Crooklyn (1994)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Spike Lee

Writers:

Cinqué Lee (writer)
Joie Lee (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 May 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

From Spike Lee comes this vibrant semi-autobiographical portrait of a school-teacher, her stubborn jazz-musician husband and their five kids living in '70s Brooklyn. |

Plot Keywords:

Semi Autobiographical | Neighborhood | Vomit | Television | Musician

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Alfre Woodard	...	Carolyn Carmichael
Delroy Lindo	...	Woody Carmichael
David Patrick Kelly	...	Tony Eyes / Jim
Zelda Harris	...	Troy
Carlton Williams	...	Clinton
Sharif Rashed	...	Wendell
Tse-Mach Washington	...	Joseph
Christopher Knowings	...	Nate
José Zúñiga	...	Tommy La La
Isaiah Washington	...	Vic
Ivelka Reyes	...	Jessica
Spike Lee	...	Snuffy
N. Jeremi Duru	...	Right Hand Man
Frances Foster	...	Aunt Song
Norman Matlock	...	Clem

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for drug content.

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-3 | Australia:M | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks

Trivia:

The film is loosely based on lives of Spike Lee and his siblings (who co-wrote the script).

Goofs:

Continuity: In the beginning of the movie, Troy is playing stick ball wearing moccasin shoes, in the next scene, she is seen wearing red converse sneakers.

Quotes:

Nate: May I PLEASE be excused?
Carolyn Carmichael: No you will not. You're gonna sit there until you eat every black eyed pea on that plate!
[to the kids]
Carolyn Carmichael: And when I come home tonight, I want this kitchen clean.
Clinton: [the kids groan] See what you started, Nate? Shoot!
Nate: I HATE Black-eyed peas!
Carolyn Carmichael: Yeah, that's right! There's no reason why your father and I should have to run around here cleaning up after you shifty Negroes!
Clinton: Daddy don't make us clean up, don't you, Daddy?
Woody Carmichael: [Pouring lemonade in glass] I ain't in this. Leave me out of this.
Carolyn Carmichael: Your daddy may not mind but your momma do. I'm going with your father to a gig tonight and when I come home, this house BET-TER be clean. I'll be goddamed if I should have to do anything when I come home from work but sleep and relax!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kicking and Screaming (1995)

Personal, Endearing, Comical

I thought this was a very personal, heartwarming and funny movie that also touched on very real social issues. It deals with the complications involved in family life like love, break up, sibling rivalry and making ends meet while also trying to lead a happy fulfilling life. It deals with the pains of loss and of struggle, the issues facing urban communities....self-perceptions and growing. Spike does all of this while giving a light and loving perspective to some hard issues. It is comical and endearing as you see all of these situations played out through the eyes of a young girl, trying to grow up. The odd struggle and perceptions of reality that we all face coming up...the embarrassment of a family, the neighborhood bully, etc....all gets played out in this summer classic.

--Not to mention the cinematography is wonderful and interesting.