Menace II Society

Menace II Society (1993)

Runtime: 97 minutes

Directed by: The Hughes Brothers

Starring: Tyrin Turner, Larenz Tate, Jada Pinkett, Clifton Powell, various rappers like MC Eiht and Too Short

From: New Line Cinema

Saturday night I was finally struck with the feeling to see something I have had on disc for a long, long time (and the movies that fit this category is a long, long list) so this was how Menace II Society was finally viewed by me. As many have said, this is a perfect double bill with Boyz n the Hood.

The movie starts on a striking note with lead Caine and his main buddy O-Dog in a Korean grocery store in Los Angeles. As at the time there was a lot of tension between black people and Korean business owners in Southern California due to various incidents... an incident happens here and it punctuates that Caine leads a troubled life. His parents dealt and used drugs-his childhood was highly dysfunctional and despite having loving (and religious grandparents), neither them or others that try to assist him can do much when he slings drugs to make money and hangs out with those that engage in criminal activities that include but are not limited to auto theft, carjackings and insurance scams.

I am a dumb white guy whose life is drastically different from those you see living in the Watts neighborhood... the pasty white goof who you see wanting to buy a Nissan Maxima is the closest guy I can identify with! That is irrelevant as this penetrating debut from The Hughes Brothers (only in their early 20's at the time) is an unflinching look at a hard lifestyle. It is enthralling even with the constant vulgarity and all the crimes being committed. Several familiar faces are here in cameos (Samuel L. Jackson in exactly the performance you'd expect, Bill Duke, Charles S. Dutton) but it is the young leads that shine throughout; this includes rappers MC Eiht and Too Short, whose songs also appear on the appropriately West Coast Rap soundtrack which also has a few 70's soul tunes.

The Hughes Brothers have only made several films since then and none have been as lauded as their debut. That of course does not diminish what they accomplished here... which was a very good genre effort.