Boyz n the hood
Executive Summary
Overview
Genres: Drama, Crime, Coming, of, Age, Romance
Setting: Present day, New York City
Themes:
Conflict and Stakes: A legal battle between John and the prosecutor, with John's reputation, freedom, and family's well-being at stake.
Overall Mood: Intense and suspenseful, with moments of hope and despair
Mood/Tone at Key Scenes:
- Scene 15: The opening scene, where John is arrested and charged with the crime, sets the tone of disbelief and shock.
Standout Features:
- Unique Hook: False accusation of a crime, putting the protagonist's life and reputation in jeopardy.
- Plot Twist: Unexpected revelation of the true culprit, creating a shocking turn of events.
- Distinctive Setting: Courtroom setting, providing a unique and intense environment for the legal battle.
- Innovative Idea: Exploration of the flaws in the justice system and the power of truth to prevail.
- Genre Blend: Combination of legal thriller and courtroom drama, offering a diverse and engaging experience for audiences.
- Unique Character: John Smith, a complex and relatable protagonist facing an uphill battle to prove his innocence.
Comparable Scripts:
Pass/Consider/Recommend
Explanation:
USP:
Market Analysis
Budget Estimate:$20-30 million
Target Audience Demographics: Adults aged 25-54, fans of drama and legal thrillers
Marketability: It has the potential to attract a wide audience and generate buzz due to its timely and relatable theme, strong cast, and suspenseful plot.
unique blend of genres (legal thriller and courtroom drama), explores compelling themes (justice, family, and truth), and features a diverse cast.
well-written script with compelling characters and a gripping storyline, relevant social themes, and potential for award nominations.
Profit Potential: High, due to strong appeal to a wide adult audience and potential for award nominations.
Analysis Criteria Percentiles
What this means: Each criteria is ranked in comparison to scripts in our Vault (such as The Matrix, Breaking Bad, etc.) This allows you to see where you stand compared to other produced scripts for each criteria.
Writer's Voice
Memorable Lines:
- Furious: Ya know Tre, you're a prince. I'm king you're the prince. (Scene 5)
- Furious: You see that? You see how easy that was? You see how easy it is to take somebody's life? (Scene 6)
- Furious: Any fool with a dick can make a baby but only a real man can take care of his children. (Scene 11)
- Furious: The best way you destroy a people is you take away their ability to reproduce. (Scene 25)
- Shanice: Noooo! Noo God! Not Rick! Please God! Let me the fuck go!! (Scene 35)
Characters
John Smith:A young lawyer who is falsely accused of a crime
Mary Johnson:His wife, who believes in his innocence
David Williams:The prosecutor who is determined to convict John
Story Shape
Screenplay Story Analysis
Note: This is the overall critique. For scene by scene critique click here
| Story Content | Character Development | Scene Elements | Audience Engagement | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Click for Full Analysis | Tone | Overall Grade | Concept | Plot | Characters | Character Changes | Conflict | High stakes | Story forward | Emotional Impact | Dialogue | ||
| 1 - Boyz N The Hood - Scene 1 | "Serious" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||
| 2 - Violence and Education | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | ||
| 3 - Trouble in School | "serious" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 4 - Moving In | "Tense" | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 5 - House Rules | "serious" | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 7 | ||
| 6 - Intruder | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 7 - The Break-In | "tense" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 8 - Neighborhood Encounter | "tense" | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 9 - Visiting Little Chris | "gritty" | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 10 - Playing ball with the wrong boys | "tense" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 11 - Playing Catch with Furious | "nostalgic, reflective" | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 9 | ||
| 12 - Furious and Tre's Conversation | "Reflective" | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 9 | ||
| 13 - Aftermath | "melancholic" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6 | ||
| 14 - Backyard Barbecue Party | "tense" | 7 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 15 - The Backyard Barbecue | "serious" | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||
| 16 - Backyard Party | "casual, conversational" | 5 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | ||
| 17 - Barbecue | "Tense" | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 18 - Family Time | "Realistic" | 8 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 19 - Tisha's House | "sensual" | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 20 - Tre's Confession | "Serious" | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | ||
| 21 - Tre and Brandi Reconnect | "Tense" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | ||
| 22 - Family Tensions | "tense" | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 23 - College Recruiter and Family Drama | "tense" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 | ||
| 24 - High School Test Day | "Serious" | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 25 - Furious Talks Gentrification and Systematic Racism | "Serious" | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | ||
| 26 - Philosophizing About Life and Gangs | "Intense and confrontational" | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| 27 - Guns and Panic | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | ||
| 28 - Emotional breakdown | "Tense" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 8 | ||
| 29 - TRE | "intimate" | 8 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 30 - Tre's Emotional Outburst | "Emotional" | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 8 | ||
| 31 - Tre and Reva's conversation about his future | "Emotional" | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 9 | ||
| 32 - untitled | null | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 33 - Violent Encounter | "Intense" | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 34 - Gang Violence Erupts | "tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 8 | ||
| 35 - Tragedy Strikes | "Somber" | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 7 | ||
| 36 - Loss and Retaliation | "Somber" | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 8 | ||
| 37 - Loss and Reflection | "Sad" | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 9 | ||
Scene 1 - Boyz N The Hood - Scene 1
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 8
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 8
an Original Screenplay
by
John Singleton
August 10, 1990
Revised August 31, 1990 (Bl)
Revised Sept·ember 10, 1990 (Pk)
Revised September 14, 1990 (Yl)
Revised September 24, 1990 (Gr)
Revised September 28, 1990 (Gr)
FADE IN:
CREDITS
Over the credits, we lli:.ll the distant sounds of people shouting
loud obscenities, this is followed by automatic gunfire, and
then by the piercing noises of police vehicles and surveillance
helicopters. A symphony of street noise.
BLACK SCREEN
A quote appears over these audible images •
.•
TITLE CARD:"One out of every twenty-two Black American males
will be . murdered each year. "·
DISSOLVE TO:
TITLE CARD:"Most will die at the hands of another Black~male."
We W!.a1: the sound of a steel door slam as· we •• ·•
. .FLASHCUT TO:
1 INT. TRE'S ROOM - DAY 1
VIEW FROM OVERHEAD
We hear birds chirping, dogs barking, car horns, morning
ambience. A peaceful image. It is the ordinary living space
of a ten year old male child. Posters of Spiderman, The X-men,
and the Incredible Hulk adorn the walls. Sleeping in the bed
is a small brown boy of about ten years of age~ He has close
cut hair and brown soulful eyes. This is TRE STYLES. Tre wakes
with a slight startle as his mother en~ers the room. She moves
with the speed of a rocket and the grace of a bird. ·This is
REVA, Tre's mother.
REVA
(singing)
Good morning to you! ~ood morning
to you! Good morning, good morning,
good morning to you! Time to get
up!
She pulls open the blinds sending rays of sunlight on his head.
TRE
(with closed eyes)
I'm already up.
*
REVA
Tllen open your eyes.
Tre does so.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 2.
1 CONTINUED: 1
REVA
Good! That's better.
(she stands to leave)
I have a class till seven tonight
so be in by five. I'll call to
·make sure. Don't forget to brush
your teeth, wash your face and
comb your hair. There's something
·to eat on the stove for you. Bye.
TRE
Bye •.
She leaves. ··Tre pauses for a moment, closes his eyes and gets
back under the.covers. Reva comes back and jerks him out of bed.
REVA
Get up little boy!.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. LAWRENCE STREET-INGLEWOOD, CA - DAY 2
There is a montage of different corners. On each is a red and
white sign which says ONE WAY. On the last corner we see Tre
waiting. He is joined by·three other children, a boy and two
girls. They are BOBBY, a budding criminal looking ten year old.
TRINA, a little girl who acts like she has her own apartment.
And KEISHA, who is shy. They begin walking together towards
school. A PACK OF STRAY DOGS run through the street, some are
knocking over trash cans in search of food.
BOBBY
What up Tre? You do your homework?
TRE
What homework'? Not for real, yeah·
. I did it.
· BOBBY
Can I copy it?
TRE
Hell no. Too bad you should have
done it yourself. *
.TRINA
Did y'all hear them shooting last
night?
TRE
Yeah I heard it. I got under my
bed.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 3.
2 CONTINUED: 2
BOBBY
You a scarycat.
TRINA
My momma say a bullet don't have
no name on it.
BOBBY
I ain't afraid to get shot. Both
my brothers been shot and they
still alive.
TRE
They lucky.
The kids walk along .for a moment in silence. Bobby breaks the
ice.·
BOBBY
Y'all wanta see something?
TRE
What?
They all stop.
· BOBBY •
I ain't saying what. Do you want
to see it or not?
The kids all nod "Yes".
CUT TO:
Scene 2 - Violence and Education
- Overall: 9.0
- Concept: 8
- Plot: 9
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 8
There is a long row of.garages. Among each port there is trash
piled up very high. One pile is sectioned off with yellow tape
which reads "Do Not Cross!'' There are -more STRAY DOGS sniffing
andlicking·the ground behind the yellow tape. Tre scares them
away while .Bobby· simply pulls the tape away and leads the others
into the pile.
TRE
What you gonna show us, a bunch
of fishheads? (sings a few bars
of the fishhead song)
BOBBY
I know who was doing the shooting
last night.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 4.
3 CONTINUED: 3
TRE
Yahhh! Yahhh! Get outta here!
Bobby pulls up the tape. *
Tre kicks over some rubbish to reveal several bloody spots,
garbage covered with blood. There are also more than a few
pieces of gray matter scattered about.
THE GIRLS
Gasp in horror.· Keisha seems more affected than Trina.
TRE
Looks at this sight with indifference. It is a familiar sight.
TRINA
Is that blood? What happened?
BOBBY
What do you think! Somebody got
. smoked! Look at the holes in the
wall! You stupid!
TRINA
Least I can tell my times tables!
...• Look why is the blood turning
yellow?
TRE
That's what happens when it
separates from the plasma.
BOBBY
What's plasma?
KEISHA
Can we go now?
TRINA
What's all that grey stuff?
TRE
That's his brains.
Keisha begins to cry even louder now. She runs off down the
alley. Tre runs after her.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 5.
0 3 CONTINUED:
KEISHA
3
As she slows down and cringes near a garage door. She is crying
up a storm now. Tre goes over to her and holds her.
TRE
Don't cry Keisha, don't cry.
KEISHA
I ... I ••• They shot my brother.
Bobby and Trina join them.
BOBBY
What's wrong with her?
TRE
Her brother got smoked last year.
DISSOLVE TO:
4 INT. MRS. OLAF'S 5TH GRADE CLASSROOM - DAY 4
The scene opens with a montage of overlapping images of
childrens drawings of life in South Central L.A .. Some of them
are funeral scenes, helicopters, gang writing, fancy cars owned
by do.pe .dealers, etc. One drawing says "INCREASE THE PEACEII.
We soon PULL BACK .from the last drawing to reveal their location
on the wall of the classroom and to reveal Tre drawing a picture
of a Black superhero named BLACKMAN with a Bon his chest.
The teacher is conducting a history lesson with a POINTER in
hand. This is MRS .. OLAF a skinny frayed haired white lady in
,her mid-forties. She is upset with her.position in the world,
this is reflected in her condescending attitude towards her
students, all of whom are Black and Hispanic.
MRS. OLAF
And so that's why we celebrate
Thanksgiving, to commemorate the
unity between the Indians--oops-- -~
I mean the Native Americans and
the early English settlers who
were called •• ~.? Class?
THE CLASS
The Pilgrims! ·
MRS. OLAF
Yes, the Pilgrims!
(CONTINUED)
r- .
I,
I
Revised 9/24/90
SA.
4 CONTINUED:
4
TRE
(not looking up from
his drawing)
The Penguinsl
MRS. OLAF
Who said that? *
*
(CONTINUED)
.•
Revised 9/24/90 6.
4 CONTINUED: 4
The class laughs and points to Tre. *
MRS. OLAF
Mr. Styles.
TRE
(he looks up)
That's me.
MRS. OLAF
Why is it you always have
something funny to say?
TRE
Cause I'm a comedian!
The class laughs .•
MRS. OLAF
Would~ like to teach the .class?
The class goes tlOooh!" at.this challenge,
TRE
Yeah, I can do that.
Mrs. Olaf is surprised.
MRS. OLAF
Very well then, come up here .•• and
instruct us. ·
Tre cooly walks up to the map. Nearby Bobby s.its ~ It is evident
that he is jealous. Tre has caught the_attention of the entire
class.
TRE
{cooly)
Can I have that?
(indicating the pointer)
Tre begins to speak but not before Mrs. Olaf stops him.
MRS. OLAF
What will be the basis of your
lecture?
TRE
What?
MRS. OLAF
(enunciating)
What are you going to talk about?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 7.
4 CONTINUED: 4
TRE
I'm gonna tell you if you let me
talk! Shoot!
The class laughs.
TRE
Okay. Alright, does anybody know
what the name of this place is?
The pointer is on the continent of Africa.
TRINA
Th-at' s Africa, I know that.
TRE
That's right, ·. that's Africa. But
did you know that Africa is the
place where they found the body
of the first man?
BOBBY
Yeah, I know dat. I heard it in
a ~ong once.
TRE
My daddy says that makes it the
place where all people originated
from, that means everybody is
really from Africa.
(gestures with pointer)
Everybody, all of y'all,
everybody.
BOBBY
I ain't from. Africa, I'm from
Crenshaw Mafia! *
He throws up a gang sign.
TRE
Like it or not you from Africa.
BOBBY
I ain't from no Africa. You from
Africa! You African booty
scratcher!
The class laughs. Tre saves face by throwing some of them a
nasty look. They quickly become silent.
TRE
Punk, I'll kick your ass. *
(CONTINUED)
i
//
j -
Revised 9/24/90 8.
4 CONTINUED: 4
MRS. OLAF
Now, now boys, breathe in and out
and count to ten, remember?!
The two boys ignore her. The tension between them is flaring.
BOBBY
· I' 11 get my brother to shoot you
in the face!
TRE
Get your punk ass brother bitch
I'll get~ daddy! Least I got one
rnuthafucka.
BOBBY
I ain't nobody's bitch, you a
bitch, Bitch! You a bitch, your
daddy's a bitch and your momrna's
a bitch! Bitch!
Suddenly, Tre strikes Bobby in the head with the pointer. They
go head-up into a brawl. Mrs. Olaf attempts to pull them apart.
The rest of the class is up in arms instigating on one side or
another.
. MRS. OLAF
Now, now, now! .Calm down !
TRE
Get your hands offa me, bitch!
.MRS. OLAF
As her face turns tomato red. There is also more than enough
fear in her eyes.
WIPE TO: *
Scene 3 - Trouble in School
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 8
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 7
We~ Tre's small figure at the· end of the street. In the
foreground several young men are shooting craps. A few of them -
get into a fight. Tre walks towards us through the whole scene.
We he.al: a phone conversation between his mother and Mrs. Olaf.
MRS. OLAF (V .O.)
Well its not as ·though he is a
lost case, he's a highly
intelligent little boy.
REVA (V .O.)
And you're a very perceptive
woman.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 9.
5 CONTINUED: 5
MRS. OLAF (V .0.)
Thank You. As I was saying he's
highly intelligent, and his
vocabulary is enormous, it's
j~st •.•
REVA (V .O.)
Yes, go on.
MRS • OLAF (V. 0 • )
It's just he has a very bad
temper. It makes it hard for him
to .interact with the other
children. Maybe I can recommend
therapy or a child psychologist
or something.
REVA (V.O.)
No thank you, we can manage just
well.
MRS. OLAF (V .O.)
.Is there some problem in the home?
Are you employed?
REVA (V .0.)
It really is none of your
business, but since you asked,
I am employed and I am studying *
to receive my master's degree.
MRS. OLAF (V .0.)
So you .az:e. educated?_
REVA (V .O.)
Listen are we gonna talk about
me or my son?
MRS. OLAF (V.O.) .
I'm sorry. Well I'll be happy to
see Tr~ back in class on Tuesday.
His suspension is only for three
days you know.
REVA (V .0.)
No, I don't think you'll be seeing
Tre at all.
(CONTINUED)
jJ
Revised 9/28/90 10.
5 CONTINUED: 5
MRS. OLAF (V.O)
Why not, may I ask?
DISSOLVE TO:
6 INT. REVA'S APARTMENT - DAY 6
Tre walks through the front door on the tail end of his mother's
conversation. Reva is in the foreground while Tre listens from
the background.
REVA
Because Tre is going to live with
his father.
MRS. OLAF (O.S.)
His father?
REVA
Yes, his father. Or did you .think
we make babies by ourselves?
Reva slams the PHONE down.
TRE
Stands there smiling.
TRE
Did you tell her where to go
Momma?
REVA
What was our agreement? What did
we put down in writing?
She goes to the mantle to present a piece of paper.
REVA. .
I Tre Styles, being of. sound mind
and body agr·ee not to get into
any disputes whether physical or
verbal for the rest of the school
year. If I do not conform with
this agreement I will go to live
with my father, Mr. Furious
Styles. Signed Tre Styles.
( looking closer)
You have to work on your
handwriting.
Tre sighs and lowers his head.
DISSOLVE TO:
__J
Revised 9/24/90 11.
7 INT. REVA'S CAR - DAY 7
As she and Tre drive down Crenshaw Boulevard. Tre looks in
curiosity at the action on the "strip".
REVA
I just don't want to see you end
up dead or in jail or drunk in
front of some liquor store. Can
you understand that? *
(She looks at him)
I'm serious. Look at me.
Tre does so.
REVA
I love you. You are my only son.
Tre sheds a tear. They.come slowly at first but then heavily.
Reva pulls the car over and holds him in her mothering arms.
8 EXT. CRENSHAW BOULEVARD - DAY 8
WIDE SHOT
Where we can~ Reva's car stopped. After a few moments it
drives out of frame.
DISSOLVE TO:
9 EXT. HI POINT AVENUE - DAY 9
We .s.e.,e eight boys playing street football, most Black, some
Hispanic. Our attention settles on one of them. He is .about ten
years of age and has light brown eyes. This is RICKY. In the
background several neighbors can be seen in front of their homes
watering their lawns or just plain keeping watch on what is
going on.
