Baby Boy (2001)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

John Singleton

Writer (WGA):

John Singleton (written by)

Release Date:

29 June 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Romance

Plot:

This is the story of Jody, an unemployed young black man, who's been living with his mother for several years...

Plot Keywords:

Family Relationships | Thief | Gunfire | Murder | African American

Awards:

1 win & 14 nominations

Cast

Tyrese Gibson	...	Joseph Summers
Taraji P. Henson	...	Yvette
Omar Gooding	...	Sweetpea
Tamara LaSeon Bass	...	Peanut
Candy Ann Brown	...	Ms. Herron (as Candy Brown Houston)
A.J. Johnson	...	Juanita
Ving Rhames	...	Melvin 'Mel'
Snoop Dogg	...	Rodney
Angell Conwell	...	Kim
Kareem J. Grimes	...	Do Dirty (as Kareem Grimes)
Tracey Cherelle Jones	...	Sharika
Kaylan Bolton	...	Joe Joe
Kylan Bolton	...	Joe Joe
Freez Luv	...	Cake Man
Mo'Nique	...	Patrice

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, language, violence and some drug use.

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Finland:K-15 | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | France:U | Germany:16 | Italy:T | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #38090) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

11th Avenue / Vernon Avenue, Leimert Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures

Trivia:

Singelton originally wrote the role of Rodney for Ice cube.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jody is holding his model early in the film , the close-ups show the model as having wheels and seats, but in the wider shots they are missing.

Quotes:

Sweet Pea: I'm not going to use the b-word. I just call y'all unstable creatures.

Movie Connections:

Features "Larry King Live" (1985)

Soundtrack:

Straight F***ing

An intelligent and intensley emotional (including powerful) film by Singleton

Baby Boy, the sequel-cum-remake of Singleton's last great feat Boyz 'N' the Hood, returns to the same neighborhoood 10 years later to look at new people in the hood, very personally at that, and it is fascinating.

The film stars in a debut of Tyrese Gibson (some may remember Cuba Gooding got his first speaking role with Boyz) as Jody, a boy (age 20) who still lives with his mother, is the father of 2 children from 2 different mothers, has no real job and often just hangs about complaining and being spoiled. The film looks at this character, but also the forces that sort of make him into what he is. It is a really good character portrait that also has some really fired up performances from Ving Rhames, as a new ex-con boyfriend of his mother, A.J. Johnson as the mother, Omar Gooding (Gooding Jr.'s brother) as Jody's good friend, especially Taraji P. Henson in one of the best female performances of the year as Jody's girlfriend and also mother of one of his children, and of course, Snoop Dogg as a version of himself (albiet evil). It's a delight from the streak of not that good movies out now, and it should be able to appeal to both black and white audiences. Definately reccomended. A-