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New Jack City is a 1991 crime-thriller/Neo-noir film starring Wesley Snipes, Ice T, Mario Van Peebles, Judd Nelson and Chris Rock. New Jack City was the first theatrically released feature film for the film's director and co-star Mario Van Peebles. It was filmed from April 16 to June 6, 1990. New Jack City was based solely on the notorious Chambers Brothers gang of Detroit, who revolutionized the use of an apartment tower to be used for all phases of drug dealing, including packaging, storage, and of course the drug deals. The script was written by journalist-turned-screenwriter Barry Michael Cooper (who also scripted two additional movies in 1994, New Line Cinema's "Above The Rim", and Beacon-20th Century Fox's "Sugar Hill", which also starred Wesley Snipes). Cooper rewrote an original script titled "Nicky"--based on Leroy "Nicky" Barnes--penned by Thomas Lee Wright. New Jack City was also based on a cover story written by Barry Michael Cooper in the Village Voice titled "Kids Killing Kids: New Jack City Eats Its Young", dated December 1st, 1987. The story revolved around the 20th anniversary of the 1967 riots in Detroit, and in its wake, the rise of crack cocaine gangs in the mid-to-late 1980s, like Young Boys Incorporated and The Chambers Brothers (gang).
Plot
Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes) and his gang, the Cash Money Brothers (CMB), become the dominant drug ring within New York City when crack cocaine is introduced to the city streets during the 1980s and early 1990s. They convert an entire apartment complex ("The Carter") into a crack house. Undercover cops Scotty Appleton and Nick Peretti (played by Ice T and Judd Nelson) try to convict the gang with evidence of the drug trafficking. They recruit Pookie (played by Chris Rock), a former stick-up kid turned recovering drug addict, to work undercover at "The Carter" to help them gather incriminating evidence against Nino and the Cash Money Brothers. Unfortunately, Pookie relapses, failing the mission. Pookie is found dead, wired to a bomb which Appleton manages to diffuse: the CMB have abandoned the Carter. After Pookie's funeral, Appleton takes matters into his own hands by going undercover as a drug dealer who wants to get in with the CMB. Appleton gains the trust of Nino by revealing information about Nino's assistant of operations, Gee Money (Allen Payne), and his desire to build a drug empire of his own. When Appleton's cover gets blown, Nino cannot trust anyone now and kills his once best friend. Nino Brown's megalomania separates Nino from his gang and is the catalyst for their downfall. After the gang's collapse, Nino holes up in an apartment and continues his crime empire solo.
Eventually, Nino is caught by the undercover cops. Appleton beats Nino viciously before drawing his gun. Appleton reveals that Nino was the young gangster that killed his mother, a teacher, as an initiation into his first gang. Peretti convinces Appleton to let Nino live and lets the other cops take him away, and a trial begins.
After turning state's evidence while on the stand, Nino Brown pleads guilty to a lesser charge (though still a felony given the judge's note that the punishment would include at least 12 months prison time). He points the finger at Kareem Akbar (portrayed by Christopher Williams), another member of his organization, whom he falsely claims was the actual leader of CMB and that he had threatened to kill Nino's mother. As Nino walks triumphantly out of the courthouse, he is murdered by an older man (Bill Cobbs) who had earlier tried to convince the police about Nino's destruction of his community but finally took the law into his own hands.
Cast
Reception
Film reviews
New Jack City was an independent film released primarily in urban metropolitan areas. It received a favorable reception by film critics for its cast, storyline and soundtrack. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film favorable reviews. He wrote:
- Truffaut once said it was impossible to make an anti-war movie, because the war sequences would inevitably be exciting and get the audience involved on one side or the other. It is almost as difficult to make an anti-drug movie, since the lifestyle and money of the drug dealers looks like fun, at least until they're killed. This movie pulls off that tricky achievement. Nino, who looks at the dead body of Scarface and laughs, does not get the last laugh.[1]
Time Out London described the film as "a superior example of what used to be called blaxploitation."[1]
Box office
New Jack City was produced with an estimated $8,500,000 budget. The film initially premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 17, 1991, before being released nationally on March 6, 1991; it grossed $7,039,622 during its opening weekend. It became the highest grossing independent film of 1991, grossing a total of $47,624,253 at the US box offices.
Awards and nominations
1993 Image Awards
1992 MTV Movie Awards
- Best Breakthrough Performance — Ice T (nominated)
- Best Movie Song — "I Wanna Sex You Up", by Color Me Badd (nominated)
- Best Villain — Wesley Snipes (nominated)
DVD release
The New Jack City DVD was originally released in Region 1 on August 25, 1998 and in Region 2 on July 28, 1999; it was distributed by Warner Home Video. The DVD was re-released as a Two-Disc Special Edition on August 23, 2005.
Special Edition DVD features:
- Commentary by: director/costar Mario Van Peebles
- New Jack City: A Hip-Hop Classic
- Harlem World: A Walk Inside
- The Road to New Jack City
- Original music videos: "New Jack Hustler" (Nino's Theme) by Ice T, "I'm Dreamin'" by Christopher Williams, and "I Wanna Sex You Up" by Color Me Badd
- Original theatrical trailer
Popular culture
Nino Brown is referenced in an episode of A Different World. In the lost episode "Homey, Don't Ya Know Me" Lena expresses to her boyfriend Dorain that she does want a thug type boyfriend like her ex-boyfriend Picolo by saying she doesn't want a Nino Brown.
Nino Brown's trial speech is sampled in Immortal Technique's song Peruvian Cocaine.
The song "Harlem" by rapper Jim Jones features the line "Walkin' pass the Carter now it's pookie still smokin'", which refers to the character "Pookie" and his addiction to crack cocaine. The Carter is the apartment complex Nino Brown operated through in the movie.
The song "More Reasons" by rapper Cam'ron features the line "Seen New Jack City, copped me a couple Carters"
In Notorious B.I.G.'s song "Everyday Struggles", Nino Brown is referenced: "We got infiltrated, like Nino at the Carter"
rapper Lil' Wayne's album Tha Carter , 2, & 3 is reference to the building used in the movie of the same name.
Rapper Yung Joc's album was entitled "New Joc City" in reference to the movie.
Possible sequel
There are rumors that a straight-to-video sequel is in the works, but orginial cast members Chris Rock, Ice-T, Wesley Snipes, or director Mario Van Peebles will not reprise their roles.[2]
See also
References
External links
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