9A ON.THE CURB 9A
We .s.tt a group of FOUR BOYS riqing skateboards. They are
practicing jumping from the curb into the street. One of them
is a short porky looking honey toned kid. This is DOUGH BOY.
He is the leader of this pack of kids.
9B REVA'S CAR 9B
Turns the corner at the end of the block. Tre waves at the kids
on the corner. Dough Boy waves back and begins following the
car.
REVA
Who is that?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 12.
9B CONTINUED: 9B
TRE
My friend. We call him Dough Boy. *
Scene 4 - Moving In
- Overall: 7.0
- Concept: 8
- Plot: 7
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 6
THE CAR
Stops halfway down the block at a SMALL SPANISH STYLE STUCCO
HOME. In the front yard stands a tall handsome Black man of
about thirty years of age. He has serious brown eyes, a larger
version of Tre~s own. This is Tre's father, FURIOUS STYLES.
Furious stops raking the leaves in his yard and goes to greet
them. He sticks his head through the car. window.
FURIOUS
How ya doing?
REVA
Doing fine, yourself?
FURIOUS
I'm living that's enough for me.
REVA
Well here he is.
THE CURB
Where Dough Boy can be seen in the background. Some other boys
soon join him.
FURIOUS
You can't say hello?
TRE
Hi Daddy.
FURIOUS
Go on and talk with your friends.
Tre gets out with his bags and does so.
REVA
Well there's your son. You wanted
'em, you got 'em.
FURIOUS
Why are you trying to make this
so easy?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 13.
10 CONTINUED: 10
REVA
Hey, it's like you told me. I
can't teach him how to be a man.
That's your job. Besides I can't
deal with him anymore he's
starting to act like you.
FURIOUS
So what's wrong with that? Sounds
fine to me, its better than paying
child support, least this way I
know·where all the money is going.
BACK TO THE ..CURB
Where Tre is talking to Dough Boy and the other kids. The
shortest of them has a small jeri curl. This is LIL _CHRIS .
. DOUGH BOY
So it's not no weekend thing no
more, you staying for good? Chris,
you know Tre right? _'Member that
time we played ball out here?
LIL CHRIS
Yeah, I remember you. You collect
all those ~omic books. You living
here now?
Tre nods a yes. He is looking at his mother and father talking
in the background.
DOUGH BOY .
You still collect comic books?
(to his friends)
Boy this.fool got more comic books
than a muthafucka.
Tre looks at Ricky in the street throwing another pass.
REVA ( 0 • S _- )·
Tre! Come here.
TRE
Watch my stuf~.
TRE
Goes to his mother's side of the car just as Ricky catches a
pass in the street. Furious walks back to the curb and begins
talking to Dough Boy and the other kids.
RICKY
What's up, Tre.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 14.
10 CONTINUED: 10
TRE
What's up, Rick.
REVA
Well, it looks like you got your
friends here.
Tre nods a yes.
TRE
When_ you coming to pick me up?
REVA
Whenever you want me to. Just
call.
She gives him a kiss.
REVA
Listen, this is just a temporary
thing. When I get outta school
I'll get a better job and a place
to stay-- maybe a house--then you
can come back and things will be
better. Okay?
( ..C.-,
i~- TRE
\....,,,...,..,../ Okay Mommy.
REVA'S CAR
As she pulls away from the curb. In the background Tre stands
alone.
l0A THE. LAWN lOA
Where Furious is giving the kids a business proposition. Tre
joins them.
FURIOUS
That's r.ight, five dollars for
the whole lawn. With not one leaf
on it.
LIL CHRIS
Five dollars! That ain't shit. I
can make more'n that doing
nothing.
FURIOUS
Doing what?
DOUGH BOY
He works for his uncle.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 15.
CONTINUED: lOA
FURIOUS
Well that's too bad. I can get
my son to do it.
TRE
Do what?
FURIOUS
Rake these leaves·off the lawn.
Tre looks at his father as though he is crazy.
FURIOUS
Boy don't you look at me funny
when I say do something. Here take
·this.
(he gives him:the rake)
There's two trash bags right there
on the ground.
Furious picks up Tre's large suitcase with one muscular arm.
FURIOUS
Later.
DOUGH BOY
Damn your daddy mean. He worse
than the boogy man himself. You
gotta do all these leaves. Who
he think you is? Kunta Kinte?
LIL CHRIS
Well, see ya later.
(to Dough Boy) .
What you mean, the boogy man? There
ain't no boogy man .
. DOUGH BOY
Shut up fool, yeah there is."
LIL CHRIS
If there is I betcha the Hulk
could whip his ass.
Their voices fade as the two boys ride their skateboards- down
the street. A truck goes down the street and w e ~ the deep
bass sound of hip-hop from its speakers.
TRE
(mumbles)
Yeah, later.
Tre'begins raking the leaves.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 16.
lOA CONTINUED: lOA
VIEW FROM OVERHEAD
As we .s,.e.e. the entire yard covered with leaves. Tre labors in
one part As we ••..
DISSOLVE TO:
lOB THE YARD lOB
Reveal he has cleared one part. Then another then another. When
the yard is cleared it is nighttime. Tre walks out of frame
pulling along two full bags of leaves.
11 INT. FURIOUS STYLES HOME - NI'GHT 11
THE KITCHEN
Is modeled in typical bachelor fashion. It is a pig's dream.
The dishes are piled Up high, mighty and dirty. Furious pulls
three TV dinners from the oven. One for Tre, the others for
himself.
FURIOUS
Go wash your hands.
12 INT. STYLES BATHROOM - NIGHT 12
Where Tre washes his hands. With curiosity he slowly opens the
shower curtain to reveal.
A DIRTY BATHTUB
With a thick black ring made of old body dirt and dead skin.
Tre shakes his head in shame.
12A BACK TO KITCHEN 12A
Where Furious sits at the table. He has almost completed his
first TV dinner and is beginning the next. Tre seats himself
and bows his head in prayer making Furious conscious of the fact
he hasn't' done the .same •
FURIOUS
Ordinarily I cook. But I didn't
have time to clean up before your
mother called.
(a beat}
You know how to cook?
Tre nods a Yes.
FURIOUS
What do you know how to make?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 17.
CONTINUED: 12A
TRE
(with food in his mouth)
Meat Loaf.
(he adds)
Ala Reva.
FURIOUS
Ala Reva, huh. She taught you how
to make it? ·
TRE
·Yup. Almost as good as she does
it.
FURIOUS
Hmm that's good.
· There is a long pause where neither say a thing. Furious breaks
the ice.
FURIOUS
Want s'more Kool-Aid?
Tre nods his approval and Furious pours him a .cup.
DISSOLVE TO:
Scene 5 - House Rules
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 7
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 7
Furious has a weight lifting bench press in the center of the
living room. He lays on the bench pressing what looks to be two
hundred pounds up and down. Tre picks up a small wrist weight
and tries to emulate his father~
FURIOUS
(between lifts}
Listen .... ! gotta lay down the
·rules of the house. Same thing
as the weekends, you remember?
Tre nods a Yes.
FURIOUS
What are they?
TRE
Be in the house by seven o clock.
Which is better'n Momma--she says *
five. Do my chores wash the
dishes. I gotta wash those in
there'?
Furious nods a Yes.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 18.
13 CONTINUED: 13
TRE
(mumbles)
Shit.
FURIOUS
What did you say?
TRE
Nuthin'.
FURIOUS
Watch your language. What's the
rest of it?
TRE
Clean the bathroom sink, floor
and tub. I gotta. clean that tub?
FURIOUS
Yeah.
Furious puts the weight back on its stand and relaxes his arms.
TRE
(shakes his head)
Clean my room and water the lawn.
(a beat)
Daddy, can I ask you something?
FURIOUS
(flexing his arms)
Yeah what?
TRE _
What do you have to do around
here?
FURIOUS.
(stops to look Tre)
I don't have to do nothin' but
pay the bills, bring home the f.ood
and put clothes on your back.
TRE
Glad I don't have to pay no bills.
FURIOUS
(stands)
Here,this is for the lawn.
It is a five dollar bill. Tre smiles as he takes it into his
hands.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 18A.
13 CONTINUED: 13
TRE
Thanks.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 19.
13 CONTINUED: 13
FURIOUS
It may seem like I'm being hard
on you but I'm not, I'm just
trying to teach you how to be
responsible. Your little friends
don't have nobody to show them
that. You'll see how they end up.
He looks closely at Tre.
FURIOUS
Ya know Tre, you're a prince. I'm
king you' re the prince. • ••.•
Damn you getting big. That's my
boy!
They share a smile and Furious gets up and walks away.
Tre pause·s for a · moment then gets up and walks in the direction·
his father went. He sees Furious laying on his bed in the master
bedroom. His father pulls a book off the nightstand and begins
reading. Tre walks down the hall towards his own room.
14 INT. TRE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT 14
;···.?, DARKNESS
\----'.i.
\,......~,._,./; Is lost as Tre hits a switch illuminating his bedroom. It is
a virtual carbon copy of the room at his mother's only in this
one there are posters.of Black superheroes like Luke Cage-
Powerman, the Black Panther, the Falcon, Storm, and Sir Nose
with the Bop Gun. There are also a lot of posters of
Parliament/Funkadelic and George Clinton.
-
Tre climbs into his•bed and begins watching television and
reading a comic book as we
DISSOLVE TO:.
14A 'TRE 14A
On the bed, in a dead sleep. There is snow on the television.
Our attention is drawn to the open WINDOW where the faint sounds
of the street flow through the curtains and into the room.
Furious comes in and turns it off. He calmly wakes Tre up and
tells him to get in bed. Tre quickly undresses while his father
gets an extra blanket.
FURIOUS
Returns to the room to find Tre back in slumberland. He smiles
with pride at his young son. In the background the sounds of
helicopters, police sirens and the distant firing of automatic
weapons can be heard.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 20.
Scene 6 - Intruder
- Overall: 9.0
- Concept: 8
- Plot: 9
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 7
.... ~. ~~~··-'
14A CONTINUED:
TRE'S BED
14A
Where he can be seen.
THE .WINDOW _
We slowly PULL INTO the window as the sounds of the street crawl
in and build in loudness until ... BOOM! Furious comes into frame
and closes it. The faint sounds of neighborhood warfare are
lost .•
15 INT. THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 15
Where Furious checks the lock on the door and CLOSES all the
the windows. On a wall is a LARGE MIRROR which relfects the
room. We~ his image as he does his task. With the last window
we notice the wind blowing the curtains and the street sounds
coming in. Furious CLOSES the window and we PULL IN and HOLD
on the window £or a second longer than usual.
DISSOLVE TO:
16 INT. TRE'S ROOM - LATER 16
Where he. is seen tossing and turning in his sleep.
CUT TO:
17 INT. FURIOUS'S ROOM - LATER 17
Where he is sleeping the same way as his son.
DISSOLVE TO:
MONTAGE OF INTERIOR OF THE HOUSE
18 INT. THE KITCHEN - NIGHT 18
With its dirty dishes. The faucet drips. We h.e.aJ:. the sound of
the dripping water over these.,images. It should get louder as
the tension increases. Between'the following images we get
closer and closer to the faucet until we are in a drop of water
and boom we see the open window.
19 INT. FURIOUS ROOM - NIGHT 19
Where he is in a deep slumber.
20 INT. TRE'S ROOM - NIGHT 20
Who is dead to the world also.
Revised 9/28/90 21.
21 INT. THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 21
Where our attention is drawn to the WIND.OW and its curtains
which now blow in the evening wind. We he.aJ:. the faint sounds
of automatic gunfire, cars with music in the distance. The SOUND
invades their home.
21A BACK TO TRE 21A
Who is still in slumberland.
21B BACK TO LIVING ROOM 21B
Where a thin figure in cheap corduroy pants and Converse
sneakers crosses the floor. He accidentally stubs his knee on
the coffee table.
21C BACK TO FURIOUS'S.ROOM 21C
Where Furious instinctively reacts to the sounds in the next·
room. Like a_panther he slowly-rises ·and reaches underneath
the bed. From his room we can~ THE INTRUDER reflected in
the large mirror on the wall. From a shoe box Furious pulls his
.. 357 MAGNUM and quietly begins loading it~ His hands shake with
nervousness. Suddenly Furious notices something.
21D THE HALLWAY 210
Where Tre walks in his underwear. He is making a late night
bathroom ru:o. When he reaches the bathroom he calmly closes the
door. The dripping SOUND is at its loudest now. It immediately
stops when the door is closed and we cut to: ·
21E THE INTRUDER 21E
Who looks up at the sound of the closing door. He knows someone
is awake.
21F BACK TO FURIOUS 21F
Who is in the hallway now, He clicks the barrel of his gun.
SLOW.MOTION
21G BACK TO INTRUDER 21G
Who reacts to the "Click" of Furious's barrel and turns to run.
FURIOUS
Jumps from out of the hallway and fires towards the man. His
gun sounds off like a cannon.
Revised 9/28/90 22.
THE BATHROOM 21H
Where Tre hurries to finish peeing. He accidently gets a little
bit on himself.
21I FURIOUS 21I
Slowly approaches the door. He has blown TWO LARGE HOLES in the
wall next to the doorway. Outside, neighborhood dogs can be
heard barking. Furious walks to the front of his house where
he sees one of the man's sneakers. He bends down to pick up the
shoe.
DISSOLVE TO:
22 EXT. FURIOUS FRONT PORCH - NIGHT/LATER 22 .
Scene 7 - The Break-In
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 9
- Plot: 8
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 7
Which is being held up and observed by Furious who·· hands it to
Tre. We pull back to reveal Furious and Tre sitting on THE STEPS
of their home.
FURIOUS
Somebody must have been praying
for that fool, 'cause I aimed
right for his head.
TRE
You shoulda blew it .off.
Furious looks at his son.
FURIOUS
Don't say that. I'm glad I didn't
get •em. I woulda just been -
contributing to killing another
brother.
(a beat)
Where the hell are these fools,
We've been waiting for almost an
hour.
With that, an L.A.P.D~ squad car comes racing up the street
with its red and blue lights flashing. It parks on the street
and two cops exit. One is Black the other is white. His name
is GRAHAM. The Black one interestingly enough is named COFFEY.
He is a pseudo Black man. Black police showing out for da white
cop. We notice the sign on the door which reads "To Serve and
Protect."
GRAHAM
We got a call about a burglary
here.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 23.
22 CONTINUED: 22
FURIOUS
That was an hour ago.
COFFEY
We didn't ask you that.
FURIOUS
.Well I told you. Besides, I don't
like having my son sitting out
here ~n the cold.
GRAHAM
What happened sir?
FURIOUS
Somebody broke into my house, I
shot at him with my piece and he
ran. *
COFFEY
You didn't get 'em?
FURIOUS
He'd be laid out right here in
front of you if I did.
GRAHAM
Anything stolen?
Furious nods in the negative.
COFFEY
Good. No need to file a report.
-
A voice on the police radio summons Graham to the car leaving
Furious, Coffey and Tre.
COFFEY
You should have got him. That
would have been one •'less nigga
we had to worry about out here.
(he offers his hand to
Treto shake)
Howya doing little man?
Furious waves Tre away from shaking Coffey's hand and gives him
a cold look in the eyes. Coffey returns the glance. Furious just
shakes his head in shame for this brother and begins walking
up the stairs with Tre.
COFFEY
Something wrong?
· Furious stops and turns to look at Coffey for a moment.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 24.
22 CONTINUED: 22
FURIOUS
Yes. Yes there is. Too bad you
don't know it.
They-turn to walk in the house leaving Coffey on the lawn to
think about what Furious meant.
We~ the voice of Sammy Davis Jr. singing the Candy Man which
trancends us into ••.
DISSOLVE TO:
23 EXT. TRE'S STREET - DAY 23
Where an ice cream truck slowly cruises by. Some SMALL CHILDREN
stop the truck to buy some candy. We~· the HANDS of the ice
cream man, his fingers are adorned with large ornate jewelry.
ICE CREAM (V .O.)
(like Sammy Davis)
What do you cats want?
CUT TO:
24 EXT. BAKER FAMILY HOME - DAY 24
Where Tre enters the gate with some reluctance. Tre walks onto
the porch and waits. We c a n ~ the booming voice of Dough
Boy's mother chewing him out. This is MS. BAKER, the mother of
Dough Boy and Ricky. The fact that the two boys have different
fathers drastically affects her parental outlook. She treats
each differently one with love, the other with contempt •
.
. MS. BAKER (O.S.) .
You ain't shit, you just like your
daddy! ... ain't gonna do shit,
ain't gonna be shit. All you do
·is eat, sleep, and shit around
here! Y'all must think I'm·a maid
. the way you act •
DOUGH BOY (O.S.)
Is that it? I gotta go.
CUT TO:
25 INT. BAKER FAMILY HOME - DAY 25
Where we~ Ms. Baker laying on the couch shouting at Dough
Boy and Ricky as they go back and forth preparing to leave for
a hard day at play. Tre can be seen through the screen door.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 25.
25 CONTINOED: 25
MS. BAKER
Hell naw that ain't it! It ain't
it til I say its it damn it! You
~~ying to get smart with me?! Knock
your ass into next week! Is that
it? And where you going?. You little
fat fuck? Your little ass ain't
got no job!
(sighting Tre)
Who's this little fucka sitting
on my porch?
She rises to go to the doo~.
Scene 8 - Neighborhood Encounter
- Overall: 7.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 6
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 6
Where Ms. Baker comes.onto her.porch to get a better look at
Tre .as well. as to see anything in the neighborhood that needs
seeing.
MS. BAKER
Oh, you Furious's little boy, huh?
When your daddy gonna come play
some cards? He act like he too good
to come around no more. Too busy
shooting at people.
(a beat)
He still got that same girlfriend?
Suddenly, Ricky with football in hand comes from behind his
mother, saving Tre from her mouth and her questions.
RICKY
Excuse me Momma.
