Poetic Justice (1993)

In this film, we see the world through the eyes of main character Justice, a young African-American poet. A mail carrier invites a few friends along for a long overnight delivery run.

Director:

John Singleton

Writer:

John Singleton

Stars:

Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Regina King

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Khandi Alexander	...	Simone
Maya Angelou	...	Aunt June
Tupac Shakur	...	Lucky
Lloyd Avery II	...	Thug #1
Ché J. Avery	...	Thug #2
Kimberly Brooks	...	Kim
Rico Bueno	...	Ticket Taker
Maia Campbell	...	Shante
Jeff Cantrel	...	Policeman #4
Michael Colyar	...	Panhandler
Kina Cosper	...	Female Cousin (as Kina V. Cosper)
John Cothran	...	Uncle Earl (as John Cothran Jr.)
Dina D.	...	Dina
Joe Dalu	...	Policeman #7
James Deeth	...	Helicopter Pilot

Storyline

After witnessing the murder of her first and only boyfriend, young Justice decides to forget about college and become a South Central Los Angeles hairdresser. Avoiding friends, the only way for her to cope with her depression is by composing beautiful poetry. On her way to a convention in Oakland, she is forced to ride with an independent-minded postal worker whom she has not gotten along with in the past. After various arguments between them and their friends, they start to discover that their thoughts on violence, socially and domestically, are the same. Justice may finally feel that she is not as alone as before.

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Plot Keywords:

african american | poetry | poet | ghetto | urban setting | 

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Taglines:

1 Woman. 1 Man. 1 Journey 2 Love.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive strong language, and for violence and sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 July 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fugir do Bairro

Filming Locations:

Simi Valley Drive-In, Simi Valley, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,728,455, 25 July 1993, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$27,515,786

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation,New Deal Productions,Nickel

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Tupac Shakur, Janet Jackson requested that he have an AIDS test before his kissing scene with her. He angrily refused. In a 2011 Vibe magazine article about Shakur, John Singleton claimed that the whole thing was a publicity stunt concocted by Shakur, Jackson and himself. But producer Steve Nicolaides and Shakur's brother, Mopreme Shakur, confirmed the incident in the article.

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Quotes

Jessie: Most of these young girls today don't know their cooch from a hole in the wall. See, that's why I dress... and rest, cause love don't live here anymore.

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Connections

Featured in Maya Angelou and Still I Rise (2016)

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Soundtracks

I've Been Waiting
Written by Tara Geter, Terri Robinson and Kevin Deane
Produced by Kevin Deane
Performed by Terri & Monica
Courtesy of Epic Records

User Reviews

An overlooked, intelligently produced and directed film.

I applaud John Singleton for being brave enough to film "Poetic Justice" -- it's a real triumph in presenting a story that looks beyond Hollywood's usual stereotypes of urban youth. If you are looking for a typical gang-bangin' shoot em up angry urban film...look elsewhere, because that genre is miles away from Singleton's storytelling. This film has precisely what black audiences say they are looking for - depth, real characters with a number of real layers....and yet people say they cannot get into this film. I say watch it and simply feel the messages being conveyed through the hearts of the characters. Tupac Shakur's performance saddens my heart....because he had so much potential as an actor as proven with his performance here. I was fortunate enough to actually meet and compliment him on this performance, which is at turns skillful and all his own. He had that quality that film actors envy in that the camera loved him. Janet Jackson gives a skilled performance as well, and the two have a natural chemistry that works here. This film is worth watching...it's one of my favorites.