Boyz N the Hood

Dir. John Singleton. 1991. 112 mins. Restored DCP. With Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne, Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Tyra Ferrell. Made when he was just 23 years old, John Singleton’s incendiary debut feature is both deeply personal and dramatically classical, with young Tre (Gooding Jr.) moving in with is father (Fishburne) in troubled South Central L.A., a place he can either embrace or transcend, neither of which is an easy proposition. “One of the best American films of recent years. The movie is a thoughtful, realistic look at a young man’s coming of age, and also a human drama of rare power – Academy Award material. Singleton is a director who brings together two attributes not always found in the same film: He has a subject, and he has a style. The film is not only important, but also a joy to watch, because his camera is so confident and he wins such natural performances from his actors.” —Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times.

On the same day, at 2:00 p.m. the Museum will host a Filmmaker Memorial to John Singleton. Ticket purchase for Boyz N the Hood includes admission to the memorial event. Please arrive by 1:30 p.m. and request a ticket for the earlier event.