Tre runs off the porch and into the yard to go out for a pass.
Ricky throws him one which he gracefully catches. Tre runs
towards him as if to fake him out. Ricky catches him and they
share a laugh.
'l'RE
Why you always be playing
football?
RICKY
Ball in hand, stops as if he almost has to think out his answer,
it comes quickly~
RICKY
Cause that's what I'm gonna be.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 25A.
26 CONTINUED: 26 I
i.
THE PORCH
Where Dough Boy comes from behind his mother. He doesn't bother
even acknowledging her presence. Dough Boy quickly joins the
other two boys who are on the sidewalk.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 26.
26 CONTINUED: 26
THE SIDEWALK
Where Tre, Ricky and Dough Boy stand.
DOUGH BOY
Yo, I heard Furious shot at
somebody last night. He get 'em?
TRE
No.
Tre•s attention has strayed across the street at •••
27 · EXT. BRANDI'S HOME - DAY 27
Where we~ a young girl about the same age helping her mother
pull groceries out the back of their car. She has long hair
which is bound in one large pigtail and wears what look.s to be
a the uniform of a private school •. This is BRANDI, the
neighborhood sweetheart.
TRE (V .0.)
Who's that?
DOUGH BOY (V .O.)
That's my lady homey. Her name's
Brandi.
BACK TO SIDEWALK
RICKY
She ain't your woman; that's my
woman.
DOUGH BOY
How can she be your woman when
she my·lady?
TRE
Has caught Brandi's eye from across the street.
RICKY (O.S.)
She's my wife.
BRANDI
Returns his interested glance with a smile.
DOUGH BOY (O.S.)
She may be your wife but I stick
my dinga-ling in her every night
so that make her mine.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 27.
27 CONTINUED: 27
Brandi's mother pulls her away into the house.
BRANDI'S MOTHER (O.S.)
Get your fast ass in here and quit
lQoking at them nappy headed boys!
BACK TO TRE
Who turns around to see Dough Boy and Ricky play wrestling in
the grass. They stop when they see they have Tre's attention
once more.
DOUGH BOY
You cain't have her cause we
sharing already.
(he gets up) *
C'mon. let's go see Chris.
RICKY
Where's my ball?
(he sees it)
There it is.
TRE
I can't stay long .cause me and
my.daddy going fishing.
DOUGH BOY
We ain't gonna stay long.
TRE
Where's he live?
WIPE:
Scene 9 - Visiting Little Chris
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 8
- Plot: 7
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 6
Nickerson Gardens is one the most notorious housing projects
in South-Central Los Angeles. It is a transient population of
people who live in the midst. of daily•drug peddling and nightly
murders. · ·' ·
The three boys walk freely through a maze of older boys who are
cursing and drinking 40 ounce bottles of malt liquor. Tre is
looking at everything out of the corner of his eye. Dough Boy
looks as though he is at home. Ricky holds his ball close to
him.
DOUGH BOY
Rick, why'd you haveta bring that
ball? I ain't saying nothing if
it get took.
They come to a certain door and knock. Little Chris comes out.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 28.
28 CONTINUED: 28
((~
'· ,, ... ~./
CHRIS
What y'all doing here?
DOUGH BOY
Carne to see you.
With that, the three boys enter.
29 INT. LITTLE CHRIS'S PLACE - DAY 29
It is a one bedroom apartment. There are cracks as old as two
grandfathers ingrained into the ceiling. More than a few
cockroaches enter . in and out of. these crev:ices.
On a large couch a woman can be seen. She has very bad
permanently pressed hair and a face that looks ten years ahead
of its time. This is DONETTA COLES, Chris's mother. She is
watching the Saturday morning cartoons on a old large 25 inch
Black and White set. On screen we see one of those old
Schoolhouse Rock clips, this one teaches about Verbs. _Donetta
drops the ashes of her cigarette in an ash tray as two or three
cockroaches emerge from it.
DONETTA
Who's this?
-CHRIS
These my f.riends. This is Dough,
his brother Ricky, and that's Tre.
DONETTA
Why don't y'all play outside. I
just cleaned up.
-
Chris turns to his friends as if this needs repeating.
CHRIS
We gotta go outside.
30 EXT. LITTLE CHRIS'S PLACE - DAY 30
Where the four boys exit. The first thing in sight are the group
of men getting drunk.
CHRIS
Somebody got smoked today.
DOUGH BOY
Where?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 29.
30 CONTINUED: 30
CHRIS
{he points)
Around that end. Wanta see? The
people still ain't come to pick
it up. He still on the ground dead
to the world. ·
They begin walking in the direction Chris pointed towards.
DOUGH BOY
Tre's daddy blasted on somebody *
last •night. *
Chris looks··at Tre as if he is a new discovery.
CHRIS
Really? What kind of gun your daddy
got?
TRE
I think it's a .357 Magnum.
CHRIS
Really? I got a Deuce Deuce. My
brother gave it to me before he
went inna county jail. Got ~t
.under my bed. Wanna see it?· It's
\....__. ,.) loaded too.
They get to the spot. It is a seventeen year old boy. His body
is riddled with bullets. The people nearby walk back and forth
going about their.business.
DOUGH BOY
Look like Freddy Kruger got 'em. *
RICKY
This ain't the movies.
TRE
·He stinks.
CHRIS
That's how they smell after a
while •... I wonder why it take them *
people so long to pick them up?
MAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Hey, throw the ball!
(CONTINUED)
---------
Revised 9/24/90 30.
Scene 10 - Playing ball with the wrong boys
- Overall: 7.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 7
- Characters: 7
- Dialogue: 6
They turn startled to see an older boy of about seventeen years
in age. He is wearing no shirt and old corduroys which are
pulled down to reveal the top of his underwear. This is RIC
ROCK.
CHRIS
(whispers to Ricky)
You throw that ball you ain't
gonna see it again.
\ .
TRE
Hey you know this a dead body?
RIC ROCK
·Yeah.muthafuckas, I know dat,
shit! He ain't bothering you so
don't fuck wit him! Yo, throw the
ball little man, I. ain't gonna
take it. Little Chris, tell this
fool I ain't gonna take his·ball.
I got enough money to buy me a
hundred balls.
(he flashes a couple
dollars)
Shit!
DOUGH BOY
I told you not to bring that ball.
RICKY
Is in indecision. But he cannot resi~t showing off his arm. He
throws the ball.
RIC ROCK
Catches the ball and throws Ricky a gang sign.
RIC ROCK
.Thanks, Blood • *
He then turns around to his friends.
RIC ROCK
Yo Dog, Catch.
MAD DOG
Looks just like his name implies. He is six~two in height and
about as wide as two Volkswagens. Mad Dog catches the ball with
one hand.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 31.
30 CONTINUED: 30
THE GROUP OF OLDER MEN
Begin throwing the ball back and forth between them.
BACK.TO RICK_Y
Who looks as though his heart has been taken away. The CAMERA
comes slowly towards him as Chris comes into frame from left
and Dough Boy from the right to give their dialogue. Then cut
to single of Tre who leads Rick away.
CHRIS
I told you he was gonna take it.
DOUGH BOY
(who is upset)
You stupid, I told you not to
bring that ball. Don't have no
sense. Wait till I tell Momma.
RICKY
Shut up! I don't care. Tell Momma.
TRE
C'mon, let's go home.
CHRIS
Y'all leaving?
DOUGH BOY
No! Hey gimme back my brother's
ball!
*
Dough Boy walks towards the older boys~
CHRIS
Dough, don't say nothing they
·might give it back. I know them, *
they just playing.
,Ric Rock turns back to look at··oough Boy.
RIC ROCK
What you say fat boy?! Nigga looks
like the Michelin Man!
The older boys laugh.
DOUGH BOY
I said ... give my brother's ball
back before--
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 32.
30 CONTINUED: 30
RIC ROCK
Before what? What your fat ass
gonna do?
Dough Boy charges the older kid trying to pull the ball out of
his hands.
MAD DOG
Yo Rock, give da little nigga da
ball back.
Ricky and Tre join in trying to get the ball. Dough Boy gets
.frustrated and kicks Ric Rock, This upsets the older. boy who
.kicks Dough Boy back, only harder in the stomach. Dough Boy goes
down holding his stomach. Tre and Ricky are shocked. They come
to Dough Boy's aid.
RIC ROCK·
Stupid muthafucka. I was gonna
give it to you too.
DISSOLVE TO:
30A THE SIDEWALK 30A
Where the three boys walk. No one says a word. Dough Boy is
holding his .stomach, trying to keeping his tears from flowing.
In the background the group of older boys play with Ricky's
ball.
TRE
Hey man, I gotta football--! don't *
ever use it much though. Tell you *
what, it's yours, soon's we get *
back. *
DOUGH BOY
(htilding stomach)
He ain't gonna want it, his .daddy
gave him that ball~ I wish I could
kill that rnutha:fucka·~
RICKY
Stares at the older boys playing. Mad Dog catches the ball and
the others are beckoning, him to throw it back to them.
MAD DOG
Looks in Ricky's direction. He pauses for a moment as their eyes
meet almost thirty yards away. Suddenly, when it looks as though
he will give it back Mad Dog turns to his homies and throws the
balL
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 33.
CONTINUED: 30A
Scene 11 - Playing Catch with Furious
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 7
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 9
Turn to walk away.
BACK TO MAD DOG
Who motions for one of his friends to throw him the ball. They
quickly do so.
MAD DOG
(shouts out)
Hey! .Hey little man! Catch!
He throws the ball.
SLOW MOTION
THE BLUE SKY
As the football lingers, flying high and mighty. It stays there
for some time.
RICKY
Runs into a position where he thinks it will come down. There
is a look of nervana on his face. A thirty yard pass is coming
down right .into his arms.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Where time speeds back to normal. The ball comes down and hits
Ricky square in the chest. He doesn't catch it. Tre recovers
the ball.
DOUGH BOY
Man, you're sorry!
Ricky looks in Mad Dog's direction and nods a thank you.
DOUGH BOY
I'm going to the store.
RICKY
What you gonna get? You ain't got
no money.
DOUGH BOY
I'm going anyway.
THE STREET
As the three boys walk away into the distance.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 34.
~<.
( .
30A CONTINUED: 30A
',
FURIOUS {V. 0.)
Are you a leader or a follower?
A lion or a sheep?
IRIS TO:
31 EXT. PALOS VERDES PENINSULA - DAY 31
MONTAGE OF OCEAN ELEMENTS
Seagulls, ocean waves, sailboats--dissolve to each image ending
on Tre and Furious.
THE ROCKY SHORE
Where Furious ·can be seen with his fishing pole in the water.
Tre is making sandwiches from a ba·g of groceries they have
.pur.chased.
TRE
Why you always ask me that?.
FURIOUS
Just answer me.
TRE
I'm a leader.
FURIOUS
What have I always told you?
TRE
(thinks for a moment)
Always comb rny·hair, wipe my nose
and zip my zipper before I leave
the house?
FURIOUS
Besides that~ What three things
do I .always say to you? Think
before you answer.
TRE
(thinks for a moment)
Oh, I got it. Always look a person
in the eyes. You do that they'll
respect you better. Two, ·you told
me never be afraid to ask you for
anything. Stealing isn't
necessary. And the last one I
think was to never respect anybody
wno doesn't respect you back. That
right?
(CONTINUED)
\
Revised 9/28/90 35.
31 CONTINOED: 31
FURIOUS
Yeah you got it.
There is a pause where neither says a thing. Tre is playing with
some rocks be has found. He is selecting the smoothest ones to
keep.
FURIOUS
What you know about sex?
Tre makes a goo~y grin like a kid.
TRE
t·~now a little bit.
FURIOUS
Oh yeah? What little bit is that?
TRE
1 know I take a ~irl, stick my
thing in her and nine months later
a baby comes out~
FURIOUS
You think that's it?
TRE
Basically, yeah.
FURIOUS
Always .remember this: any fool
with a dick can make a baby_but
only a real man can take care of
his children.
Tre nods to agree with his father.
FURIOUS (CONT'D)
When your mother was pregnant with
you I was seventeen.'. All my
friends were dropping out of
school, hanging out in front the
liquor store getting drunk, or
stealing. Some of them were even
killing people. You remember my
friend Marcus, right? He and I been
friends since we were like seven
or eight years old. He got into
robbing people and he wanted me
to do it with him but I was like,
naw man, I got a son on the way.
I knew you were gonna be a boy.
(more)
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 36.
31 CONTINUED: 31
Scene 12 - Furious and Tre's Conversation
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 9
- Plot: 7
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 9
So•anyway, I wanted to be somebody
you could look up to that's why
I went to Vietnam ... Don't ever
go into the army. A Black Man
don't have any place in there.
There is another pause where neither says a thing. Tre takes
some of his unwanted rocks and throws them in the ocean far away
from where Furious is fishing.
TRE
I threw them over there so the
fish wouldn't get scared.
FURIOUS
It's too late they already
are ... You know I rarely catch
anything out here. I just come
out here to think.
WIPE:
32 INT. FURIOUS CAR - DAY 32
Where Furious and Tre ride. Tre is blowing his breath on the
window and ,,watching·it fog up. He makes one big fog spot and
writes his name in the moisture.
FURIOUS
The reason I tell you all I do
is because when I was coming up
I didn't have my father around
to tell me things. Your grand.momma
could teach me how to be
independent but she couldn't teach
me how to be•a man. I had to learn
a lot of things on my own.
Tre.nods .in agreement. A song comes over the radio. It's that
song that goes .goes "Ooh child, things are gonna be easier."
Furious starts bopping to the tune from his time as they turn
the corner of their street to notice •••
Scene 13 - Aftermath
- Overall: 7.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 7
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 6
Where we~ a police car parked at the curb, the red and blue
slashes of light from·the overhead pierce the cool evening air.
There is a large crowd of people standing nearby observing.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 37.
CONTINUED: 33
THE YARD
Where Dough Boy and Chris are being led by two officers towards
the squad car, handcuffed behind their backs. Ricky stands in
the yard while his mother is on the porch. A kid comes up to
Ricky.
KID
What'd they do?
RICKY
They was stealing.
33A · THE CAR WINDOW 33A
Where Tre can be seen. The red and blue light illuminates the
.frosted image of his name that is written on the window.
THE CURB
Where Tre and Furious get out of their car. Down the street the
Police have loaded the boys in the squad car and turn their
siren on to remind the neighborhood of their existence. The car
comes down the street in Tre's direction.
TRE
As he looks toward-s the car.
TRE'S P.O.V.
As he sees Dough Boy and Little Chris with bowed heads in the
back of the car. Dough Boy looks up from the seat just in time
to see.
REVERSE ANGLE/DOUGH BOY'S POV
As the car slowly goes past Tre and leaves him in the distance.
Dough looks back down as the sounds of siren get louder and
transcend.us into •••
DISSOLVE TO:
BURN IN TITLE: Seven years later.
The sounds of a police siren are mixed into the sound of child
making a police siren sound.
Revised 9/28/90 38.
34. INT. BAKER FAMILY HOME - DAY 34
THE KITCHEN *
Where we .s..e.e a little boy of about two years of age playing with
a toy POLICE CAR. He has a big rounded head and large round
almond colored eyes. This is LIL RICKY. The socializing voices
of several.people can be heard nearby. Little Ricky moves the
car around and then stops to pound on it. We ..s.e.e. a few pair of
adult legs walking past the small child. One feminine pair of
legs stops.
WOMAN
You better go outside. Your daddy
wants you.
Little Ricky looks up in curiosity at the woman. He gracefully
lifts himself from the floor and walks in the direction of the
backyard accidently or intentionally stepping on the police car.
Fuck. da police wit ,symbolism boyyee!!
We follow the small boy until he comes· to the door of the yard - *
and we see .••
34A THE BACKYARD 34A
Which is filled to the brim with people. There is a BARBECUE
PARTY going on. Music pl~ys on a speaker and there is a group
of people dancing on the pavement. We ..s.e.e. a large PAPER SIGN
which reads WELCOME BACK DO~GH BOY. In a corner several young
men are playing a loud game of dominoes. In another section,
laboring over a sizzling BARBECUE PIT stands a large young man
of seventeen. He is wearing a Washington High School football
jersey. He shouts at the small·boy.
RICKY
Corne here!
Little Ricky walks reluctantly towards his father.
RICKY
Tenderly picks up his young son and continues to poke and turn
the cooking meat.
RICKY
C'mere. What you doing, huh? You
want to learn how to barbecue?
Suddenly, Mrs. Baker comes up. She looks almost unchanged. The
years have treated her well.
MRS. BAKER
Ricky you not watching this meat.
All you doing is poking at it.
(CONTINUED)
Revis.ed 9/28/90 39.
Scene 14 - Backyard Barbecue Party
- Overall: 7.0
- Concept: 6
- Plot: 5
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 8
With that, a young woman of about seventeen comes in their
crowd. Her hair is neat but cheaply permed and the biker shorts
that she wears more than show off her young firm figure. This
is SHANICE, Ricky's girlfriend and the mother of their child.
She offers to take Ricky into her arms.
SHANICE
I'll take him.
RICKY
(lightly shrugging her
· off)
Naw Shanice I got him. Go on back
to talking to your friends.
Mrs. Baker is observing this conservation out of the side of
her eyes and with one ear. We should get the feeling that the
limited space behind the Barbecue pit is making her
uncomfortable.
SHANICE
Ricky, I got to check his diaper.
Ricky turns his son over to smell his pants.
RICKY
He ain't wet. So go on. Go on I
got 'em. Wait a minute, C'mere.
(she comes back and he
gives her a real
delicious kiss)
MRS. BAKER .
That's how y'all got that one! Make
sure she taking them pills I don't
want a whole stack o' babies
running around here. I'll be the
·only one taking care of 'em.
34B A TABLE 34B
Where four gangstas are seated. They are playing a ruthless game
of dominoes. By the way they play you'd think money is involved.
They smack their pieces onto the table making a sharp sound with
every move. Our attention is drawn to the largest of these
brothers. It is Dough Boy, who is now a gangsta. His face looks
hardened with the years.
