that the drive-by is going to happen? That they might shoot the houses whether or not they're there? Doesn't make sense.

Maybe I'm putting too much thought into it here. But, for what it was, and is, it's fun, dirty stuff.