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South Central

South Central

Crime · Drama · 1992

During a 10-year sentence for murdering the leader of a rival South Central Los Angeles gang, Bobby Johnson finds religion and rehabilitation with the help of Muslim inmate Ali. Upon his release, Bobby returns home to find that his young son, Jimmie, has joined the Deuces, his old crew. Tensions rise as Bobby struggles to convince Jimmie to leave the gang that was his only family during the painful years his absent father spent behind bars.

Movie details

South Central

“A child's chance to escape anger and injustice begins with one man... His father.”

1992 Crime · Drama 1h 39m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.7 / 10

Community rating

During a 10-year sentence for murdering the leader of a rival South Central Los Angeles gang, Bobby Johnson finds religion and rehabilitation with the help of Muslim inmate Ali. Upon his release, Bobby returns home to find that his young son, Jimmie, has joined the Deuces, his old crew. Tensions rise as Bobby struggles to convince Jimmie to leave the gang that was his only family during the painful years his absent father spent behind bars.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over South Central?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Stephen Milburn Anderson

Written by

Stephen Milburn Anderson

Glenn Plummer

Glenn Plummer

Bobby

Byron Minns

Byron Minns

Ray Ray

Lexie Bigham

Lexie Bigham

Bear

Vincent Craig Dupree

Vincent Craig Dupree

Loco

LaRita Shelby

LaRita Shelby

Carole

Carl Lumbly

Carl Lumbly

Ali

Vickilyn Reynolds

Vickilyn Reynolds

Willie's Wife

Court is in session

Put South Central on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.