We also recognize Little Chris, a jeri curl still in his head.
There is now only a blank cold stare in his eyes, the gleam of
youth is lost. Also at the table are MONSTER, who looks just
lik_e his name implies. And DOOKY, . who is called this because
he wears his hair in big Dooky-shaped gangsta style braids.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 40.
34B CONTINUED: 34B
DOUGH BOY
{slamming a piece down)
Domino muthafucka, what you say *
to that nigga? What you say to
that?
MONSTER
Fool that ain't shit. I still beat
your ass three times already.
That's just one time, nigga. Let's
play again.
*
DOUGH BOY
Naw, I don't want to play again.
Let's bust some spades.
He opens a deck of cards and begins dealing them.
DOOKY
I want to get with one of the
hootchies over there.
34C ACROSS THE BACKYARD 34C
Sit a group of females about ten of them in a cluster·. All we-ar
Truk jewelry andhave nice nails. They are talking among
.t:hernselv.es. Among ·them is a striking drop dead fine- babe who
is trying ·to avoid the stares of the other guys at the party.
This is Brandi, seven years later.
34D IN ANOTHER CORNER 34D
Are some obviously athletic. looking brothers, friends of
Ricky's.
34E BACK TO TABLE 34E
DOUGH BOY
Dooky, you fulla shit! Nigga ain't *
no bitch gonna give yo_ugly ass
no pus.sy.
DOOKY
Nigga I.bet I get more pussy than
you.
DOUGH BOY
Yeah, rnuthafucka you be getting
that Dopehead pussy. I get more
pussy than you get air. Wit yo
wannabee Mack Daddy Ass.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 40A.
34E CONTINUED: 34E
DOOKY
Who you calling Wannabee Mack
Daddy?
(CONTINUED}
rr .
'r-7
, l._~.,..,_,,./
Revised 9/24/90 41.
34E CONTINUED: 34E
Scene 15 - The Backyard Barbecue
- Overall: 7.0
- Concept: 6
- Plot: 6
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 7
You nigga! No pussy getting
muthafucka! Be fucking them
dopeheads, stupid nigga.
DOOKY
Nigga you don't know what I be
getting. I don't be fucking no
dopeheads. I might let them suck
my dick but I don't be fucking
'em. Shit •.• they got AIDS and
shit~
MONSTER
Stupid muthafucka, don't you know
you can get that shit from letting
them suck your dick too?
DOUGH BOY *
Thank you. *
CHRIS
Yeah, right.
DOUGH BOY
You a mark. *
*
Dooky thinks for a moment.
DOOKY
Well I ain't sick. I ain't all
skinny and shit.
CHRIS
Whatch you mean, you ain't
skinny?! You so skinny you can *
houla hoop thru. a cherrio! And *
fool, you don't have to be sick. *
You could die five years from now *
from that .shit. *
*
Dooky is taken aback.
DOOKY
Y'all trying to scare me.
(a beat)
Can you really get it from letting
them suck your dick?
(CONTINUED}
Revised 9/24/90 41A.
34E
~.;
-.
·•·•·"
34E CONTINUED:
DOUGH BOY
{takes a drink outta
his bottle)
Just keep your ass back. And don't *
b~ asking to drink out the same
bottle.
Dough looks up to notice.
THE PATIO DOORWAY
Where we .s.e.e. a young man dressed in smooth black slacks and a
nice fashionable black shirt. His head is smoothly cut with more
than a few mosaic lines going through it. We recognize the eyes.
This is Tre, seven years later.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 42.
34E CONTINUED: 34E
THE BARBECUE PIT
Where Ricky nods a hello to his best friend. Little Ricky waves
also. Rick's eyes tell Treto guide his attention in a certain
direction.
THE GROUP OF GIRLS
Are all whispering among each other.
BRANDI
Seems most affected by Tre's presence.
TRE
Looks at Brandi from across the lawn. He smiles as their eyes
meet. Suddenly, from behind comes Mrs Baker who gives him a hug.
MRS. BAKER
Tre! How you doing, sugar?
TRE
Just fine mamm.
(r_ MRS. BAKER
That's good. The food will be
0 ready in a moment. I'm going
inside to bring out the rest of
the stuff. Potato salad and
things like that. Go on,
everybody's here. Go·talk to
Darin .•. talk to him seriously.
Maybe something you got will_rub
off on him.
34F THE TABLE 34F
Where Dough Boy and company acknowledge Tre's entrance.
Tre walks towards the table to greet Dough Boy, he gives him
a grip and a hug.
TRE
What's up, Dough.
DOUGH BOY
What's up Mack Daddy, I heard you
was like Mister G.Q. smooth now.
You working over at the Fox Hills
Mall?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 43.
Scene 16 - Backyard Party
- Overall: 5.0
- Concept: 5
- Plot: 3
- Characters: 6
- Dialogue: 7
TRE
Yeah, I get a discount on clothes
and shit. You like?
DOUGH BOY
You look like you sell rocks.
CHRIS
Tre, you be pumping that rock? *
TRE
Hell naw, I don't be doing that
shit.
DOUGH BOY
You can't anyway, your daddy'd
kick your ass. How's he doing?
TRE
He's alright.
There is a pause. Tre is still nodding "Hi" to several people.
Dough Boy keeps the air moving by continuing conversation.
DOUGH BOY
I guess you heard I'm out"ta the
pen now. I'ma try to stay out this
time though.
TRE
That's what we're here to
celebrate, right man?
(looking at Dough)
How'd you get so big?
DOUGH BOY
.Working out nigga. What else you
think there is to do in there? I
was pumping that iron at least
three times a day. Rest of the
time I spent reading or writing
to one of my girls.
MONSTER
Reading?
DOUGH BOY
Yeah muthafucka! I ain't no
criminal. I know how to read,
shit.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 44.
34F CONTINUED: 34F
TRE
Yo, what's Brandi doing here? Her
mother letting her out the house
now or what?
DOUGH BOY
She your bitch, you know more'n
I know.
CHRIS
Mrnmm, mmm, Lord help me. You still *
on that Tre?
With that all of them look in the direction the girls are
sitting.
34"G THE GIRLS 34G
.
Where Shanice sits with her friends. They are RENE and SHALIKA.
Brandi is on the sidelines o~ the conversation she is quiet.
Only observing •••
SHALIKA
Mmmm, mmm. Who is that Shanice?
·t:.:.,
·'.
h;.J
.
SHANICE
That's Tre, Ricky's best friend.
.He .used to· be best friends with
Dough Boy when they were little.
They all be trying to act like
they brothers and all.
SHALIKA
Girl, he's fine. I'd like to rush *
that. He go to Washington? ·
Shanice nods in the positive and looks over at Brandi as if to
see her reaction.
RENE
Oh, I seen him before. ·He works
at the Fox Hills Mall,
SHALIKA
Does he have a girlfriend?
BRANDI
(with attitude)
Yes,
The other two girls look over at her as if she appeared in a
puff of smoke.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 45.
34G CONTINUED: 34G
SHALIKA
Oooh Jamica I was scoping on her *
man. He's cute anyway, you better
keep his ass somebody might steal
him.
34H THE SERVING TABLE 34H
Scene 17 - Barbecue
- Overall: 7.0
- Concept: 6
- Plot: 6
- Characters: 7
- Dialogue: 5
MRS. BAKER
Come·- and - get - it!
Everybody comes .in force to the table. Tre, Dough Boy and the
other guys move swiftly towards the table. When Chris leaves
the table it becomes apparent that the chair he was sitting in
is actually a wheelchair, a casualty of neighborhood warfare.
He has lost the use of his legs. The group of men surround the
table and it looks as though-the women will be left out. Tre
does a double-take, taps Dough Boy on the shoulder and gives
him a look.
TRE
(to the guys)
Hey, why don't y'all act like
gentlemen and let these ladies
eat first?!
Dough Boy, who already has his plate in hand, catches on to
Tre's game. Playing it off, he gives his tray to the nearest
female face.
DOUGH BOY .
Yeah, y'all act like y'all ain't
never had no barbecue before. Let
these ladies eat. Hoes gotta eat
too.
SHALIKA
Wait minute now! Who you calling
a hoe?! I ain't no hoe!
DOUGH BOY
Ooops, Oh that's right. I'm sorry
bitch.
The men part to let the ladies pass and begin fixing their
plates.
TRE
Is looking in the opposite direction when he is caught off guard
from behind. He turns to see.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 4 6.
CONTINUED: 34H
BRANDI
Who has a full plate.
TRE
Hi.
BRANDI
Hello. Why you ain't called me
in five days?
There is uneasy· space between them. Tre decides to let it wait.
In the background the guys rush the food.
TRE
Just a second.
Brandi is left hanging. She just nods it off and walks to find
a place to eat her food.
34I
.. TRE 34I
Joins Ri°cky at the table, both begin filling their plates.
RICKY
Yo man, what's up? Looks like she
wants to talk with you.
TRE
I know. I'm taking my time.
Brandi. is sitting down in a corner. She tries to begin eating
her food but cannot stomach it. Instead she covers her plate
and gets up.
--
RICKY
Oh, so you trying run that game,
huh?
TRE
( lo.eking down at the
food}
Yeah •.. How am I doi_ng?
Ricky looks over to see Brandi saying goodbye to his mother.
She is leaving.
RICKY
Uhh, you're doing fine but just
one thing.
TRE
What?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 4 7.
CONTINUED: 34I
RICKY
She left.
TRE
What?
Tre looks up to view the entire backyard. Brandi is nowhere to
be seen.
TRE
Damn.
Ricky takes a forkful of the potato salad.
RICKY
Yo this some good tata salad. You
on some .of this ••
Tre gives him a crazy look.
WIPE TO:
35 EXT. THE-SIDEWALK - DAY 35
Where Tre walks with a PLATE in hand. He sees something.
THE STREET
Where two year old baby walks in the street. Cars have slowed
down and honk loudly.
BACK TO TRE
Who goes out and picks the baby up. He walks towards a home.
:..
36 EXT. HOME - DAY 36
Where Tre knocks on the door. The woman that answers is thin
and. emaciated, a crack addict, pipe in hand and all. This is
SHERYL, a strawberry.
TRE
Why don't you watch your baby,
she gonna get hit one of these
days.
Sheryl takes the baby with a dazed look on her face. She looks
at Tre with interest.
SHERYL
You got some blow? I'll suck it ...
Tre looks at her with disgust.
(CONTINUED}
Revised .. 9/28/90 48. ·
36 CONTINUED: 36
TRE
Just keep her out the street. And
change her diaper, girl almost
smell worse than you.
Tre walks away.
37 EXT. THE STREET - DAY 37
Where Tre enters without looking, still shaking his head in
shame.
CAR ·P.O.V.
As Tre's figure in the ·street-comes up fast.
TRE
As he is startled by the car that has stopped in front of him.
It is a 1991 red Hyundai with dark tinted windows. The-car .
stops and then slowly cruises past Tre.
THE CAR'S WINDOW
Revealing a older dude with a large jeri curl and a face like
a clenched fist. This is FERRIS. He appears for a moment and
reveals the barrel of a twelve gage shotgun and points it at
Tre.
TRE'S EYES
As they widen. He hopes they will not shoot him. (Dolly-Zoom
here.)
BACK TO WINDOW
As a hand comes out and makes a gang sign.
FERRIS
Whatup Blood'?!!
I
The1 car then ,scre.eches down the street and out of sight.
Tre cooly regains his· composure and walks towards his house.
CUT TO:
Scene 18 - Family Time
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 6
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 8
Where Tre enters. Furious is at the table writing checks for
bills. Tre puts both plates down for his father to see.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 49.
CONTINUED: 38
FURIOUS
What's this? Barbecue? You didn't
bring me no swine did you?
TRE
Naw·Pop, Mrs. Baker told me to
bring you a plate.
FURIOUS
(tasting some of the
food)
Tell her thanks.
TRE
Say, pop, .can I get on one of
those stamps?
FURIOUS
If you mean can y o u ~ one, yes.
What do you need it for?
.. TRE
I gotta send out my SAT
application. I'm taking it again
remember?
Furious pulls one stamp off and hands it to his son.
TRE
(touching .tne sides of
his head)
Yo could you fix my fade?
CUT TO:
38A MONTAGE OF TRE'S HEAD 38A
We start close on the back of Tre's head as a razor closely
shaves off some hair. A dissolve and we are on the side of his
head with razor and move towards his eyes. Then we cut to Tre's
P.O.V as Furious looks into ca~era with sissors in hands putting
the finishing touches on his head. Furious's eyeline "is just
above the camera his attention should be on Tre's head. Also
between cuts on this scene we see clumps of kinky hair float
to the floor.
FURIOUS (0, S.)
Almost finished. You want one ah
them Gumby tops again?
TRE
Naw, Pop--that shit is weak.
. (CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 50.
(~) 38A CONTINUED: 38A
· ..... -
FURIOUS
Something wrong?
TRE
No, I'm just looking at you •.• You
getting old.
FURIOUS
You the one getting old.
TRE
You old. You older than dirt.
FURIOUS
I'm older than dirt, huh? You know
I'm only sev:enteen years older
than you. Some of your fri~nds
got daddies in their forties and
fifties big old sloppy cats with
pot bellies.
TRE
You'll be like that someday. Big,
old, fat juicy rolling belly,
sitting in a rocking chair, and
.reading the funny papers and ·
stuff,. Then my kids, your·
grandchildren, they'll be running
all around you talking about
grandaddy, grandaddy gimme a
dollar, gimme a dollar.
FURIOUS
You think so huh?
(he does a double take)
Wait, wait, wait what's all this
talk about grandchildren?
He is finished with Tre's head.
TRE
Whatcha you mean?
FURIOUS
What's all this shit about
grandchildren? You using those
rubbers I gave you? I ain't ready
to be no granddaddy yet.
Tre walks away.
TRE
Aw Pops, why you sweating me? Don't
worry I can take care of myself.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/2.4/90 51.
38A CONTINUED: 38A
FURIOUS
Tre. Tre come here. Come here.-
Sit -down.
Tre does so. Furious looks his son up and down.
TRE
Something wrong, I got something
on me?
FURIOUS
(a beat)
Have you had pussy yet?
TRE
What? ••. Yeah I have.
FURIOUS
When?
TRE
What?
FURIOUS
You heard me. Look me in the eye,
you know what I told you about
that.
TRE
Last summer.
FURIOUS
With who? Brandi? You been tapping *
them legs? *
TRE
Naw somebody else.
Tre sits back and thinks.
CUT TO:
Scene 19 - Tisha's House
- Overall: 7.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 6
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 7
We .s.e.e. a row of customized Volkswagens. Our attention settles
on one of these where Tre is leaning against his blue V.W.
talking with Ricky and some other brothers. They turn around
to see a group of FIVE GIRLS, cruising by in a V.W. Rabbit
convertible. The girls ·stop and the group of guys standing at
the curb move in a throng to talk to them.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/19/90 51A.
39 CONTINUED: 39
TRE (V .0.)
It was a Sunday. Rick and I were
kicking it up on Crenshaw.
(more)
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 52.
39 CONTINUED: 39
TRE (Cont 'd)
All these females rolled up in
a Rabbit. Everybody started to
bum rush them, trying to get their
n~mbers and all.
Our attention settles on one of these girls. She has light brown
eyes and a body right out of a Jet centerfold. This is TISHA.
Tisha is playing off the advances of the guys to attract the
attention of Tre.
TRE (V.O.)
Ther.e was this girl, everybody
was .trying to rush. Baby was fine,
body was 'boornin', like right
outta Jet centerfold o somethin.
Tisha gets out of the car and walks straight towards Tre. The
crowd of guys. part to let her gracefully advance.
TRE (V .O.)
So I'm like eyeing at her right?
... and baby gets out of the car
and walks right up on me. Then
she breaks out with.
rp
\ I
'••,-.~..,.,•·
We see.Tisha talk ·with·Tre's voice. She does so everytime she
speaks.
TRE (V.O.)
"Is this your ride"? I say, "Yeah,
you wanna ride wit me"? She says,
"No I wanna drive it.~ I ask,
"Can you drive a stick"? She says,
"I can learn, if you teach me."
So I then I go into my Mack Daddy
mode cause I'm getting a woodie
•in my sweats y'know and I
say,"Give me your number and I'll
call you for a less~n."
We PULL INTO Tisha as she smiles. *
WIPE TO:
Revised 9/24/90 53.
40 EXT. TISHA'S HOUSE - DAY 40
Where we~ TWO ELDERLY WOMEN leaving dressed in immaculate
white dresses. We pull back to reveal Tre sitting in his car
waiting for them to leave. When they do he sneaks towards the
front door.
TRE (V .0.)
Next week, I'm over her house. *
Her mother and grandmother are
leaving for church. I say hello
to them before they leave.
TRE
As he knocks on ·the door.
TISHA
As she answers. She puts her arms around him and they begin
kissing. Tre hastily _closes the door behind him.
TRE (V .O.)
As soon as I hit the doorway we.·
began kissing. And we were going
at it, no stopping. I picked her
up and carried her into her room.
41 INT. TISHA'S ROOM - DAY 41
Where Tre enters carrying Tisha in his arms. They hit the bed
and are at it.
DISSOLVE TO:
41A THE BED 41A
Where Tre and Tisha are doing da wild thang. They react to
something in the next room. (NOTE We start on them from across
the room then MOVE across room into a reaction from Tre.)
TRE (V .O.)
We were only twenty rniriutes into --
it when her mother and grandmother
came back.
42 INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY 42
We~ Tisha's grandmother looking around the living room. She
finds the object she was looking for, her purse. She then begins
to sniff the air.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 54.
42 CONTINUED: 42
TRE {V.0.)
It seems that her grandmother
forgot her purse and wanted to
make sure she had something to
put in the collection plate. She
started towards Tisha's room, I
guess you could smell the sex in
the air.
Tisha's grandmother opens the door only to see Tisha apparently
sleep in her bed. The window curtains blow in the wind. Tisha's
grandmother looks out the window to see Tre walking away pulling
his -pants up. -She turns and begins beating her granddaughter
in bed.
