I know you don’t smoke weed, I know this; but I’m gonna get you high today, ’cause it’s Friday; you ain’t got no job… and you ain’t got shit to do.
This is one of those quotes that you find yourself saying just at the right time, and besides that, it’s fucking cool (and true). The combination of the gangsta-hood environment of the nineties with comedy (and weed) created a cult movie. It somehow managed to capture a happier side of life back then. Remember that this is the time of extreme gang violence, the crack epidemic, and increased racial tensions. It’s a time when several movies started showing the rest of the world just how fucked up life in the hood was. That doesn’t mean that this is not a gritty and realistic movie, because it is. The focus, however, was on something else, showing that it’s not all bad in the hood. Humanizing this community and making the viewers identify with them.
Every time I watch this movie, I feel just the same as I was feeling back in 1998 when I first saw it. And those are some positive feelings, I can tell you that. I practically grew up on Friday and Don’t Be A Menace. Dreaming of smoking weed and chasing girls with my friends. Written by Ice Cube and DJ Pooh (writer of the fucking San Andreas) Friday is something that comes from the heart. And I mean that script-wise and performance-wise. It is a bit strange to say performance because everything seems so natural and easygoing for this amazing cast… And the characters, well, they are very interesting and diverse, but more importantly hilarious. They also gave this movie immense replay value.
Craig and Smokey are two friends living in Los Angeles, and we find them of all the days on a Friday. They ain’t got no job, well if selling weed isn’t a job, and they ain’t got shit to do but hang around, drink, smoke weed and try to get some bitches. We follow them and their adventures with neighborhood bullies, women, parents, friends through the course of that one day. The trouble starts when Smokey smokes his stash of weed that he was supposed to sell, and now must come up with 200$ by 10:00 pm…
Friday captured the spirit of the nineties and it still holds up, almost twenty years later. Mostly because of the hilarious dialogue and vibrant atmosphere. After all, the story takes place during Friday, an exciting day no matter where you live or what you do. When you add to that pitch-perfect pacing you got yourself one hell of a movie. And if you like marijuana too, well, it may be too much for you. Just kidding homies, there’s no such thing as too much, if you know what I mean. However, as the man said in the intro, even if you don’t smoke weed, this movie will get you high. High on good vibes and that joie de vivre we’re all craving for. Enjoy.
P.S. If you just saw Friday, and you want more there are three more parts with declining quality, but you can always cut to How High. I also recommend you check out our Subversive Rabbit selection of Stoner Movies. Enjoy.
Director: F. Gary Gray
Writers: Ice Cube, DJ Pooh
Cast: Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister, DJ Pooh, Tony Cox, Faizon Love, Angela Means, Vickilyn Reynolds
Fun Facts: The neighborhood where the film takes place is the same street where the film’s director, F. Gary Gray, grew up in South Central, Los Angeles. Principal houses you see in the movie were houses of old friends of the director.
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IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113118/
