''South Central'' is a 1992 American crime-drama film, written and directed by

Stephen Milburn Anderson Stephen Milburn Anderson (March 13, 1948 – May 1, 2015) was an American film director and writer who wrote and directed eight films. He is best known for '' South Central'', which was produced by Oliver Stone and released by Warner Bros. in 199 ...

. This film is an adaptation of the 1987

fictional Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a tradit ...

novel, ''The Original South Central L.A. Crips'' by Donald Bakeer, a former high school teacher in

South Central Los Angeles South Los Angeles, also known as South Central Los Angeles or simply South Central, is a region in southwestern Los Angeles County, lying mostly within the city limits of Los Angeles, south of downtown. It is "defined on Los Angeles city maps as a ...

. The film stars

Glenn Plummer Glenn E. Plummer (born August 18, 1961) is an American film and television actor best known as Timmy Rawlins in '' ER'' (1994-2007), and Vic Trammel in ''Sons of Anarchy'' (2008-2009). Biography Plummer was born in Richmond, California. Career ...

, Byron Minns and Christian Coleman. ''South Central'' was produced by

Oliver Stone William Oliver Stone (born September 15, 1946) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Stone won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as writer of '' Midnight Express'' (1978), and wrote the gangster film remake '' Sc ...

and released by Warner Bros. The movie received wide critical acclaim, with ''New Yorker Magazine'' praising it as one of the year's best independent films.

Janet Maslin Janet R. Maslin (born August 12, 1949) is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for ''The New York Times''. She served as a ''Times'' film critic from 1977 to 1999 and as a book critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000 Maslin ...

of ''The New York Times'' named Anderson in the "Who's Who Among Hot New Filmmakers" in 1992, along with

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...

and

Tim Robbins Timothy Francis Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for portraying Andy Dufresne in the film '' The Shawshank Redemption ''(1994), and has won an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards for his rol ...

Plot

Upon his parole from the

California Youth Authority The California Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), previously known as the California Youth Authority (CYA), is a division of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that provides education, training, and treatment services fo ...

, Hoover Street Deuces

gang A gang is a group or society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collective ...

member Bobby Johnson meets with girlfriend Carole, son Jimmie, and fellow "Deuces" Ray Ray, Loco, and Bear. The gang attends a party thrown by a

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and bro ...

dealer named Genie Lamp, who forces Bobby to snort a line of heroin. Bobby and Jimmie return home in the morning to find Carole passed out on the couch from smoking PCP. The Deuces return to Genie Lamp's club, where they shoot Genie's bodyguard and Bobby shoots Genie. Bobby returns home and tells Carole that they have to move immediately. Soon after, the gang is caught and Bobby gets a ten year prison sentence for the murder. Ten years later, Bobby's son Jimmie has followed his father into the gang life. He begins stealing car stereos and selling them to Ray Ray for $20 each. Jimmie is shot in the back by a man named Willie Manchester while attempting to steal Willie's car radio. After recuperating in the hospital, he goes to a juvenile

halfway house A halfway house is an institute for people with criminal backgrounds or substance use disorder problems to learn (or relearn) the necessary skills to re-integrate into society and better support and care for themselves. As well as serving as a ...

. In prison, Bobby becomes a respected gang leader, falls from grace, and turns his life around with the help of his cellmate, Ali. Once released, he returns to

and drives to the halfway house to find Jimmie. Jimmie is shocked that his father has denounced the Deuce gang and will not seek revenge against Willie Manchester. Jimmie insults Bobby for not being the proud Deuce gang leader that he thought his father would be. Jimmy breaks out of the halfway house and hides out with Ray Ray. Bobby goes to Ray Ray's warehouse and the two have a talk. Ray Ray opens up a door that reveals a kidnapped Willie Manchester. Ray Ray gives Jimmie a gun and tries to talk him into shooting Willie. Willie begs for his life and tells Jimmie that he did not mean to shoot him. Bobby takes Bear's gun and threatens to kill Ray Ray, but puts the gun down when he sees the look on Jimmie's face. Bobby talks to Jimmie about the mistake it would be if Jimmie killed Willie Manchester. Bobby states that Jimmie can replace goods that he steals from a man, but he cannot replace a man's life that he took. Jimmy lets go of the gun he had been holding. Ray Ray lets go of Jimmie, Bobby, and Willie Manchester. Bobby tells Jimmie that they must start their lives over, but this time they will do it the right way. The scene fades to black as the two walk out of the warehouse together as father and son.

Cast

as 'OG' Bobby Johnson * Christian Coleman as Jimmie 'J-Rock' Johnson * Byron Keith Minns as Ray 'Ray-Ray' DeWitt * Carl Lumbly as Ali * Lexie Bigham as 'Bear' (Credited as Lexi D. Bigham) * Vincent Craig Dupree as 'Loco' * LaRita Shelby as Carole * Ivory Ocean as Willie Manchester *

Vickilyn Reynolds Vickilyn Reynolds (born June 2, 1955 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American film and television actress and singer. Career Reynolds first appeared on television in 1987 where she appeared on ''Kate & Allie'', the following year (1988) sh ...

as Mrs. Manchester, Willie's Wife * Tim DeZarn as 'Buddha' * Starletta Dupois as Nurse Shelly

Soundtrack

A soundtrack containing hip hop,

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...

and R&B music was released on September 18, 1992 by

Hollywood Records Hollywood Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group. The label focuses in pop, rock, alternative, hip hop, and country genres, as well as specializing in mature recordings not suitable for the flagship Walt Disney Records ...

Reception

''South Central'' received positive reviews, with many praising Plummer’s performance.

Owen Gleiberman Owen Gleiberman (born February 24, 1959) is an American film critic who has been chief film critic for '' Variety'' magazine since May 2016, a title he shares with . Previously, Gleiberman wrote for ''Entertainment Weekly'' from 1990 until 2014. ...

of ''Entertainment Weekly'' wrote the film “offers a wrenching view of modern youth-gang violence by demonstrating, with desperate candor, that the civilized alternatives are fast disappearing”.

References

External links

* * *
South Central
' at

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