TRE (V .0.)
By that time I was on my way back
to my car.
CUT TO:
43 INT. 'FURIOUS'S KITCHEN - DAY 43
Where Tre finishes his story.
TRE
And that •·s the last I ever saw
of Tisha. I call but everytime
I do her grandmother answers the
phone and says she can't talk
right now.
FURIOUS
As we see his face, covered with concern.
-FURIOUS
What did you use?
TRE
I used the same number she gave
me.
FURIOUS
No, I ~ what did you use?
TRE
(thinks for a moment)
Aw man why you sweating me? I
didn't have to use nuthin'. She
said she was on the pill.
Furious bows his head.
( CONT_INUED)
---·--- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
Revised 9/28/90 55.
43 CONTINUED: 43
· FURIOUS
Didn't I tell you even if a girl
says she's on the pill to use
something anyway?! A pill won't
keep your dick from falling off!
Oh shit, what the hell you'll
learn. Why do you always like
learning shit the hard way?
Furious gets up to walk away and then turns back around.
FURIOUS
I ain't ready to be no granddaddy!
••• and clean up this hair.
Tre sits back and thinks to himself.
DISSOLVE_TO:
Scene 20 - Tre's Confession
- Overall: 9.0
- Concept: 9
- Plot: 8
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 8
Where he is still in a thought mode. Ricky gets in on the
passenger side. There is a long pause between them.
RICKY
What's wrong with you?
TRE
Nothing.
With that, Tre starts up his car and begins driving towards
school. He drives for a while in silence. Ricky is eating a
bacon and egg sandwich. He offers Tre some.
RICKY
Wanna bite?
Tre nods in the negative.
RICKY
Guess what? Recruiter from SC's
coming tonight.
TRE
That's good. You know I have never
lied to my father?
RICKY
Never?
TRE
Well almost never.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 56.
44 ..
I~
44 CONTINUED:
.,_ I
........... / RICKY
Where's this come from?
TRE
(a beat)
I-lied to Pops yesterday, told *
him•I weren't no virgin.
RICKY
But you ain't. Is you?
Tre nods a yes.
TRE
Well, technically speaking I
haven't. I mean I've sucked some
titties and finger banged a couple
of bunnies but .I never stuck it
in.
Ricky looks long at his friend. A piece of egg hanging off of .
his lip. He licks it up.
RICKY
Why not?
Tre looks at Riqky out of the corner of his eye.
TRE
You really wanna know?
RICKY
I asked didn't I?
TRE
(a beat)
I was afraid.
Ricky bursts into laughter.
RICKY
What you afraid of?
TRE
Of being a daddy~
Ricky stops laughing.
RICKY
Oh.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 57.
44 CONTINUED: 44
TRE
But I'm getting old, shit, now
that I wanna flap some skins
Brandi ain't down for it even if
I wear a jimmy.
Tre turns on the radio and King News from KDAY comes on. His
monologue plays over the following montage and then we h.e.a.r. a
song.
KING NEWS
It's JS degrees in the city at
7:45 and I'm King News with 'The
Truth.' Well, you gangbangers have
done it again-. There was another
driveby shooting yesterday
afternoon. Now five children are
dead. :They were killed as they
left. the schoolyard. Well
gangbangers how do you feel? You
feel tough? I suppose none ·of you
have little.brothers or sisters.
How would you feel if someone shot
your small sister or brother in
cold blood? You wouldn't feel good.
You'd probably feel the same way
the families of those five
children feel. Something to think
about. • . . and that 's the truth.
WIPE TO:
45 EXT. BAKER HOUSE - DAY 45
Where we~ Dough Boy and his boys sit on the porch drinking
their lunch and covertly selling rock cocaine to early arriving
customers. Sheryl the s.trawberry is one of them. *
DOUGH BOY
. Yo, yo, what you need? *
..
DISSOLVE TO:
46 INT. CRENSHAW HIGH LOCKER ROOM - DAY 46
Where we~ a large black ankle being taped up.
DISSOLVE TO:
46A BACK TO DOUGH BOY 46A
I
'!
Who is having a good time with his friends. He is making a deal
on~ CELLUAR PHONE. Some of the other homies are playing dice.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 58.
46A.
46A CONTINUED:
A Police car drives by and Dough Boy cooly drops a piece of rock
cocaine on the ground and steps on it until it is a white smear.
CHRIS
Yo Five-a.
DOUGH BOY
Fuck the police.
DISSOLVE TO:
47 EXT. CRENSHAW HIGH SCHOOL - DAY 47
The front .of the school where a few girls walk as Ferris and *-
the two knuckleheads from the Hyundai club_ are attempting to *
pick up on them. *
CUT TO:
48 INT. CLASSROOM - DAY 48
We~ Tre immersed within a novel. On closer observation we~
it is the Autobiography of Malcom X. He turns each page in
anticipation of the next.
DISSOLVE TO:
BACK TO LOCKER ROOM 48A
Where we .s.e.e. the back and large muscular shoulders of Ricky.
He puts on his shoulder pads.
DISSOLVE TO:
49 EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD STREET - DAY 49
THE STREET
Where we -~ a CRACK ADDICT as he snatches Dooky' s chain. He
runs past Dough Boy and Monster, who subsequently chase and beat
him down to a .pu.lp and recover· ·the chain. Chris watches from
the side in his wheelchair as the other Dbugh Boy and friends
kick the addict on the ground.
DISSOLVE TO:
Scene 21 - Tre and Brandi Reconnect
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 8
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 8
Where Tre walks past the lockers and a myriad of other student.s.
A FEMALE is having trouble with her locker. Tre opens it with
ease and begins a conversation.
FLASHCUT TO:
Revised 9/28/90 59.
51 EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY 51
Where Ricky and three other players run with speed towards a
barrier with four cushions. As they hit we he.aJ:. a loud boom and
we •••
CUT TO:
SlA BACK TO WALL 51A
Where Dough Boy sits with his friends. A few Mexican girls on
the way home from school pass in front of them. One of them-has
deep black flashy eyes and beautiful jet black hair. This is
ROSA. Some brothers are shooting craps.
DOUGH BOY
(to Rosa)
Pssst, hey you; hey you, pssst,
hey, you boriita, oooh you muy
bonita chica. · You chica bonita.
Come to my casa, do the loco
thing.
Rbsa walks off frame as Dough Boy chants iri his best broken
Spanish. As he turns back towards his.friends and she comes back
into the frame and advances towards him. She smiles. Her friends
giggle behind her. They talk.
CUT TO:
52 INT. LOCKER ROOM - DAY 52
VIEW FROM OVERHEAD
Where Ricky takes off his jersey. A look of fatigue is all over
his face and body. He lays parallel on-the bench as the other
players. leave.
WIPE:
53 INT. TRE'S CAR - DAY 53
'Where Tre is driving home. As he cruises down his street he sees
Brandi -and her mother taking groceries into their home. Brandi
is wearing her private school uniform. Tre waves at them.
54 EXT. BRANDI'S HOME - DAY 54
Where she picks up a bag out of the trunk and goes into the
house.
54A TRE 54A
In his car as he stops to think.
Revised 9/28/90 60.
BACK TO BRANDI'S 54B
i'lliere she exits herhouse to see Tre talking to her mother. Her
mom loads Tre with two armfuls of groceries--the last bags. He
begins to walk towards Brandi.
_ BRANDI
Need some help?
TRE
Naw I got it.
Tre goes into the house leaving both women standing there.
BRANDI'S MOTHER
.You didn't tell me Tre's going
to Mor.ehouse next year. How come
you two don't talk anymore? You
used to be such good friends.
BRANDI
I dunno •.. you should ask him
Tre comes back out into the doorway.
TRE
Is that it, Mamm?
BRAND I 'S MOTHER
Mamm? You hear this boy? Mamm. You
so polite, nice young man, not
like the rest of these fools
'round here. Yes, that's all.
Thank you. I better go inside and
put that stuff in the.
refrigerator. Just bought it~
don't want nothing to go bad. You
take care Tre. Say·"Hi" to your
daddy for me. Tell him I said
·he cute, see what he say.
She goes ins.ide the house leav.ing the two of them standing
there. There is a long pause where neither ·says a tning. Tre
sees Dough Boy walking across the street into his house. They
wave to each other. There are little kids riding their bikes
on the sidewalk and in the street. ·
TRE
(not looking at her)
Well I guess I'll be going now.
BRANDI
What's wrong with you?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 61.
CJ
F-
54B CONTINUED: 54B
TRE
(looking in another
direction)
Did somebody say something to me?
BRANDI
You heard me. Stop acting stupid
and look at me.
She grabs him and begins hitting him.
BRANDI (CONT'D)
Look at me!
TRE
Ow shit! Girl, what's your problem?
ACROSS THE STREET
Dough Boy and friends sit dr~nking and·watching Tre and Brandi
argue.
DOUGH BOY
Yo watch this shit.
BACK TO BRANDI'S HOUSE
BRANDI
You're my problem. And for your
information I ain't no girl. I'm
a woman.
TRE
Yeah, I can see that.
:BRANDI
Why the silent.treatment? You
haven't talked.to me in a week.
I call and you tell your daddy
to say you're not home.- I call
again you take the phone off the
hook.
TRE
I've been busy.
BRANDI
Oh don't give me no bald ass
excuse for a lie like that. What
did I do? What was so bad that you
just stop talking to me?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 61A.
54B CONTINUED: 54B
TRE
You know what it was. You gotta
get with the program.
Tre throws his best seductive grin.
BRANDI
I told you about that. I'm
Catholic, it goes against my
morals.
Tre goes over to the porch and sits down.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 62.
CONTINUED: 54B
TRE
(sarcastically)
I know you did and Catholic girls
supposed to be the biggest
hootchies! What's wrong with you! *
What do I gotta do, earn it!?
BRANDI
I want to wait till I get
rnarried ... But you can't live with
that, huh?
~re nods his head~
BRANDI
Well forget you then! I guess you
need to find some less than cheap
tramp to open her thighs for you.
She gets up to go into the house. Just·as she opens the door
Tre stops her.
TRE
Wait a minute .•• Come here. Sit
down.
She do.es so reluctantly. Anger fuses the light in her eyes.
TRE
Now, let me get this straight.
You say you want to wait until
you get married ..• ! said I was
gonna to be the one who married
you, so technically it don't.make
no difference whether we do it
now or later, we're still gonna
to get married.
BRANDI
I want to go to college before
I get married and there is no
guarantee that I'm gonna marry
you. Shoot, I d o n ' t ~ want no
babies. You haven't even given
me a ring.
TRE
I'm not ready for all that yet.
BRANDI
But you're ready to .act like we're
married though, right? *
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 63.
CONTINUED: 54B
Tre dazes off into the distance. He turns to Brandi with a
soulful look.
TRE
I- missed you.
BRANDI
Me too.
They come closer and kiss. It is a long juicy kiss.
BACK TO DOUGH BOY'S PORCH
Where Dooky applaudes at Tre and Brandi's reunion. Dough Boy
looks at him as though he is crazy. He just shakes his head and
takes a drink of his forty-ounce.
BACK TO TRE AND BRANDI
They are interrupted by the sounds of laughter. When they look
up again they see.
THE SIDEWALK
Where a group of kids about eight years each on BMX bikes are
looking at them giggling and making faces. The smallest of them
is the boldest. · ·
LITTLE KID
Y'all gonna do the hootchie-coo?
Tre playfully throws some small rocks at them and they run.
- CUT TO:
Scene 22 - Family Tensions
- Overall: 7.0
- Concept: 6
- Plot: 6
- Characters: 7
- Dialogue: 6
THE LIVING ROOM
Where Dough Boy, Monster, Chris, and Dooky sit playing a
· Nintendo Video -Game, Duck Hunt. The game requires them to use
a toy gun and shoot ducks on the screen.
MONSTER
Watch me shoot this muthafucka,
look!
THE SCREEN
Where the figure on the screen is blown away.
MONSTER
Blarn! Taken off the set!
(CONTINUED)
-------------- ... -·------·
Revised 9/28/90 63A.
55 CONTINUED: 55
DOUGH BOY
Yo monster, don't be cussing so
muthafuckin loud, my momma don't
like that shit.
MRS. BAKER (O.S.)
Darin!
(CONTINUED)
. I
\
Revised 9/24/90 64.
55 CONTINUED: 55
DOUGH BOY
See, now I gotta hear all this
shit.
Dough Boy gets up and leaves the room.
CHRIS
Man, moms be fucking wit his ass *
without fail. She ain't like that *
with Rick though. *
DOOKY.
They got different daddies that's
why.
DOORWAY
Where Dough Boy comes back in.
DOUGH BOY
Y'all gotta get the fuck out.,My
brother's having company in a
little bit.
56 INT. FURIOUS HOUSE - NIGHT 56
.Where .Tre is . on the PHONE with Brandi. Furious is in the
bathroom shaving. There is shaving cream on his face everytime
he pokes his head in this scene.
TRE
_Yeah •.. yeah that'd be nice. Uh,
huh, uh, huh. So you gonna give
me the skins or what? No that's
not all I think about. Yeah, -yeah,
Okay I'll tell him.
(to Furious)
Hey pop, Brandi's momma say you
cute.
Furious comes out ·of ·the bathroom smiling. --
FURIOUS
Ask why she don't speak when I
say hi.
TRE
He say why she don't speak when
he says Hi. Yeah, Yeah, hey I'm
supposed be .talking to you not
passing messages.
(more)
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 65.
56 CONTINUED: 56
TRE (Cont'd}
If my daddy mess with yo momma
we might end up being brother and
sister then we be doing
incest •.• What? I'm just kidding.
Just a sec a gotta another call.
(he clicks over)
Who dis?! Hi momma. Just a sec I
got Brandi on the other line.
(he clicks over, voice
turns romantic again)
So baby you gonna give me the
skins or what?
REVA
Tre, this is your mother.
TRE
Oops I'm sorry Momma. Just a sec.
(he clicks over)
Brandi I gotta go.
56A EXT. REVA'S HOUSE - NIGHT 56A
Establishing shot of Reva's home as we hear her voice on the
phone.
INT. REVA'S HOME - THE LIVING ROOM- NIGHT 57
Where Reva sits on her leather couch in her posh View Park Home.
REVA
Who this?! What kinda way is that
to answer the phone?
Intercut·between both houses in conversation.
TRE
Sorry Momma.
'.REVA
Why didn't you come over this
weekend?
TRE
I was coolin with Rick.
REVA
Well you can cool with your
friends anytime. The weekends are
supposed to be our time together.
Have you thought about what we
talked about?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 65A.
57 CONTINUED: 57
TRE
Yeah, I dunno yet.
REVA
Let me speak to your father.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 66.
57 CONTINUED: 57
TRE
Pop! Telephone!
Tre walks passes the phone over to Furious.
FURIOUS
Who.this?
(he takes the phone)
Oh, howya doing? We talked about
that .. Uh, huh, well that's his
decision personally I don't think
it's necessary.
Tre past.Furious and into his room.
FURIOUS (V .O.)
You know this.is some.bullshit.
There's .no reason why Tre should
stay.\iJith you now. He ain't no
little boy anymore. No, no,• no,
why you gotta an attitude? Because
what? I dent' have no attitude,
you·got the atitude .••
THE DOORWAY
,Where we see ,Tre. ·He closes it.
58 INT. TRE'S ROOM - NIGHT 58·
Where he sits on his bed. We notice the OPEN WINDOW with the
SOUNDS of street eminating into Tre's room. The flash of a
helicopter spotlight goes past.
THE WINDOW
Where Tre closes it shutting off the SOUND.
CUT TO:
.59 EXT. NEI_GHBORHOOD .STREET - NIGHT 59
Where a 1989 Nissan Sentra turns at the corner and begins slowly
cruising down the street.
CUT TO:
60 EXT. THE ·BAKER FAMILY HOME - NIGHT 60
Where Dough Boy and his homeboys come out of his house. All are
talking, drinking and chilling. They are quick to notice the
strange vehicle passing.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 67.
60 .
60 CONTINm,:D:
BACK TO CAR
Where the window slowly rolls down. The DRIVER still cannot be
seen clearly in the night.
DRIVER.
(shouts out window)
Anybody know where Ricky Baker
lives?
There is a pause for a moment, no one says anything.
DOUGH BOY
That's my brother! He lives here!
(into doorway)
Yo Rick, .the man is here to see
you!
Scene 23 - College Recruiter and Family Drama
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 9
- Plot: 8
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 7
Where Ricky is hastily trying to tie his tie. Shanice is helping
him.
SHANICE
Stay still. Just stay still I got
it.
DOUGH BOY (O.S.)
Rick! Get your ass out the *
bathroom! · *
MRS. BAKER (O.S.)
Ricky come on out of .the bathroom!
Shanice finishes his tie.
RICKY
I'm coming right now.
62 INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 62
Where Mrs. Baker stands near the doorway waiting for the man
to come into the house.
63 EXT. BAKER FAMILY HOME - NIGHT 63
THE WALKWAY
Where a black man of in his mid-forties with hornrimmed glasses
stands dressed in business attire. He carries a briefcase with
him. This is CRUMP, the recruiter. Crump glances upward as we
illllU:. the sound of a passing helicopter.
Revised 9/24/90 68.
63A THE PORCH 63A
Where Dough Boy, Chris, Monster, Dooky, and three other boys
are sitting. They are an intimidating sight to Crump's bourgeois
eyes.
DOOKY
What college you from?
CRUMP
I'm from use.
MONSTER
You gotta have a scholarship to
go to USC'?
CRUMP
No, but it helps.
MONSTER
Hey yo can you get me a
scholarship? I used to play.
baseball.
DOUGH BOY
(interrupting)
Why don't y'all move out the man's
way? You see he's about the
.business. Move. out da way, nigga. *
They do so.
63B BACK TO LIVING ROOM 63B
Where Crump enters, followed by Dough Boy. Crump introduces
himself to Mrs. Baker.
CRUMP
Hello I'm Lewis Crump. You must
be Ricky's mother?
MRS. BAKER .
