User reviews

This was the first movie done by Spike Lee that I have ever seen, and I saw this movie by accident. Out of all of his films, why is this one of the least known? It is worth seeing, because so many things work. It's definitely one of the most thematic movies I have ever seen, and I can definitely relate to many of Spike Lee's memories. It is sad, but it is also hopeful. Alfre Woodard was awesome, and I definitely think that she is one of the best unrecognized actresses in the US today. Delroy Lindo played his character well too. The relationship between Troy and her brothers was especially memorable and so universal! The best scenes in the movie showcase the children in front of the television. This movie was on the verge of greatness but it didn't capture it just because some parts of the movie were melodramatic and drawn out. The movie itself was about 15 minutes too long.

Crooklyn is an engaging film that stands out in Spike Lee's filmography, not only for Lee's seamless storying of everyday life in 70's Brooklyn, but also because of his interesting and innovative cinematic imagery. The cinematography Lee employs in Crooklyn helps to create fantastic -sometimes even cartoon-like- environments in which his characters spring to life and thrive. His dollying techniques (placing actors on dollies), lens choice, and manipulation of color conspire to add special characteristics to this film. This is a great film to watch not only for Lee's ability to highlight the beauty of the quotidian in his storytelling, but also for the aesthetic qualities that Lee produces with his rich filmic vocabulary.

Although I wouldn't say this is a great Lee film, it is still very solid. There isn't a story as such, instead it is a love letter to childhood and family life in Brooklyn. Imagine Radio Days, including the sentimental streak.

The actors are great and this movie only goes to prove that Delroy Lindo is one of the best actors around. Zelda Harris as the young girl, Troy, is also brilliant. Alfre Woodard is the pivot of the film, around which most of the film revolves around - even if she has less than Troy.

Tonally the film doesn't quite click. Sometimes the original music is quite sour and does not fit with the images. Some scenes seem forced.

But the amazing soundtrack helps put things right.

Even though the film isn't perfect, it has a great soundtrack and a very unique take on things.

I remember seeing an interview with Neil Simon once who said

that he remebers that during the run of his play "Brightom Beach

Memiors", a black usher would crack up at every performance.

When Simon asked him why he laughed at every performance, the

usher told him "That's my family."

"Crooklyn" had the same effect on me. Just as a black ushers

family must have been light years away from a pre war Jewish

family in Brightom Beach, I can assure you that my childhood was

lightyears away from the Charmichles. True, I grew up in Brooklyn,

but I grew up in a upper middle class white neighborhood in the

early eighties. This world was light years away from the world of

Lee's film, but certain aspects of childhood ring true wether your

from Sachrimento or Siagon.

I think this is Spike's best film after "Do The Right Thing". In some

ways even better. It's one of the best films ever made about

childhood. You have the joy of staying up late and watching "The

Partidge Family". The pain of losing your Mom and having your

Dad thrown out of the house. The humor, as when one of the boys

hits a girl with a cat. This is a magical movie in all respects.

It's 1973 Brooklyn. Struggling musician Woody Carmichael (Delroy Lindo) and his school teacher wife Carolyn (Alfre Woodard) head a rambunctious family of five kids. It's a neighborhood of wild characters and loud personalities.

Spike Lee delivers a vibrant vision of his 1970's Brooklyn with flamboyant characters. It would have been nice if the movie could concentrate on one of the kids and have that kid explode cinematically. The girl comes closest although it may be due to the fact that she's the only girl and she had a shoplifting story by herself. The boys tend to blend together. The movie does need a clearer narrative plot to drive the story. It would be helpful to foreshadow the big turn in the family. Overall, there is something touching about Spike painting a picture of his roots.

I thought this was a very personal, heartwarming and funny movie that also touched on very real social issues. It deals with the complications involved in family life like love, break up, sibling rivalry and making ends meet while also trying to lead a happy fulfilling life. It deals with the pains of loss and of struggle, the issues facing urban communities....self-perceptions and growing. Spike does all of this while giving a light and loving perspective to some hard issues. It is comical and endearing as you see all of these situations played out through the eyes of a young girl, trying to grow up. The odd struggle and perceptions of reality that we all face coming up...the embarrassment of a family, the neighborhood bully, etc....all gets played out in this summer classic.

--Not to mention the cinematography is wonderful and interesting.

I enjoy this movie because it leaves me feeling good about my background which is similar to the background of the main characters. This movie also has one of the funniest sequences in it that being the sequences involving the Aunt and Uncle who live in the south. The movie seems to suffer from poor editing which is why I rated it so low, but it is still one of my favorite Spike Lee movies.

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.

Crookyln involes Spike Lee's trip down memory lane and it's a memorable one. The cinematography and script are all excellent as always and the soundtrack represents the seventies very well. The film's only down point is that it's a bit long but still a great heartwarming film.

