Negativity_Through_Film

“Negativity through film” Why does film promote so much negativity' As I began to reflect on one of my favorite films of all time, I think of Boyz n the Hood. I say this because this was an American hood film written and directed by John Singleton in 1991. This film exemplifies life in poor South Central, California. After viewing this film it was indeed culturally significant for the American society. My personal belief is that no matter what your circumstance is in life or where you are from, your background is only a stepping stone to move forward in life with grace and elegance. This movie falls under the genre of drama and suspense. Even though poverty existed in poor South Central California, Boyz n the Hood is my favorite film because it portrays violence, being faced with drug usage and abuse, and racism; and also it shows you can overcome and escape to success in life. Boyz n the Hood is a classic movie because it reveals violence and negativity that African American people face. It consisted of several characters. There was the chief protagonist Tre Styles (Cuba Gooding), Furious (Larry Fishburn) his dad, mom Angela Basset, Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Nia Long, and Regina King. Violence was presented at the very beginning of the film. It opens in 1984 with ten-year old Tre Styles and three other youths heading to school, on the way stopping to inspect a crime scene that they encountered. (Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia 2004). It was a man that was left dead without any clothes. The fact that the boys were not shocked shows that it was ok to kill someone and leave them out in the open. Because of his environment, Tre Styles was determined to be a very disobedient child by misbehaving in front of the teacher, receiving a three-day suspension; and for fighting his mom. Tre’s mom decided to teach him a lesson and sends him to live in Crenshaw with his father. She hopes by this decision he will learn life lessons by overcoming violence and negativity around him and trying to learn how to become a better man that the neighborhood can look up to. In another sense, this was the hood so drug usage and drug abuse were most definitely a part of the environment. In the film drug usage and drug abuse was shown as a necessity to African Americans because it helped them function throughout the day. Drugs were used to heal pain or sorrow that some of them felt because of facing poverty in life. Doughboy (Ice Cube), who was Tre Style’s childhood friend, was the main access to drugs for the neighborhood. Drug abuse was so common that even police officers or authorities would buy from him because it was a matter of time before they could arrest him. Most of all the males in the neighborhood used drugs and were a part of drug activity; this showed that there was a lack of wealth and common sense among the males. Although, there were many issues of violence and drug abuse depicted throughout the film, racism was also an obstacle among the town. Just because of Tre and his friends’ skin color, they could not be out late at night. They were belittled by the type of car they were driving and also the area they were in. Even when their friend was injured and had to take him to the hospital, the nurse made him fill out unnecessary paperwork. While among authorities and people of other races, they felt that they were out of place; and the person who was helping felt she could talk to them and treat them however she wanted just because they were black. Finally, negativity through the film Boyz n the Hood was supposed to enlighten the black community on perseverance and that you can succeed in life. I believe that self development is definitely not something you gain in one year, and I am a firm believer that it is a continual journey. Violence and drug abuse was used to divide the community by decreasing property values, and selling it at a profit to developers. I think that everything Trey Styles went through was a learning experience. The most important theme that was exposed in this exceptional film was the need for a strong father figure for young black males. Despite the fact that negativity was throughout the film, it should be seen as a film that encourages the African American society to not participate in violent activity. It was also a film that depicted the need for peace among the African American community. Even though poverty existed in poor South Central, California, Boyz n the Hood is my favorite film because of its message: if you are faced with poverty, racism, and or drug abuse there are an escape and a way to triumph in life!