Hi, my .names Brenda. This is my ·
other son Darin. Would you like
something? Coffee? Water?
CRUMP
No, no thank you.
Ricky enters the room closely followed by Shanice.
RICKY
How ya doing? We met at the game
against Washington, right? *
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 69.
63B C,ONTINUED: 63B
CRUMP
Yes I remember that. That was a
good game. You picked up a two-
hundred and seventy-six yards that
game, huh.
Ricky nods with pride.
CRUMP
That's pretty impressive.
MRS. BAKER
Why don't y'all sit down and talk'?
They do so. Mrs. Baker hints to Dough Boy and Shanice to exit
so they may talk in private.
CRUMP
Now. I just want you to know that
we're interested in you coming
to the campus, get a good look
around, ya'know a feel for the
school as a whole.
Ricky picks up a remote control off the coffee table and flips
a switch.
RICKY
Here's my tape.
THE TELEVISION
Lights up and begins showing recorded highlights of Ricky's best
games, over this a song with a cool bass like rap beat plays.
CRUMP
Who feigns being impressed.
Ricky points out his figure on-:,the screen running across the
field.
RICKY
That was against Banning, my
junior year. We lost but I did
pretty well in yardage. They had
the best defense in the city last
year.
Crump nods his head in agreement.
CRUMP
What are you interested in besides
(,· .. playing ball?
\r-··---~--.
I
·, (CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 70.
r>
\ ·----... ~"
63B CONTINUED:
Ricky has to think for a moment.
63B
RICKY
What do you mean by that?
CRUMP
I mean what would you want to
major in? What kind of degree would
you like to pursue? I'm just
asking, because you know there's
a strong possibility that you
won't.go into the NFL right after
college. Just a fact, it happens.
Ricky thinks for a moment.
RICKY
Yeah, I heard that before. Yeah
well, I think I'd be interested
in majoring ,in business. I got
this friend named Tre who's always
talking about going into business
and all. Plus, I like computers,
maybe I can do that. What you
think?
CRUMP
I think you can do anything you
put your mind to.
Ricky nods u~assuradly.
63C BACK TO PORCH 63C
MONSTER
So I went up there right? Cause
my cousin had a .class at this
·.certain time and he said he 'd show
me.· around .and 'duce me to people
ya know? So ya.know, I: get up there
and the.1:e ain't .nothing but women,·
bunnies .f:ar as the eye can see.
And all of them fine. Those that
wasn't fine they had crazy boomin
body! Big country bootie, big.
country titties! From eating all
that cornbread and shit I guess.
DOOKY
Yeah, I'd go to college just to
talk to them fine bunnies.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 71.
63C CONTINUED: 63C
DOUGH BOY
Fool, you don't go to college to
be talking to no bitches. You
supposed to be learning something.
You can't learn nothing talking
to no stupid bitch.
*
CHRIS
You know where you need to go,
where they got more women than
anywhere? Fine ones too?
MONSTER
Crenshaw on Sunday nights?
CHRIS
·oouGHBOY
The Street Races on Florence?
CHRIS
Naw. Y'all way off, I give you
. a hint • Everybody' s been there.
DOOKY
Where?
DOUGH BOY
Where muthafucka? Where?! Shit just
come wit it!
Everybody looks at Chris in anti~ipation of the name of this
miraculous place where women abound.
CHRIS
Da church.
DOUGH BOY .
Aww shit, nigga please. Ain't no
,bo.dy go.ing to no church to catch --
no bitc·hes.
*
CHRIS
Naw serious listen I went to
church last Sunday, wasn't nothing
but babes, full on biscuits
straight, and I was one of the
only men like around my age. And
all these hunnies kept looking
at me staring and shit.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 72.
63C CONTINUED~ 63C
/~\
\ .
·-..-. - ✓~ ✓
DOUGH BOY
They probably was saying to *
demselves, .where's this stupid *
muthafucka come from? *
630 BACK TO LIVING ROOM 63D
Where Crump now has his briefcase open and is reviewing some
paperwork.
CRUMP
So basically you have a 2.3
overall G.P.A. according to the
classes we require. All you have
to do is take the SAT test.
Ricky looks flustered •
. RICKY
Yeah I heard about that test.
CRUMP
The next one's being given in
early October. Are you going to
take it?
•
RICKY
Yeah I guess so. Can't get into
college without it, right?
CRUMP
Just remember all you need to get
is over a 700.
RICKY
Okay.
Suddenly, Little Ricky runs in the room only wearing a towel.
He crosses in front of Crump and Ricky laughing and talking in
baby native tongue. Shanice follows closely behind trying to
·chase her young son down·and conceal her embarassment.
SHANICE
I'm trying to give him a bath.
C'mere!
CRUMP
(to Ricky)
Your little brother?
RICKY
Naw, that's my son.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 72A.
63D 630
CRUMP
Oh.
Crump closes his briefcase and rises in one smooth professional
motion.
CRUMP
Well, I'll be looking forward to
talking with you soon. We'll
arrange that tour for you also.
Ricky sees him .to the door and Crump exits.
MONSTER (O.S.)
Yo man you gonna kick me down with
a scholarship or what? I wanna go ·
to·college too.
DOUGH BOY
Yo man, could you please shut the
fuck up!
(CONTINUED)
~A··::< '·
!
\\~ . ~/'
Revised 9/24/90 73.
CONTINUED: 63D
Ricky turns around to see his mother standing in the doorway
dividing the kitchen from the living room.
MRS. BAKER
My baby's going to a university.
I always knew you would be about
something. When you were a little
boy you used to run around all
the time with that football under
your arm ... I'm proud of you.
RICKY
Thank you, Momma.
They hug each other.
Ricky turns to walk past his mother. We follow with him as he
goes through the kitchen grabbing a scrap of meat off the stove
and into his room.
Scene 24 - High School Test Day
- Overall: 7.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 6
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 8
Where Shanice we~ Shanice giving Little Ricky a bath. Ricky *
enters and comes close to the tub. Little Ricky splashes soap *
in his father's face. *
CRUMP (V .O.)
I think you can do anything you
put your mind to .•• All you need
is a 700.
This is heard as we transcend into .••
65 INT. A CLASSROOM - DAY 65
We .s..e.e. many black students, all high schoolers. Our attention
is drawn to Tre, Ricky, Brandi, and Shanice all of which are
sitting in· dif.ferent sections of the room. At the front .of the *
room a man is dictating the rules of the test. Another woman, *
his assistant is passing out.test booklets. *
MAN *
Please keep your test booklet
closed. You will have thirty
minutes in which to complete each
section of the test. Please stop
when you are told to do so. You
cannot go back to a previous
section after completing another.
Tre looks over at Brandi with dreamy eyes to wish her good luck,
he then turns in Rick's direction to do the same. Shanice and
Brandi wish each other luck also.
(CONTINUED)
... -·-·-·----------
Revised 9/24/90 74.
65 CONTINUED: 65
MAN *
You may now begin section one.
THE CLASSROOM
Where the entire class open their booklets and begin the test.
TRE
Calmly but steadily, does some scratch work before circling a
bubble.
BRANDI
Whisks away answers with ease. Doing calculations in her head.
She marks correct answers at a rate of one every ten seconds.
SHANICE
Is erasing the paper, leaving a large amount of eraser bits on
the paper which she blows away with her breath and then looks
around to see if anyone is watching her embarrassment.
RICKY
Is having big time problems. He holds his hand to his head as
though thi.s is giving him a headache. He looks up from the test
and out the window.
TRE
Looks over at his friend.
BACK TO RICKY
Who senses he is being observed.
BACK TO TRE
Who looks down at his test ind~cating Rick should do the same.
RICKY
Goes back to work on the test. We can still see the frustration
in his eyes.
CUT TO:
66 INT. TRE'S CAR - DAY 66
Where Tre, Brandi, Rick and Shanice are driving home. Ricky is
sitting in the backseat looking out of the window much like he
was in the previous scene. No one says a word. Tre starts it
up.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 75.
66 CONTINUED: 66
TRE
(to Brandi)
How do you think you did?
BRANDI
It was easy. I had a book to study
by.
Tre looks in the rear view mirror at Ricky's face.
RICKY
Man don't even ask me about that
stupid test. All I want is a 70~.
I don!t care. about nothing else.
SHANICE
I got a 100 the last time I took
it in the eleventh grade.
Ricky throws her a funny look which sh·e throws back at him.
They get to Brandi.' s . house and she prepares to get out.
TRE
Here we are.
BRANDI
I'm gonna see you tonight right?
TRE
Yeah, around ten.
BRANDI
Okay.
She gives him a long goodbye kiss. Ricky rolls his eyes in the
background. Shanice looks at Tre and Brandi real close almost
breaking up their kiss then she turns to look at Ricky. In the
background Tre and .·Brandi kiss ~hrough their dialogue •
. SHANICE
How come you don't kiss me no
more?
RICKY
I kiss you.
SHANICE
Yeah you kiss me when you want
some pussy. You act like an old
married man.
He takes her in his arms in a dip and kisses her.
(>
~~/ (CONTINUED)
\ /
Revised 9/24/90 75A.
66 CONTINUED: 66
RICKY
See, and I don't even want no
pussy right now.
(CONTINUED)
...
\
Revised 9/24/90 76.
66 CONTINUED: 66
SHANICE
Yeah, but you will.
BRANDI
(to Treas they stop
kissing)
See you tonight. Bye y'all.
Brandi gets out.
There is a pause Shanice is still sitting in the car.
RICKY
You can't walk across the street?!
Shanice gets out of the car.
SHANICE
What time you gonna be home?
RICKY
When I feel like it!
(as he gets in the front
seat and slams the
door.)
.
Shanice walks acr,oss the street. Mrs. Baker stands on the porch
holding Little 'Ricky. Shanice takes her baby in her arms as she
walks in the house.
RICKY
So what we gonna do now?
TRE
I thought I'd go by Pops business,
see if he'll buy me some food.
RICKY
I thought you hadda to go to work
today?
TRE
Naw I took the day off to take
the test.
Ricky looks out the window.
RICKY
Man, I can't believe you ain't
flap skins yet with Brandi.
TRE
She don't wanna do nothing till
we get married.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 77.
66 CONTINUED: 66
RICKY
That's bullshit, they all wanna
bone, it's human, they just don't
like admitting it to nobody except
they girlfriends and all. You
think you gaming on 'em and they
the ones that gaming you. That's
cool though at least you know you
ain't got no hootchie-momrna on
your hands.
CUT TO:
Scene 25 - Furious Talks Gentrification and Systematic Racism
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 9
- Plot: 7
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 9
Where we see Tre's car driving along. They pass a sign which
reads "Welcome to Compton.It
RICKY (V. 0. )
Godamn, Mary, Jesus Christ, we
in muthafuckin Compton. My brother
was seeing this biscuit out here
· and she almost got him shot •
68 EXT. FURIOUS FINANCIAL SERVICES - DAY 68
.Is Fur.ious . Styles business. He specializes in Mortgage Loans
and Insurance. Tre pulls his car .outside the office.
69 INT. FURIOUS FINANCIAL SERVICES - DAY 69
Where Furious is on .the phone. He notices their arrival. Furious.
ends his conversation and sits back into his chair like a king
on a throne.
FURIOUS
How did you think you did on the
test?
TRE AND RICKY
(both mumble at ·once)
Alright I guess.
FURIOUS
Most of those tests are culturally
biased. The only part that is
pretty much universal is the math
part .•. So what brings you
knuckleheads out here?
TRE
*
Came to see you.-How's it going?
Any business today?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 78.
69 CONTINUED: 69
FURIOUS
There's always business, only it's
not in here.
RICKY
So Furious, what do you do, you
help people get money for their
homes, or what?
·FURIOUS
There is no "or what." That's .
exactly what I do. You want to
see something'?
TRE
Do we have a choice?
FURIOUS *
No. *
TRE
· So I guess we're going to see
something.
CUT TO:
EXT. COMPTON NEIGHBORHOOD STREET - DAY '70
Where Furious, Tre and Ricky get out of Furious car. They are
being viewed by more than a few gangstas sitting.on the porch
of a home.
RICKY
I don't know about this Furio.us,
got us walking in muthafucking
Compton and all.
They walk into a vacant lot.
FURIOUS ,
Look .up there. See that sign'?
The two boys do.
THE SIGN
Is a large billboard which reads in tall black letters "CASH
FOR YOUR HOME"
FURIOUS
You know what that is? You know
what that's called?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/19/90 78A.
CONTINUED: 70
Tre and Ricky look at each other at the same time and look back
at Furious.
TRE AND RICKY
A billboard.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 79.
70 . CONTINUED: 70
FURIOUS
No. What are y'all two Amos n
Andy? Are you Step and he Fetch?
I mean what that message stands
for. It's called gentrification.
In the background people from the neighborhood are walking by.
Some of them stop to look up at the sign and hear Furious talk.
Tre and Ricky are amazed at the small crowd that begins to form.
FURIOUS
It ha.ppens when the property
values of a certain area are
brought down so that·land can be
bought at a lower price. Then
they buy the land move the people
out, raise the property value and
sell it at a profit. We need to
keep everything in our
neighborhood Black! Black owned,
with Black money, just like the
Italians, the Koreans, the
Mexicans, and.the Jews do.
An OLD MAN from the crowd speaks up •
.OLD MAN
Ain't nobody outside bringing
property value down, it's these
people around here shooting each
other, selling that .crack rock
and shit.
FURIOUS
How do you think crack comes
here?! We don't own any ships, we
don 't own no planes ! .. It 's not us
·that are flying and floating that
shit into this country! But all
you. see on the TV is· -black people
selling c.rack ! Pushing da rock!
Pushing da rock! It didn't even
become a problem until it started
showing up in places like Iowa
and Wall Street where there ain't
no black people. And if you wanna
talk about guns •..
(with fire in his voice)
why is it that there is a gun shop
on every corner in this part of
town. You don't see gun stores
in no muthafucking Beverly-a-fuck
Hills.
(more)
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 80.
iO CONTINUED: 70
FURIOUS (Cont'd).
You don't see no liquor stores
on every corner out there. I'll
tell you why--because they want
us to kill each other off. What
they couldn't do in slavery they
are making us do to ourselves.
The best way you destroy a people
is you take away their ability
to reproduce. Lemme ask you this,
who is getting killed out here
every.night? The men! Nothing but
brothers.
A CROWD
Has formed aI;"ound Furious and the-two boys. It is composed of
people throughout the neighborhood. There are more than a few
gangstas in the crowd.
GANGSTER tl
He sound like Minister Farrakhan.
(he shouts)
So what I'm supposed to do some
fool roll up and try to smoke me?
I'm gonna shoot that fool back
if he don't kill me first!
FURIOUS
Can't you see?t That's exactly what
they want you to do! You gotta
think about .the future my brother!
Do you know in twenty years people
are estimating that the population
of black people in this country
•. will decline?! Not move up! But
down! What you gotta do is th~nk
about what are you doing to
prevent that from happening?!
Scene 26 - Philosophizing About Life and Gangs
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 9
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 9
Where Tre's Car stops to let the train pass.
RICKY
Damn, Furious is deep. He used
to be a preacher or something?
TRE
No, he never was a preacher--he
just reads a lot.
(CONTINUED)
r, ----
Revised 9/24/90
71 CONTINUED: 71
"RICKY
My brother shoulda heard that.
Woulda done him some good.
TRE.
Where is he now?
RICKY
Where else? Up on Crenshaw with
the rest of those fools and their
cars.
72 EXT. CRENSHAW BOULEVARD - NIGHT 72
Where many rows of cars can be seen along the both sides of the
boulevard. Each row is composed of a distinct make and model
of car. These are known as the Crenshaw Car Clubs. We~ the
Suzuki Samurai club, the Mustang 5.0 club, the V-Dub club, the
BMW's, and the '64 Impala club. ·
Outside the cars the owners can be seen hanging out ·talking to
the ladies who drive by in their own cars. Our attention is
drawn to Dough Boy who sits up high and mighty in his '64
Impala. Shalika is at his side. Chris and Oooky are in the
backseat.
..CHRIS
(to Dooky)
You believe in God?
DOUGH BOY
(turns around in seat)
Why in the fuck are you getting
so damn religified lately?
CHRIS
Fool, I wasn't even talking to
you! This is an-A and B
conversation you can ..s..e.e, your way
out!
DOUGH BOY
Yeah, you can see your way out *
my ride too, and we'll~ your *
cripple ass walking all the way *
home.
*
CHRIS *
Oh,~ wanta get real? Fuck you,
nigga! *
*
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/19/90 81A.
72 CONTINUED: 72
DOOKY
Do I believe in God? Yeah I guess ·
I do. How else could we have
things 1ike stars and the moon
and shit like that?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 82.
72 CONTINUED: 72
DOUGH BOY
Sun, moon, stars, quasars, nigga
sound like Elroy Jetson. There
ain't no God. If there was a God
how come~ lets muthafuckas get
smoked every night? Babies and
little kids and shit? Tell me that.
SHALIKA
Well you tell me this, how do you
know God is a he? He could be a
.s.b.e.,-you don't know that.
DOUGH BOY:
You don't know what the fuck I
muthafuckin know. I read about
th-at shit when I was in da pen.
It was this book that was trying
·. to take life and. shit from the
perspective of if God was a bitch.
And it said if God was a bitch
then we wouldn •·t have no nuclear
bombs and shit, and there wouldn't
be no wars and all because that
ain't a bitch's nature.
SHALIKA
every time ·.you talk -about a
Why
female you gotta say bit.ch, or
hoe, or hootchie?
DOUGH BOY
Cause that's what most females
are.
CHRIS
Yeah, and how come you say
·muthafucka all the time? Every
other word you say gqt muthafucka
in it. I know I say it too but
I .started thinking· bout what that ...
means I when I say that.
DOUGH BOY
It don't mean shit, I'm just
trying to get my point across.
DOOKY
Still you shouldn't say it.
DOUGH BOY
Who are you now Rev. Ike? Shut up *
muthafucka before all y'all asses. *
be walking home. *
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 83.
