Menace II Society (1993)

It lays down black and Asian stereotypes from the beginning. I’d hoped it was a foundation, a means upon which to build a dramatic contrast, but that didn't happen. The goal was realism, the flip side of which is clichéd thug life with mutha fuck, nigga, and bitch dropped so frequently that it quickly got boring.
It’s possible to get viewers on the side of a villain, Goodfellas (1990) did it, but Menace doesn't. It’s well-shot and the acting is really good, but the main characters were tirelessly unsympathetic, deserving of the fates they themselves set in motion. The supporting characters are the only relief, with one in particular delivering the one truly memorable scene twenty minutes before the end. You’ll know it when you see it.

2½ white tees are in style out of 5