Overly melodramatic indie flick with a terrific central performance by Glenn Plummer, it's arguably the weakest of the classic hood films if only for a profoundly over the top and corny sense of vision for the black experience. That being said, SOUTH CENTRAL earns its classic reputation for two scenes, one being the "OG call" set piece and the absolutely sensational ending monologue. There's some other great moments (Ali's scene confronting Bobby for instance, no doubt an influence on Eamonn Walker's sublime work as Kareem Said on HBO's OZ), and unlike others I enjoy the score, but overall the film just hasn't aged as well os the other hood films that came before and after it. Also, Glenn Plummer deserved better than being reduced to stereotyped characters in movies like SPEED, SPEED 2, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW and SAW II.

Overly melodramatic indie flick with a terrific central performance by Glenn Plummer, it's arguably the weakest of the classic hood films if only for a profoundly over the top and corny sense of vision for the black experience. That being said, SOUTH CENTRAL earns its classic reputation for two scenes, one being the "OG call" set piece and the absolutely sensational ending monologue. There's some other great moments (Ali's scene confronting Bobby for instance, no doubt an influence on Eamonn Walker's sublime work as Kareem Said on HBO's OZ), and unlike others I enjoy the score, but overall the film just hasn't aged as well os the other hood films that came before and after it. Also, Glenn Plummer deserved better than being reduced to stereotyped characters in movies like SPEED, SPEED 2, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW and SAW II.

Final scene makes the whole movie for me

Final scene makes the whole movie for me

“i don’t want to see you die in these streets.”

nowhere near as effective as menace 2 society, paid in full or boyz n the hood, but i can see where it was coming from in respects to that and even if it is fairly corny and kind of formulaic, it is at least watchable and enjoyable. it’s just very formulaic in that it goes “crime is bad, change is good” and it has those moments that talk about being black in america, feeling angry and disenfranchised, but they just never really come across well. the ending of this is kind of a mess too, and it ends to abruptly after a “see, we can be better.” moment that i didn’t even realize it has ended. i really can empathize with bobby’s situation and his want to change, but i don’t know, none of it feels organic. definitely look at other similar movies before watching this

“i don’t want to see you die in these streets.”

nowhere near as effective as menace 2 society, paid in full or boyz n the hood, but i can see where it was coming from in respects to that and even if it is fairly corny and kind of formulaic, it is at least watchable and enjoyable. it’s just very formulaic in that it goes “crime is bad, change is good” and it has those moments that talk about being black in america, feeling angry and disenfranchised, but they just never really come across well. the ending of this is kind of a mess too, and it ends to abruptly after a “see, we can be better.” moment that i didn’t even realize it has ended. i really can empathize with bobby’s situation and his want to change, but i don’t know, none of it feels organic. definitely look at other similar movies before watching this