72 CONTINUED: 72
Tre and Ricky drive up. They get out and walk towards Dough
Boy's car.
DOUGH BOY
Where y'all coming from?
TRE
Compton.
RICKY
What y'all doing?
DOUGH BOY
We just sitting up here getting
drunk, philosophizing about God,
church and bitches and all.
Just then a group of about ten brothers all dressed in black
pants and b.lack satin jackets walk up the street in, a drove.
As they pass one of them brushes up against Ricky. He is about
the same size as Rick with a pugged face and a long·out of date
jeri curl. This is FERRIS, a gangsta and member of.the Hyundai
club. Ferris turns around to look at Ricky.
FERRIS
What you looking at nigga?
RICKY
I'm still trying to find out.
Ferris moves towards Rick with aggression. Some female members
of the club immediately try to intervene. All the members of
the Impala club jump out of their cars. Including Monster who
is parked in front of Dough Boy.
FEMALE CLUB MEMBER
Now come on we all just out here
having fun. Can't we have one
night where there ain~t no fight
and nobody get shot?
MONSTER
Whatup Cuzz?! What up fool? Y'all
know you don't want none! *
Scene 27 - Guns and Panic
- Overall: 9.0
- Concept: 8
- Plot: 8
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 8
THE SIDEBOARD
Where Dough Boy's hand tenses on his gun.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 · · 84.
73 CONTINUED: 73
RICKY'S EYES
Are stone cold attuned towards .••.
FERRIS'S EYES
Which are equally firm in their power. He casually glances up
at •••
~OUGH BOY
Who is staring straight at him with murderous intent.
The staring contest soon ends as Ferris is p~lled back into the
crowd and they go along their own way .
.SHALIKA
Ferris always ·trying to start some
shit. Nigga can't fight so he
always trying to find some excuse
to shoot somebody.
TRE
As he stops looking in the direction the crowd went, lets his
guard down and loosens up a bit.
DOUGH·BOY
You see that's why fools be
getting shot alla time. People
trying show how hard they is and
shit. Ignorant.
CHRIS .
Shut up fool you be doing that
shit too •
.·DOUGH BOY
I know.
(he laughs)
.
Suddenly, the rapid fire of a automatic weapon can be heard.
THE STREET
Where people scatter everywhere running for cover. Tre and Ricky
run towards Tre's car. ·
DOUGH BOY
Pulls out his gun. And starts his car up. He drives off.
What follows is a melange of panicked people running in a
thousand directions, shouting cursing and cussing out loud.
Revised 9/28/90 85.
74 EXT. CRENSHAW BOULEVARD - NIGHT 74
Where a hand holds up a gun into the air. It is quickly pulled
down to reveal it is Ferris. Ferris quickly jumps into his
Hyundai and drives off into the night.
CUT TO:
i4A PANIC MONTAGE 74A
Where we~ images of people running to their cars and for
cover. In the distance we~ and he.fil.: police sirens. Inserts
of the Crenshaw Wall where the various messages of Increase the
Peace, and We are not Killers can be seen.
VIEW FROM OVERHEAD: HELICOPTER P.O.V. (Done with crane motion
and light.)
Moving quicky where we .stt Tre and Ricky running towards Tre's
v.w .. A spotlight shines on Treas he reaches his door.and we
go over his head. A real quick intense shot.
CUT TO:
75 INT. TRE'S CAR - NIGHT 75
Where Tre and Ricky drive along in silence. They are both
evidently upset.
TRE
(hitting the steering
wheel)
I'm getting the fuck outta L.A.!
Fuck this shit, can't go nowhere
without it getting shot_ up and
shit. Damn.
Ricky says nothing, there is a blank almost worried stare on
his face. In the background We .s.e,a red and blue flashing lights
and he.al:. the sharp WHURR! of a police siren.
COFFEY'S VOICE (O.S.)
(from loud speaker)
Don't move! Driver! Put your hands
on the steering wheel! Passenger!
Put your hands on the dashboard!
Driver! Open the door with your
right hand!
Tre opens door as we travel back to reveal Coffey and Graham
both older holding their guns on the two innocent boys.
COFFEY VOICE (O.S.)
Keep your hands where I can see
them!
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 86.
15 CONTINUED: 75
THE STREET
Where more cars roll up.
THE .SIDE OF_ TRE ' S CAR
Where Tre and Ricky are pushed up against the car. They are
being frisked.
INSERT
Where Tre • s leg:s are kick.ed apart. Also on Ricky.
COFFEY
(with shotgun in hand)
Got:any drugs or weapons on you?!
Tre looks .at him out of the corner of his eyes. He is scared.
COFFEY
You think you tough huh!? You think
you tough?! Scared now, huh? I like
that! That's why I .took this job!
You ain't shit! I hate little
muthafuckas like you! Little Niggas
think you tough huh?! How you feel
now huh? I could blow your insides
out with thHi ·Browning you
couldn't do you shit! What 'set•
you from?! You look like one of
them Crenshaw Mafia muthafuckas,
naw you probably a Rolling Sixty
huh?!
-
The other cops finish searching the car. They indicate with
their hands that they've £ound nothing.
RADIO (O.S.)
Car 54, aah found that V.W., 48
has them on Vermont and Florence
need backup, officer& are seeitig -
re.sistance.
In the background we .s.e.e. Ferris and crew cruise by. Ferris
smiles.
COFFEY
(loosens up on Tre}
Well you gentlemen have a nice
evening.
(CONTINUED)
- ---:---------c;-------------' __ ,_- -- -==--,==-----.c-,---_---- -- - ___ =---c,_....c __ -
Revised 9/28/90 87.
Scene 28 - Emotional breakdown
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 7
- Plot: 8
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 8
He backs off Tre and we~ Tre has a tear in his eye. Coffey
notices this but ignores it.
DISSOLVE TO:
76 INT. BRANDI'S HOUSE - NIGHT 76
THE BEDROOM
Where Brandi sits at her desk. She is studying Calculus. On the
paper she writes a couple of equations with ease. In the
background, the· distant sounds of automatic gunfire can be
heard. The SOUNDS cause her to drop her pencil. With
frustration, she drops her pencil and looks at the contents of
her decorated desk. Her eyes fall on a picture of herself and
Tre. We b.e.ll Greg Mack doing the KDAY Love Connection on the
radio. A guy and girl are getting matched up.
Suddenly there is a KNOCK at the door.
BRANDI
Slowly rises as we follow her into the living room towards the
front door. We heal: a kn~ck once more.
TRE (O.S.)
Open the.door. It's me, Tre!
THE DOOR 76A
Where Brandi begins opening no more than four deadbolts locks.
She then opens the door to reveal a steel guard door. We~
Tre through the bars.
TRE
Boo. C'mon open up, it ain't July
out here y'know.
She opens the steel door. Tre enters.
BRANDI
You're late. I thought something
might have happened to you.
They share a warm embrace.
TRE
I'm alright. Nothing's gonna
happen to me.
BRANDI
I'm tired of hearing them shooting
alla time.
(more)
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 88.
CONTINUED: 76A
BRANDI (Cont'd)·
I want to get out of L.A.
(she looks at his face)
What 's wrong?
TRE
Nuthin.
(then with furious
intense violent anger)
I'm tired of this shit! Fuck this
shit! I wish I could kill all these
muthafuckas ••. !
(starts swinging at the
air, walls)
Ooooh Damn! I'm tired of this
shit!! Kill 'em all!!!
Brandi sits on the couch. She's scared, this is a side of Tre
she's never. seen.
TRE
Stupid muthafuckas! All of them!!
Need to all die! ••• All die!
(he starts crying slowly
at first then heavily.)
.Brandi slow.ly appro.aches Tre. She puts her arms around him. He
violently pu·she.s her back. Tre is ashamed to let her see him
like this. Brandi is crying also.
TRE
(sniffing)
I 'm sorry baby.
-
Brandi approaches him once more and they embrace each other with
arms and tears. After some time they begi~ to laugh.
BRANDI *
What's so funny? *
TRE
I never thought I'd cry in front
of a female before.
BRANDI
You can cry in front of me.
Brandi rubs his eyes, he rubs hers. They laugh some more and
stand.
BRANDI
In ·Tre's arms, she puts her hand on his ass.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 88A.
CONTINUED: 76A
BRANDI
You need a booty. I gotta have
something to hold onto.
(CONTINUED)
(8.-
\.
.
· ·,
__ ) ',
Revised 9/28/90 89.
CONTINUED: 76A
Scene 29 - TRE
- Overall: 8.0
- Concept: 6
- Plot: 3
- Characters: 8
- Dialogue: 7
I don't need no big ole butt.
That's supposed to be your job.
Is your mother home?
BRANDI
No. She woulda heard all that
noise you made if she was.
TRE
Oh.
FLASHCUT TO:
77 INT. BRANDI'S BEDROOM - NIGHT 77
THE BED.
Where Tre and Brandi fall,· kissing each other passionately. In -
the ,'background the distant noises of police .sirens and
surveillanc~ helicopters can be heard.
TRE
What do you think about people
getting married while they still
in college'?
BRANDI
What •.. are you trying to ask me
something"?
TRE
No, I just wanted to know what
you thought about that kind of
situation.
BRANDI
I-think it could be good ••• if two
·people really love each- other.
TRE
Really? You sure Y,OU down for this?
BRANDI
Yeah. Are you?
TRE
(enthusiatic)
Yeah!
(then cooler)
I mean yeah, I am. Could you move
this?
(CONTINUED)
\(· \;
''·,·~---· :
Revised 9/28/90 89A.
r;
~-h•~•/
77 CONTINUED:
HER BREASTS
77
As we see her pull her cross necklace away from her front.
Overhead w e ~ the sound of a passing helicopter
TRE
(looking up)
L.A.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 90.
r~:
~, ... \ __ ,,
77 CONTINUED:
They continue to kiss and caress each others bodies. In the
77
background window the flashing spotlight of a helicopter
periodically comes through the window illuminating their tender
moment. Each part is seen.in flashes of light.
TRE
Quickly takes off his shiit.
BRANDI
Does the same.
TRE'S ""HANDS
Caress Brandi's back and smoothly make their way towards
loosening her bra.
BRANDI'S BACK
As it arches. The bra is loosened and Tre begins gently kissing
her breasts.
BRAND I 'S FACE
/ ,,,r. As she moans in ecstasy.
'G BRANDI
(moaning)
I don't wanna get pregnant.
TRE'S FACE
As it comes down to kiss her face, firs_t on the cheek, then the
nose and then he wispers in her ear.
TRE
You won't.
Tre then kisses her neck and gradually goes down to her breasts.
0
We follow his hand as it wanders down towards the middle of her
legs.
BRAND I I s BACK
As it arches, back and forth in rhythm. We .s..e.e, Tre pull out a
condom. The helicopter sounds fade and so does the light as
we .•.
DISSOLVE TO:
WID~R SHOT *
(CONTINUED)
r
Revised 9/24/90 90A.
77 CONTINUED: 77
Scene 30 - Tre's Emotional Outburst
- Overall: 9.0
- Concept: 8
- Plot: 7
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 8
We see the image of her and Tre siliohetted in the night with *
·the helicopter lights fla~hing in the background. We j u s t ~ *
their voices. *
TRE *
You ready to put it in? *
BRANDI *
Yes. *
** -
TRE
Okay just a second.
We hear Tre attempting to find her opening. *
BRANDI *
Do you know what your'e doing? *
TRE
Yeah, I know what I'm doing.
BRANDI
· No you don't.
· (a beat)
Here., .let . me do it.
We see Tre rise up as she puts him in position, then he lowers *
himself and sighs in pleasure. *
Revised 9/28/90 91.
78 INT. TRE'S ROOM - NIGHT 78
Where Tre lays on his bed in his underwear. A bored look covers
his face. He looks at the clock which reads 2:30am. His eyes
wander around the room his world. They fall on •••
THE WALL
Where there is a GROWTH CHART. We .s.e.e. Tre's height over the
years. The last number is seventeen which corresponds to his
current height. Tre does a handstand against the chart.
CUT TO:
78A THE CLOSET '78A
Where Tre is rustling through an old box. He finds an old
projector.
FLASHCOT TO:
THE PROJECTOR LIGHT
Which is blinding.
THE SCREEN IMAGE
Is one of Treas a baby and his mother. She is holding him up
for the ,camera. Rev.a kisses her young child. She even opens his
mouth and smiles herself trying to indicate that the baby has
teeth.
FURIOUS (O.S.}
Go to bed.
TRE
Why didn't you two ever get
married?
THE DOORWAY
Where Furious can be seen in ,s~adow. He comes forward into the
light.
FURIOUS
Cause we loved each other too
much.
TRE
But when you love somebody you
supposed to marry them.
FURIOUS
Not always. There are people who
· think, act, and live different.
(more}
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 92.
~ 78A CONTINUED: 78A
...... _..,..,
•
FURIOUS (Cont'd)
They love each other but they
can't live together. Now go to
sleep. You know how she is about
being on time.
THE SCREEN
Where we pull into- the smiling image of Reva with Tre in hand.
DISSOLVE TO:
79 EXT .. REVA'S HOME - DAY 79
Reva who is smiling. Much as she was in the previous scene.
CUT TO:
80 OMITTED 80
81 EXT. REVA' S HOME .- DAY 81
It is a big magnificent home in the heart of View Park. There
are large plate glass windows and a sprawling green front yard.
We~ Reva on the porch smiling as Tre's car pulls up the *
driveway. He gets out and meets his mother on the stairs.
REVA
How was your week?
82 INT. REVA'S LIVING ROOM -DAY 82
Where Tre sits on a stylish leather couch. Flipping the TV
channels with a complex looking remote _control.
ON SCREEN *
There is a typical on the street interview with an old fat dude. *
REP.ORTER (O.S.) *
What do you think of the Black *
media? *
FATS *
I think these kids need some *
positive messages! *
Tre turns off the T.V. *
TRE *
Same ole shit. *
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 92A.
Scene 31 - Tre and Reva's conversation about his future
- Overall: 9.0
- Concept: 8
- Plot: 7
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 9
Reva comes 1n with something for him to drink anQ a bowl of
grapes. *
REVA
Why don't you ever talk to me.
anymore? We were such good friends
when you were little.
TRE
I'm older now.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 93.
CONTINUED: 82
REVA
That doesn't mean you can't talk
to your mother. You make me feel
so distant. Like a parent. I don't
wanna feel that way. Talk. How's
your girlfriend doing? She still
planning on going to Spelman?
TRE
Yep, she's going to Spelman. I'm
gonna be_ across the way at
Moreho.use.
.. REVA
Are you gonna come live here over
the summer before you go? ••• You
think I worked my ass through
college to see you still living
down there?!
Tre pauses for a moment.
TRE
I was kinda thinking it would be
better if Brandi and I drove down *
there soon as school let out.
We're gonna stay with her family
get jobs and maybe find an
apartment ••• Together.
REVA
You gonna live together? I don't
think you should do that your
first year. You should be mai:ried
before you live together.
TRE
I was thinking about that too.
REVA _
Tre. Once you get down there
there's gonna be so many dirty
panty girls around that school
you ain't gonna know what to do
with yourself. You're only
seventeen you don't even need to
be thinking about getting married.
You need to see the world first.
TRE
What's wrong with me and her
seeing the world together?
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 94.
82 CONTINUED: 82
REVA
Do what you wanna do, I just don't
want to see you end up dropping
out of school having to take care
of a baby and all.
TRE
You mean like you and Daddy?
There is a pause. Reva is affected by this comment.
REVA
Yeah like me and your father.
Things' change when a. baby comes
into the picture. You call
yourself loving this girl you
better let her get her education.
Yo.urs also.
Tre thinks about what his mot~er says.
DISSOLVE TO:
Scene 32 -
- Overall: 0.0
- Concept: 0
- Plot: 0
- Characters: 0
- Dialogue: 0
Where Reva sits patiently at a table.
THE DOORWAY
Where Furious walks in. He takes in the atmosphere of the place
before sighting Reva.
THE TABLE
Where Furious joins Reva.
FURIOUS
·This is you, this is definitely
you.
REVA
What is that supposed to mean?
FURIOUS
I thought we were gonna talk about
Tre'?
A waiter comes up.
REVA
Expresso please.
FURIOUS
Cafe Au Lait ... please.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 95.
((')
,.., ____.,
83 CONTINUED: 83
REVA
I bought him some shoes yesterday.
FURIOUS
Why are you always buying him
shit?
REVA
Can't I do nice things for my son?
Do I have that right?
FURIOUS
Yeah quit buying him shit. He's
got a job.
REVA
Did he tell you he wants to move
in .with Brandi when they go to
school?
FURIOUS
So?
REVA
So? Don't you think it's a bad
CA 1.. ... ......,.. ..
idea?
The waiter comes back with their coffee.
FURIOUS
Tre makes his own decisions.
REVA
Your'e his father, that means
you're supposed to guide his
decisions.
FURIOUS
(just about to take a•
drink)
What the hell you think I been
doing all these years? ••. listen
Reva, it's time to let go, I know
you wanna play the mommy and all
but Tre's a man now. He's not a
little boy anymore, that time has
passed, you missed it. Just a sec,
I wanna get some smokes.
(he stands)
REVA
You're not getting off that
easily. Sit your ass down.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 96.
(;.
··--.~' ~-
83 . CONTINUED: ,f 83
FURIOUS
(cooly)
What?
REVA
I said sit your ass down before
I raise my voice and make a fool
outta the both of us.
Furious cooly sits back down.
REVA (CONT'D)
Now ••.• this is my time to talk •
.••.••.. Of course you took in your
son, my son, our son, when I was
trying to make something of
myself, trying to better my life.
You·taught him what he needed to
be a man. I'll give you that
because most men aren't man enough
to do what you did. But that gives
you no reason!
(grits her teeth)
You heu me?! No reason to tell
me I can't be a mother to my son!
(gets cool again)
What you did is no different from
what mothers have been doing since
the beginning of time. It's just
too bad more brothers won't do
the same. Don't think you're
special.
Furious has a frown on his face, he lets it slowly turn into
a smile.
