HANGIN' WITH THE HOMEBOYS

US, 1991, 88 minutes, Colour.
Mario Joyner, John Leguizamo.
Directed by Joseph B. Vasquez.

Hangin' With The Homeboys is one of many movies made by black directors during 1990-1991. Others include Jungle Fever, Rage in Harlem, Straight Out of Brooklyn, The Boyz 'n the Hood.

This is a small-budget and modestly conceived film - but with quite some impact. It is entertaining in its portrait of four young men, two black and two Puerto Rican, from the Bronx. They have a boys' night out, hanging out with the homeboys. However, there is a strong moral subtext in the film - choices that these men could make for their futures. In this way, the film relates more to Boyz 'n the Hood than some of the crime dramas, slices of life in the other films by the black film-makers.

The film was written and directed by Joseph B. Vasquez, basing his screenplay on memories of his own youth. There is an epilogue dedicating the film to the homeboys that he knew, wherever they now are.

The performances are particularly good. The four men are completely credible - seem to be the embodiment of the types that they are representing. The perspective is particularly male - women are objects to be ogled, picked up, used. There is some fight back on the part of some of the women characters. However, the film seems to be making the point of stressing the macho point of view. Themes of race are very strong, from blacks and Puerto Ricans against each other as well as together, antagonism towards the whites. There is a great deal to enjoy in this portrait four men whom one would not necessarily like to meet in person. There are also many themes and issues underlying the film.

1.Strong film? Interest and entertainment value? Impact? For New York audiences, Puerto Ricans and blacks? Wide American and non-American audiences?

2.The spate of black films in 1991? This film amongst those? The blend for entertainment/education?

3.Small budget, the strong cast, the effect of the small budget in making a tight and impressive film?

4.The title, the memoir by the writer-director, the facts about the men in the Bronx, the presentation of people and their style, the events? The effect of the night of hanging out?

5.The squalor of the South Bronx, home to the main characters? Brooklyn another world? Manhattan a strange world to enter?

6.The prologue, the assault by the group in the subway, the humorous effect of it being subway drama? A piece of theatre? The performance later at the poolroom? The whole film as an exercise in street/subway theatre?

7.The intensity of the characters drawn, their interactions, their hopes? The intensity of the memoir by the director? The portraits? The epilogue with the regrets and hopes about the original homeboys?

8.The introduction to each of the four characters and their particular time and place: Willie at the employment and benefits office, his circular argument, prejudice about being black? The black woman and her exasperation with him? The demands about jobs and his refusal? Johnny and his work in the supermarket, being there for two years, idealising Daria, Pedro and his exhortations about the scholarship? Tom, the phone service trying to tell magazines, his discovery of the talent agent, his trying to make an impression? Fernando/Vinnie and his waking up, the succession of phone calls, his routine with the women, his self-centredness, disregard for them, their hanging up on him? The introduction to the characters - and the echoes of these beginnings at the end?

9.The strong characters, alive, their particular style and values, in the action, their language - and their choices?

10.The male perspective, the boys' night out, masculine presuppositions, especially towards women, towards drinking, towards cruising? Towards education - and their future?

11.The group getting together: Vinnie and his treatment of women, the young woman at the door giving him the meal, his getting out of going out with her, spinning the story? The significance of his change of name and wanting to be thought of as Italian? Willie and his arrival, his ineptitude in covering Vinnie's story? Their going to pick up John - and Vinnie's routine about Willie being to blame if the evening goes badly (and this recurring through the night)? Johnny, at work, not wanting to go out, prone to depression - but his decision to go? Tom and the date with Vanessa, taking them to see her, her being ill? The test of whether she was more than 5 out of 10, Johnny not seeing her properly and her having to come to the door again?

12.Hanging out, cruising in the car, calling out to the women passing by? Going to the Puerto Rican party, Vinnie getting them in, the lies? The dancing, Johnny and Tom dancing, Willie wanting to eat, being found out, their being ousted? The decision to go to Manhattan, 42nd Street and its pornography, going to the peep show - and the shock of seeing Daria? Johnny's dismay? Eating, the drinking beers, Johnny worried about Tom drinking and driving, the crash into the dead end, sitting in the street talking, the tow-away? Decision to go on the subway, leaping the stile, instant arrest? The interrogation and the prejudices of the police - especially the Italian police against Fernando? The encounter with Vanessa, Tommy being hurt by her rejection of him? Their meeting the Rastaman, taking them to the club, meeting Lila and Luna? Vinnie coming on strongly? Luna attracted to Johnny, inviting him to go and play pool, their amazement? Their performance in the pool hall?

13.Willie and the experience of the night, following on, having no money, sponging on Tommy? The importance of the sympathy to Johnny? Being blamed by Vinnie? The talk with Lila and his spiel about the blacks? Her strong challenge to him about his ever being involved in any issue or protesting? The final argument with Tom and his having to face the future, watching the vagrants?

14.Tom, the would-be actor, money, working, driving? The amazement at Johnny's luck with Luna? Staying with Willie, not buying him breakfast, the argument, his long speech about doing some work at least to have some self-respect?

15.Johnny, the background of the supermarket, idealising Daria? His being prone to depression, talking about the starving Chinese? The disillusionment in seeing Daria in the peepshow? His depression? Willie persuading him that he had imposed his idea of Daria on her, rather than seeing her as she was? The attraction to Luna, playing pool? Giving her phone number - how genuinely? His looking around, asking about college education - and his decision to fill in the form?

16.Vinnie, self-centred, man about town, making mistakes, being rejected? The humiliation in the police station, his reaction in the restaurant afterwards? Coming on with the women? Drinking, collapsing in the street - waking up next morning, pursuing the woman with the dog and again being rejected?

17.The importance of their straight talk amongst each other and their ability to hear? Willie and his finally looking at the vagrants after listening to Tom? Tom and his wanting to try? Johnny and the importance of education and the scholarship? Vinnie and his not having heard anything?

18.The realism of the portrayal of the men, affectionate memories of past homeboys, the picture of male bonding, empty lives? Racist themes? The racial mix of New York? The importance of choices and future?