Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)When you think about it, many 'hood movies dropped around the early 90's, like "Boyz N The Hood", "New Jack City", "Menace II Society" etc. All of these got the recognition they deserved, and they have all stood the test of time, as all of them are over 10 years old. However, there is one movie that didn't get the recognition and publicity that it should have. This is the 1991 "South Central". South Central is a great hood movie with a different twist to it than the others I mentioned. It is also very touching in certain places. It takes place in Los Angelas just like almost all these other hood movies so that's no surprise.
The movie starts off with a young Bobby Johnson getting out of jail. After fighting with a local drug-dealer over his girlfriend, he kills the drug-dealer who's name is Genie Lamp. He lays low for a few months, then he decides to ride out with a few other members of the Deuce gang, which he is part of. They pick up an undercover cop along the way, and she busts them for possession. While the newly proclaimed "OG" Bobby Johnson is being interrogated by the police, his fingerprints match the prints on the silencer and the gun he used to kill Genie Lamp. He takes the blame for everything and doesn't drop any names of the other members of the Deuce gang. Due to that he has to serve a decade in prison. There he finds from Loco, and old Deuce friend, that his own son was becoming a Deuce and that he was stealing stereos for Ray Ray, the leader of the Deuce gang. The rest of the movie is centered around Bobby trying to get his son out of the gang life and keeping him from making the same mistakes he did. Can Bobby convince his son that being in a gang is not worth the price you pay? Or is it too late for Jimmie (His son's name) to get out of his lifestyle?
The acting is OK, but not too memorable. Glenn Plummer, who also played Parnell is Menace II Society, did an excellent job as OG Bobby Johnson. Christian Coleman as Jimmie "J-Rock" Johnson did an exceptional job for a child actor, but at times it seems as if he kinda overacts a lil bit. At some scenes he's a little bit too enthusiastic with his dialogue (I don't know maybe they wanted it to be like that). Larita Shelby as Bobby's girlfriend Carol was exceptional as well, but she kinda overacted too. However, at the parts where she was messed up on PCP and at the times when she was pissed the acting came through quite well. Byron Minns did a great job as Ray Ray. I feel he captured the character pretty well. Overall I'd say the acting was decent, I've seen better but I've definitely seen worse.
So, I'd say if you're a fan of hood movies or gangster movies this would appeal to you. Don't expect the greatness of Juice or Boyz or Menace though. But this is highly entertaining and definitely worth a rent, and even a buy because you can probably buy it very cheap now (I bought it at my local Best Buy for 5.99). Now that I think about it though, you probably won't find it in video stores, so I'd say find a month when it's coming on BET to see if you like it. BET plays it from time to time. I would check it out if these types of movies interest you. It's good for its genre. 4 Stars.
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When a respected gang member gets out of prison, he focuses his attention on becoming a good example for his 10-year-old son who has already followed in his father's old footsteps by joining a gang.
