The movie has its merits still, after all these years. One of my favorite scenes in it is the one where Furious Styles (Laurence Fishburne) has little Tre recite what he has learned from him, inc. the principle, "DON'T RESPECT ANYBODY IF HE DOESN'T RESPECT YOU." (IIRC)

@mechajutaro said:

@rudely_murray said:

So sad to lose him at such a tragically young age. He was the first black Oscar nominee for Best Director for Boyz N the Hood, and at only 24 at that time, he remains the youngest person ever nominated in that category.

This isn't a terrible movie, though it clearly has lots of rough edges, and is less discrete than an aneurysm in many sections. The self-hating black cop who literally spells out his animosity to a teenaged Tre later on in the movie is probably the most glaring example. It's not a stretch to infer that the nomination was attributable, in no small part, to the culture war of the early 90s. When talk of diversity in hiring was all the rage, just as it's become once again today. Singleton's later films, like "Higher Learning" and "Baby Boy" were much stronger works regrettably get very little attention today

Higher Learning and Baby Boy are crud films, in my humble opinion. John's best efforts are Boyz and Rosewood.

Taraji P Henson’s acting is alright in Baby Boy, but a more worthwhile film to see her in, IMO, is Talk to Me.

So we agree that Rosewood is excellent, which is saying something. Even without a make-out scene in it or tight cleavage shot or two. Will wonders never cease?

I also agree that the black cop in Singleton's debut is OTT (and he spouts OTN dialogue as well). But what are the film's many other "rough edges," or are you being hyperbolic?

@mechajutaro said:

But what are the film's many other "rough edges,"

In the first several minutes of the movie, Fishburne tells Tre verbatim that no one is teaching Dough Boy and that other fella about responsibility, and the he/we are going to see what happens. One ends up becoming a gang banger, and the other a dumb jock. As said earlier, this stuff is about as discrete as aneurysm, which is to be expected of a first-time filmmaker. BITH ain't bad for a debut film, but it definitely wasn't deserving of Oscar nods

Nah, I knew it was indiscreet. Sometimes I like that aspect of it!