Crooklyn (1994)

Spike Lee's vibrant semi-autobiographical portrait of a school teacher, her stubborn jazz musician husband and their five kids living in Brooklyn in 1973.

Director:

Spike Lee

Writers:

Joie Lee (story) (as Joie Susannah Lee), Joie Lee (screenplay) (as Joie Susannah Lee)

Stars:

Alfre Woodard, Delroy Lindo, David Patrick Kelly

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alfre Woodard	...	Carolyn
Delroy Lindo	...	Woody
David Patrick Kelly	...	Tony Eyes / Jim
Zelda Harris	...	Troy
Carlton Williams	...	Clinton
Sharif Rashed	...	Wendell
Tse-Mach Washington	...	Joseph
Christopher Knowings	...	Nate
José Zúñiga	...	Tommy La La (as José Zuniga)
Isaiah Washington	...	Vic
Ivelka Reyes	...	Jessica
Spike Lee	...	Snuffy
N. Jeremi Duru	...	Right Hand Man
Frances Foster	...	Aunt Song
Norman Matlock	...	Clem

Storyline

Spike Lee's vibrant semi-autobiographical portrait of a school teacher, her stubborn jazz musician husband and their five kids living in Brooklyn in 1973.

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Plot Keywords:

semi autobiographical | bully | argument | birthday | visit | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for drug content

Did You Know?

Trivia

After the years of hard work and controversy surrounding Malcolm X (1992), Spike Lee wanted to a make a film with a smaller scale and lighter tone which led him to this project.

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Goofs

In the beginning of the movie, Troy is playing stick ball wearing moccasin shoes, in the next scene, she is still wearing the moccasin shoes.

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Quotes

Carolyn: What on earth happened to you?
Troy: She took the darn change too!
Carolyn: Who?
Troy: Peanut!
Carolyn: What were you doin'?
Troy: Standin' there gettin' beat up.
Carolyn: Some boy beat you up?
Nate: Peanut's a girl.
Carolyn: How big is she?
Troy: Six-Two, 200 pounds.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The closing credits play over old footage of several episodes of "Soul Train".

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Connections

Referenced in Screaming in High Heels: The Rise & Fall of the Scream Queen Era (2011)

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Soundtracks

Ooh Child
Written by Stan Vincent
Used by permission of EMI Unart Catalog, Inc.
Performed by The Five Stairsteps
Courtesy of Essex Entertainment, Inc.

User Reviews

Loving It

I love this movie. It reminded me of when I was a young girl growing up in the 70's. We should have more movies like this one. Good work Spike. I watch this movie with my two children who was born in the early part of the 80's and they enjoyed it as well, asking me all kinds of questions,Brought a smile to my face as I told them about me and my siblings growing up in the 70's. You can actually see how times has change, making up your own games and finding some positive things to do with your time.Like playing jump rope.what about marbles or Jacks. Do they even make them anymore? Then I really love the part when Mom came home and woke up everyone in the house.Now that was a blast from the past.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian Spanish

Release Date:

13 May 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Crooklyn

Filming Locations:

Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,209,475, 15 May 1994

Gross USA:

$13,642,861

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$13,642,861

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, Child Hood Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1