Crooklyn

1994 "A new look at the old neighborhood."
7| 1h55m| PG-13| en| More Info
Released: 13 May 1994 Released
Producted By: Universal Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

From Spike Lee comes this vibrant semi-autobiographical portrait of a school-teacher, her stubborn jazz-musician husband and their five kids living in '70s Brooklyn.

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jasmine williams i grew up on this movie, its really funny. i love the Crooklyns. its funny,joyful, and a family movie to watch. its about family and growing up. singing and dancing fighting with your family. its a great movie and i love it. I HOPE THE COME UP WITH A NUMBER TWO AND ADD ME. THEY NEED A NUMBER TWO TO BETTER THE FILM.i grew up on this movie, its really funny. i love the Crooklyns. its funny,joyful, and a family movie to watch. its about family and growing up. singing and dancing fighting with your family. its a great movie and i love it. I HOPE THE COME UP WITH A NUMBER TWO AND ADD ME. THEY NEED A NUMBER TWO TO BETTER THE FILM.
dunsuls-1 Released in 1994 and running a little long at 115 minutes.My favorite hard ass director goes soft trying to be edgy in this whimsical story of growing up in Brooklyn back in the day.I loved it but not as a Spike picture,rather as remembering what a neighborhood was all about and family and kids and just because they are all black there is a lot I remember like it.About as edgy as it gets is Spike in a small role as Snuffy,gets hit in the head by Zelda Harris as Troy,the real star of this film and gezz I wonder where she went?? Alfre Woodard as Carolyn Carmichael and Delroy Lindo as Woody Carmichael are great as the parents who are trying to raise their 5 kids in Crooklyn but it's hard and there are tragic things that happen and at the end young Troy is now the anchor of the family and it's future is not certain.The soundtrack is wonderful representing music from the 70's,the acting is first rate as Spike always finds talent and the story, while soft by Spike standards ,is still very strong by white standards and sad in many ways besides being hopeful.I'm white and was raised in Brooklyn and I thought I had it easy after seeing this film.
Newsense Ahhh who can forget the good Ol' days of Spike Lee films that had heart as well as insight? Who can forget this gem? Crooklyn is loosely based on Spike Lee's life growing up. Its mostly a story that mostly details the struggles of a family growing up in Brooklyn as seen through the eyes of Troy(played by Zelda Harris). There are beautiful performances to be seen here. Alfre Woodard's presence is felt as the stern but loving mother of four kids and Delroy Lindo's is great as the father who is also dealing with pressure as a struggling musician and trying to pay the rent on time. They go through the normal strife that any black family has to go through in poor areas but they still find a way to maintain. I remember as a kid that the last scene with the mom passing on had me choked up. Troy and her brother holding hands at the reception for the funeral was a touching scene too. They drove each other crazy but it was still love in the end. Crooklyn has brief moments of awareness like one scene in particular: Troy's aunt comparing troy's hair to her adopted child's hair saying that the adopted child's hair was good hair and that Troy's hair was rough was a subtle form of self-hatred but most people wouldn't pick up on that. Of course Spike Lee has to make an appearance in the movie. He plays a junkie who chases kids around trying to steal money from them. In short Crooklyn stands out as one the best dramas of all time and one of Spike Lee's best work. The characters are ones that you care about, their struggles are real and anybody who has been there can also relate. Two thumbs up for Spike Lee's work of art on film.
Haunani31 This movie is one of my all time favorites. Once a year me and my sister watch this movie. After the movie we sit and reminisce about all of the characters that we grew up with. It takes us back to the days when we played kick ball, red light green light, catch a girl get a girl, dodge ball, smear the qu%$r (known today as rugby)...all of which I'm sure are banned today.This movie is nostalgia in its purest form. If you grew up in the concrete jungle you will laugh to tears. The acting is outstanding and the cinematography is brilliant. Big ups to the Lee family for helping all of us to remember the good IL days.