As much as the next person, I was such a fan of Boyz n the Hood from 1991. From showing us the cultural background, to how real it seemed and it's amazing cast and director John Singleton, so many reasons can be found as to why this is a classic. An entire genre was created from it and you wouldn't have something like Juice from 1992 which came right after it. Juice is another hood drama now dealing with the rough streets of Harlem, New York City and following around teen characters.
Sure, it's a similar format for the characters. Quincy Powell (Omar Epps) is someone not into dealing with crime but he will do whatever it will take to survive. Eric Thurman (Jermaine Hopkins) is the common funny guy of the group who's your friend because he's off-putting in a good way. Raheem Porter (Khalil Kain) has a thick bone and must deal with also being a teenage father somehow. Roland Bishop (Tupac Shakur) is very menacing once he gets himself into the criminal life and goes through some very rich character development. These are characters though that we should care more about their actions and the way of life. It's not a norm to be something like a teen father while being involving in crimes. Every day you should not be worried with what's behind your shoulder. The actions of the characters are believable and it's even more so impressive when they are dealing with teens as it is.
As much as Boyz n the Hood was impressive in showing us the streets of South Central, Los Angeles, Juice is impressive in showing us the streets of Harlem, New York City. From the charm of a arcade owned by Trip (Samuel J. Jackson) to the apartments and alleyways, Juice gives a pretty accurate image of Harlem. You knew it wasn't a pretty place and this is a film that wants to show you that which makes the story more authentic.
This story can at times be lacking in plot. Still, the story is strong due little touches here and there that takes it to the top. I would take Boyz n the Hood over Juice any day but Juice is like your other not-quite-favorite cousin that you can still respect and enjoy. Juice is worth a watch again and especially today with issues like police brutality in the news. Some things never change and this makes Juice and many of the other hood dramas very relatable in 2015.
Sure, it's a similar format for the characters. Quincy Powell (Omar Epps) is someone not into dealing with crime but he will do whatever it will take to survive. Eric Thurman (Jermaine Hopkins) is the common funny guy of the group who's your friend because he's off-putting in a good way. Raheem Porter (Khalil Kain) has a thick bone and must deal with also being a teenage father somehow. Roland Bishop (Tupac Shakur) is very menacing once he gets himself into the criminal life and goes through some very rich character development. These are characters though that we should care more about their actions and the way of life. It's not a norm to be something like a teen father while being involving in crimes. Every day you should not be worried with what's behind your shoulder. The actions of the characters are believable and it's even more so impressive when they are dealing with teens as it is.
As much as Boyz n the Hood was impressive in showing us the streets of South Central, Los Angeles, Juice is impressive in showing us the streets of Harlem, New York City. From the charm of a arcade owned by Trip (Samuel J. Jackson) to the apartments and alleyways, Juice gives a pretty accurate image of Harlem. You knew it wasn't a pretty place and this is a film that wants to show you that which makes the story more authentic.
This story can at times be lacking in plot. Still, the story is strong due little touches here and there that takes it to the top. I would take Boyz n the Hood over Juice any day but Juice is like your other not-quite-favorite cousin that you can still respect and enjoy. Juice is worth a watch again and especially today with issues like police brutality in the news. Some things never change and this makes Juice and many of the other hood dramas very relatable in 2015.