Another semi-autobiographical Spike Lee Joint about growing up in Brooklyn in the seventies. "Crooklyn" is rich in atmosphere but low in incident. It looks great and the kids are terrific but you keep waiting for something to happen and when it does it's too late. In this picture, Lee's idea of action is a lot of shouting and running around. Maybe the problem was that he not only produced and directed it but also wrote it with his siblings; there's no coherence in the script. Maybe you needed to be there or maybe you needed to be called 'Lee'. The soundtrack consists mostly of a parade of soul classics but even these get wearying after awhile.

the cast was perfect. they seemed natural and almost documentary like. Troy was magnificent. the movie captures 70s culture, the games, the shows, the streetlife, the music with humor without becoming precious. the sense of family is remarkable: strong and a little sadistic. i felt like i was that little girl living in the middle of all of those brothers. i would like delroy lindo to be my father. the flow of the narrative was a bit unwieldy, bu the music carried me through. if you want a nice neat plot, this isn't the flick to see. it was gentle.

The life and times of a large black family growing up in Brooklyn circa 1970.

I am told that Spike Lee got together with his sister and made a list of the things they remember about their youth. They then tuned this list in to a film script -- with the disclaimer that it is not really autobiographical.

I won't name the actors in this piece by name, but I would congratulate them on acting out a giant piece of nothing. It also follows the formula that is popular the world over - children are cheeky, men are feckless dreamers and only women can get their act together and stop life falling apart totally.

(Maybe this is true - discuss this among yourselves.)

There is no real drama here. No hero's and villains. There is bits of soap opera and kitchen table politics, but hardly anything that you couldn't see 7 days a week on TV.

I am not really fascinated by working class life in a black neighbourhood anyway - but I did watch and gave the movie a chance to get me involved. Sadly it failed, although it is not objectionable in any way.

Crooklyn proves that all great movies are actually about something and if you open your mouth it is best to have something to say. This is just a giant treading-water exercise for Spike Lee who, while not being very good or very polished, gets by because there isn't any competition for him.

Having grown up in Queens in the 1970's, everything in this film hits home. I am sure anyone that grew up in any of the 5 boro's can appreciate it.

The music is what we listened to on AM radio, the TV shows, children's street games, sitting on the stoop steps, kids teasing their friends and neighbors are all something we did at that time.

The Carmichael kids in front of the TV singing along to the Partridge Family "I Woke up in Love this Morning", Walt Frazier being IT when it came to basketball. How many of us sat doing the same things? The kids fighting with each other are brother sister typical things.

But the film also shows the problems a family endures when financial strains hit. The father is a musician who wants to write and play classical music to audiences who can appreciate it. This becomes a burden when his wife is the one working as a teacher paying the bills. Domestic issues put a strain on their relationship as they get into who used to pay the bills and who's paying them now.

Mom getting the kids up in the middle of the night for not cleaning up, you can understand her frustration being the breadwinner, mom and everything else. When she complains later on that she is tired, you will have to watch the film to see why.

Sit back and enjoy a trip back in time when life was a lot simpler. Even Spike and his friend dabbling in glue sniffing isn't so bad compared to what is going on now.

i grew up on this movie, its really funny. i love the Crooklyns. its funny,joyful, and a family movie to watch. its about family and growing up. singing and dancing fighting with your family. its a great movie and i love it. I HOPE THE COME UP WITH A NUMBER TWO AND ADD ME. THEY NEED A NUMBER TWO TO BETTER THE FILM.i grew up on this movie, its really funny. i love the Crooklyns. its funny,joyful, and a family movie to watch. its about family and growing up. singing and dancing fighting with your family. its a great movie and i love it. I HOPE THE COME UP WITH A NUMBER TWO AND ADD ME. THEY NEED A NUMBER TWO TO BETTER THE FILM.

I've seen this movie described as vibrant .. I guess it was in a way. But I really don't know if that was a good thing for this film. I started watching this film knowing nothing about it. The kid on the bed did remind me of Spike Lee, and I thought to myself "yeah this is a Spike Lee kinda thing" but not something he'd do. I'm surprised to see it is a Spike Lee film.

It's too clean, too fairytale, too ... contrived.

That needs explaining. All the poor, rough kids stealing candy and beating

each other up in the street .. including the glue-heads and the gangsters ... they are all wearing shiny brand new clothes, they're clean shaved, their makeup is immaculate, teeths sparking white (what is that fixation about!).... All of them!!!

The paint on the railing is new .. all of it!, even the garbage and the dirty building frontage is immaculately clean ... it looks designed, not natural.

That's all I saw through the entire film. In fact the props, costumes, and sets we're so unnatural, that several times I found I had been distracted from the story ... I lost the plot so to speak ...

The filming was great ... beautiful shots ... nicely cut .... technically great. But everything got in the way of the story, so it failed in the single thing you make a movie to do.