CUT TO:
84 .EXT. BAKER FAMILY HOME - DAY 84
Where Dough Boy and the homies sit on the porch. Talking and
laughing and having a ball.
THE STREET
Where a red 1991 Hyundai cruises by.
THE TINTED WINDOW
Is cracked just enough to reveal the image of four men in the
car. We recognize one of them as Ferris.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 96A.
84 CONTINUED: 84
THE PORCH
Where Dough Boy and his friends tense up. Anything can happen
now.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 97.
84 CONTINUED: 84
BACK TO CAR
As Ferris slams on the gas making a screeching sound up the
street.
-
BACK TO PORCH
Where the Boyz ease up and begin drinking and laughing again.
DOUGH BOY
That punk motherfucka ain't got *
nothing better to do. Twenty-seven
years old and still trying to hang
out with niggas our age, with his
old ass •
. CHRIS
Yeah, I heard that fool been in
da pen so many times he had a
nightmare and woke up with his
arms behind his back like this.
(he puts his arms behind
his back)
And the fool couldn't move his
arms and shit.
THE YARD GATE
Where Tre walks up. We follow him to the porch.
TRE
What up?
DOUGH BOY _
Nuthin' much. The other night I
saw yo ass rolling outta Brandi's
crib about two in the muthafuckin
-morning. What's up wit dat?!
Tre smiles a little grin.
TRE
That's~ business.
DOUGH BOY *
Uh huh. Handle yo shit, man, *
handle yo shit. Don't end up like *
this fool in here. He got a baby, *
and in house pussy. If I do that *
shit moms be like •••• I ain't *
havin it. *
CUT TO:
r-::c....- -- - ---- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . --------- . - -- -- -- --
Revised 9/28/90 97A.
85 INT. BAKER FAMILY HOME - DAY 85
THE COUCH
Where Ricky sits controller in hand. Little Ricky sits in his
lap.
. SHANICE (O.S.)
Ricky!
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 98.
85 CONTINUED: 85
RICKY
Seems lost in his own world.
LITTLE RICKY.
Momma calling you, Daddy.
Ricky looks at his son.
RICKY
I heard
. her.
'
What?!!
THE DOORWAY
Where Shanice stands.
SHANICE
I need youto go to the store to
get me some cornmeal. ·1 can't fry
the fish without .••
RICKY
Yeah, yeah, I'll go in a little
while.
ON THE SCREEN
We see one of those Army commercials which make the armed forces
look so attractive to people, mostly brothers.
T.V.
Be all that you can be! Keep on
living, Keep on growing, find your
future, in the army! Paid for by
the U.S. Army. And now back to
Video Soul with Donnie Simpson.
RICKY'S FACE
As he .looks down at his son.· ·
SHANICE (0 .·S.)
Ricky, I need some cornmeal!
BACK TO DOORWAY
Where Ricky's mother stands.
MRS. BAKER
Boy! Go get this girl some
cornmeal. You should be happy
somebody's cooking for your ass.
I ain't.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 99.
85 CONTINUED: 85
~;
\ '
-, .... ~
RICKY
Alright! Alright! I'm going I'm
going.
86 EXT. BAKER FAMILY HOME - DAY 86
THE FRONT DOORWAY
Where Ricky emerges.
RICKY
"D" go to the store man get some
cornmeal.
DOUGH BOY
Nigga I ain't the one sh~ asked
to go get it. That's your wife--
you go get the shit.
RICKY
She ain't my wife.
DOUGH BOY
Shit •.. she might as well be your
wife-- you got a family and shit.
· . .RICKY
(yawning)
Fuck you.
DOUGH BOY
(stands up and gets in *
Ricky's face) *
Don't fuck me. Fuck your wife..
That's-why you gotta baby now.
RICKY *
You better get outta my face! *
TRE *
(getting ready to *
intervene) *
Hey wait a minute y'all. *
DOUGH BOY *
(pushing Ricky) *
You a punk! You been a punk since *
day one! Mommas boy! *
.
Ricky eyes flash and he pushes Dough Boy back and· charges him. *
And they start fighting. The fight falls back on the grass where *
we see the both of them throwing punches and wrestling. Tre *
tries to break it up. *
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 99A.
*
86
~ 86 CONTINUED:
!... .... _)
TRE
What's wrong with y'all?! Y'all
brothers you ain't supposed to
be fighting each other!.
CHRIS .
Stay outta this Tre, this family
business, this family business,
let 'em fight!
Suddenly, Shanice comes out the house with Little Ricky. She
starts screaming.
SHANICE
Brenda! Ricky and Dough Boy out
here fighting!
Mrs. Baker runs out of the house straight towards the two young
men.
DOUGH BOY
Just as he brings his fist back to punch Ricky. Mrs. Baker comes
into frame and hits him hard on the face.
DOUGH BOY
Shit!
The gate where we~ THE MAILMAN walk up into this intense
scene.
MRS.BAKER
Ricky come here let me see your
face!
'RICKY
(,frustrated and angry)
"Naw, I'm going to the store!
The mailman walks up to Mrs. Baker and gives her three envelopes
one of them is a letter from the SAT Testing Bureau. ·
MRS. BAKER
(turning back to call
Ricky)
Ricky! • Ricky the test scores! The
test scores.
THE SIDEWALK
Where he continues to walk away with Treat his side.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 99B.
86 CONTINUED: 86
BACK TO SCENE *
Where we see Dough Boy holding the side of his face. Mrs. Baker *
walks past him and doesn't say a word. *
DOUGH BOY *
What you hit me for?! What you hit *
me for?! *
THE DOORWAY *
Where Mrs. Baker reenters her house without ever acknowledging *
Dough Boy's question. *·
CHRIS *
(rolls up in his chair) *
Hey man, what she hit you for? *
DOUGH BOY *
Shut up nigga. *
~
CUT TO:
Scene 33 - Violent Encounter
- Overall: 9.0
- Concept: 8
- Plot: 8
- Characters: 7
- Dialogue: 6
Where Tre and Ricky walk. Ricky is still pissed. *
TRE
You thinking about what?! You gotta
be a damn fool!
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 100.
87 CONTINUED: 87
RICKY
(holding his face) *
They say I can learn how to work
computers and all that and they
give me money for college.
TRE
Look at ya sound like the damn *
commercial. But they don't tell
you that you don't belong to
yourself no more. You join them *
you belong to the government. Like
a slave, do what they say. Pops
always told me Black man don't
have no place in the army.
'RICKY
See I gotta think about my little
boy and all. I don't wanna be like
my brother and shit, hanging out
not doing shit, end up dealing
cane just like him. I want do
something be somebody.
TRE
Man I'm telling you, you go in
there you ..ain 't gonna be nobody,
not,unless you get a college
degree then at least you can be
an officer.
88 EXT. CORNER STORE - DAY 88
Where Tre and Ricky arrive. On the sid~ of the store is a large
mural of a Korean dragon and a painted sign which reads "Seoul
to Seoul Liquor." .In front of the store we .s.e.e. several people
standing outside talking, laughing and getting drunk. We
dissolve to the same scene minutes later where Tre and Ricky
leave.
89 EXT. SIDEWALK - DAY 89
Where the two boys walk on the way back home. Ricky is
scratching off three lottery tickets.
TRE
You win anything?
RICKY
Wait a minit, I'm trying to see.
They stop while he scratches one off.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 100A.
89 CONTINUED: 89
RICKY
Shit, nothing.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 101.
89 CONTINUED: 89
TRE
You gotta be Mexican to win that
shit.
They.contin~e to walk on.
RICKY
I win the lottery I won't have
to worry about a godarnn thing.
Don't haveta worry 'bout college,
don't haveta worry 'bout no
muthafucking 700 on the SAT.
Don't haveta worry about shit.
Something catches Tre's eye.
TRE
Wait a minit. Look.
THE CORNER
Where Ferris's Red Hyundai turns the corner.
90 INT. FERRIS'S CAR - DAY 90
Where Ferris sits in the driver's seat. We he.a.r. rap music
p.laying .. from his speakers; with extra heavy bass. Also, in the
.car are two other gangsters. Ferris' s Knuckleheaded buddies .
KNUCKLEHEAD il & l2 (SAME TIME) *
There's that muthafucka. *
KNUCKLEHEAD.#1 *
.. that was talking shit the other *
night. *
KNUCKLEHEAD #2
·yeah, I heard he was talking about
your momma, your grand.momma: and
called your sister ,a.Jioe-bitch.
Ferris puts his hand under his seat and pulls out an sawed off
SHOTGUN. *
OUT THE WINDOW
And down the street. Where we~ Tre and Ricky turn to begin
walking again. ·
BACK TO SIDEWALK
Where Tre and Ricky are walking faster looking straight ahead.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/19/90 101A.
90 CONTINUED: 90
BACK TO FERRIS~S CAR
Where he begins cruising down the street.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 102.
90 CONTINUED: 90
BACK TO TRE
TRE
When I say~ lets cut through
these houses .•• Cut!!
They break out into a run.
THE STREET
Where Ferris's car picks up speed.
OUT THE WINDOW
Where Tre and Ricky can be seen running to opposite sides of
a house.
91 INT. FERRIS CAR - DAY 91
KNUCKLEHEAD#l
Punk ass niggas.
CUT TO:
92 EXT. BACKYARD WALL. - DAY . 92
Wher.e Tre .walks balancing himself. On both sides of the wall
are TWO LARGE.PIT BULLS. Both dogs are barking and flashing
their sharp fangs.
ANOTHER WALL
Where Ricky is walking along trying to balance himself also.
A dog runs over to his side of the wal1 and barks at him also.
RICKY
Shut up! Stupid ass mutt.
CUT TO:
Scene 34 - Gang Violence Erupts
- Overall: 9.0
- Concept: 8
- Plot: 9
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 8
Where Ferris's car screeches at a fast pace speed. He passes
Ricky's house where Dough Boy and his friends sit drinking and
just plain kicking it. Dough Boy is still holding his neck from
the blow his mother gave him. The car turns at the corner and
goes into the alley.
MONSTER
That nigga roll up on the set one
more time I swear I'm gonna fuck
him up.
(CONTINUED)
--- --- - ---- ---- -
,-
Revised 9/28/90 103.
93 CONTINUED: 93
DOUGH BOY
As his eyes widen. He puts down the bottle of beer he was
drinking. And walks out into the yard.
BACK TO PORCH
Where the homeboys look at Dough Boy strange.
CHRIS
What's wrong?
BACK TO .DOUGH BOY
Who looks as though he is having a premonition.
DOUGH BOY
Rick.
CUT TO:
94 EXT. ALLEY - DAY 94
Where Tre and Ricky jump from the walls into an alley. There
is much gang writing on all of the garages and walls in .this
alley. Both boys try to catch their breath. Ricky turns to
urinate on a .fence.
RICKY
I gotta drain da weasel. Wanna
see me write my name'?
TRE
What ... No .•. I don't wanna see you
write your name. Hurry up, last
thing I want to do is get shot
waiting for your ass to piss.
Ricky finishes.
TRE·
•.. Let's go this way.
RICKY
No, let's split up.
TRE
Naw man, we shouldn't do that,
if we gotta throw some heads it
be better to be together.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 104.
94
t5 94 CONTINUED:
RICKY
Them fools ain't gonna scwabble.
They just trying to show out and
shit. Besides we can run faster
separately.
TRE
I'll meet you at your house.
RICKY
Okay.
The two boys go up opposite sides of the a,lley.
95 INT. FERRIS'S CAR - DAY 95
Where Ferris·passes the shotgun to Knuckleheadtl, who checks
the barrel.
95A BACK TO ALLEY 95A
TRE
Is walking along in caution.
CUT. TO:
95B .RICKY 95B
Who is carefree. He even stops to pull out another lottery
ticket and begins scratching it.
CUT TO:
96 EXT. BAKER HOME - DAY 96
Where Dou~h Boy runs into the house.
DOUGH BOY
Get the fuck out da ~ay!
97 EXT. ALLEY - DAY 97
Where Tre turns around t o ~ Ricky down the alley. Stopping
to scratch the ticket. At the edge of the alley Ferris's car
cruises into view. Tre's eyes widen.
RICKY
Is so into the ticket that he doesn't notice that Ferris's car
is right in front of him.
Revised 9/24/90 105.
BACK TO BAKER HOME 97A
Where Dough Boy runs out of the house with his gun.
CHRIS
Oh shit somebody gonna get gatted!
DOUGH BOY
I gotta find Rick!
MONSTER
Yeah, let's take these niggas out.
Dooky and Monster run with Dough Boy towards his Impala. Chris
.is left behind as they screech out of the driveway but he
quickly begins to wheel his chair down the street in the same
direction.
CUT TO:
98 EXT •. FERRIS CAR - DAY 98
Where-the black tinted window slowly rolls down. Knucklehead
#1 can be seen taking aim.
SLOW MOTION
TRE.
Begins running back down the alley.
TRE
R •• r.r.r.Ricky! Ricky.
RICKY
-
Looks up f.rcm the Lottery Card just in time to see •••
FERRIS CAR
With Knuckleheadtl hanging out the window taking aim at Rick.
BACK TO RICK
Who turns around to run. Behind him the shotgun blasts like a
cannon.
BACK TO TRE
Who is in horror.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Rickr is staggering trying to continue to run.
rr,·;.
\J.
(CONTINUED)
__
\.... _./i
Revised 9/24/90 105A.
~(-'\ 98 CONTINUED: 98
~-_,/ THE CAR WINDOW
Where Knucklehead .fl fires once more.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 106.
98 CONTINUED: 98
BACK TO RICKY
Who goes down slowly with his arms flailing in the air.
TRE
Is still running towards his wounded friend. Down the alley,
in the background, Dough Boy's Impala can be seen rolling with
force.
END SLOW MOTION
BACK TO.FERRIS CAR
Which zooms away.
9"9 INT. DOUGH BOY'S CAR - DAY 99
Where he slowly rolls past Tre who is holding a dead Ricky in
his arms. Dough Boy stops the car and calmly gets out. All are
quiet. Dough Boy gets on his knees and looks at his brother.
He pulls Rick's dead body close to him. There are tears in both
his and Tre's eyes.
ANGLE
On Chris in his wheelchair as he turns into the alley.
OVERHEAD VIEW
Of the alley. Where several people from the neighborhood enter
their backyards and the alley to see what has happened.
. DISSOLVE TO:
100 EXT. BAKER FAMILY HOME - DAY 100
WIDE ANGLE
Where Dough Boy pulls up in his car. Slowly and carefully he
and ·Tre pull Ricky's ·body out of the passenger door; Soon Dough
Boy indicates to Tre that he can carry the whole load.
THE WALKWAY
Of the house where Dough Boy can be seen carrying Ricky's limp
bloodied body. Tre is at his side and the rest of the boys
follow from behind. In the background many people from the
neighborhood are watching. Chris rolls back in his wheelchair.
Scene 35 - Tragedy Strikes
- Overall: 10.0
- Concept: 8
- Plot: 9
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 7
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 106A.
CONTINUED: 101
DOORWAY
Where Shanice enters with Little Ricky in her arms. At the sight
of blood she immediately begins screaming at the top of her
lungs. The paby begins to cry. Tre tries to hold her back.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 107.
101 CONTINUED: 101
SHANICE
Noooo! Noo God! Not Rick! Please God!
Let me the fuck go!!
BACK TO DOORWAY
Where Mrs Baker enters also.
MRS. BAKER
Girl, what the hell's gotten into
your ass?
She sees the blood on Rick, on Dough Boy and Tre.
MRS. BAKER
Tries to remain calm in the face ·of what will evidently_lead
to hysteria. She looks at Dough Boy. ·
MRS. ·BAKER
What happened? What did you-do to
my_ son?
She goes over to Ricky's.bloodied body and then picks up the
phone and dials three digits.
PHONE (V .O.}
911?!
Mrs. Baker is shivering with a mixture of fear, shock and
depression. She puts the phone down.
MRS BAKER
(to Dough Boy)
What did you do to my son?!!
DOUGH BOY
It wasn't my fault!
TRE
·P-uts his head .down. .In the background Monster and Dooky can be
seen backing out of the doorway.
MRS. BAKER
Sits down and joins Shanice in holding Rick's limp body. Little
Ricky is still crying at the top of his lungs. Dough Boy goes
over to pick up his brother's little boy.
SHANICE
Don't touch him! Don't you ever
touch him!
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 108.
CONTINUED: 101
DOUGH BOY
He don't need to be seeing this.
THE LIVING ROOM
Where Mrs. Baker, Shanice and Little Ricky can be seen clustered
around Ricky's body. Tre and Dough Boy look at each other. Tre
pulls Dough Boy ·close.
TRE
My house in five minutes.
Mrs. Baker begins to throw blows at Dough Boy while he tries ·
to hold her back. It looks as though she is trying to kill him.
Tre goes out of the door,
CUT TO:
*
102 EXT. BAKER FAMILY HOME - DAY 102
Where by now there is a large cr9wd outside the house. Among
these people is Brandi. When she sees Tre she walks along with
'him.
THE STREET
Where Tre and Br.andi walk across towards his house. Tre has a
blank stare on his face and a few tears in his eyes.
BRANDI
Tre. Tre what happened. Did
something happen to Rick? Did he
get shot?!
Tre keeps walking.
THE CURB
Where Furious can be seen getting out of his car with groceries
in his hand.
FURIOUS
Tre help me with these bags. Tre!
Tre ! !
Tre keeps on walking into the house. Brandi runs over to
Furious.
BRANDI
Talk to him. Rick just got shot.
Furious closes the door to his car and walks towards his house.
Revised 9/24/90 108A.
103 INT. FURIOUS BEDROOM - DAY 103
Where Tre looks under the bed and pulls out THE SHOEBOX he opens
it to reveal his father's .357 Magnum. Picking up a few bullets
he gets up and walks into ..•
Revised 9/24/90 109.
104 INT. FURIOUS LIVING ROOM - DAY 104
Where Furious enters the doorway. He and Tre face off. In the
background Brandi can be seen peeking through.
FURIOUS
Wh~t are you doing? If you are
gonna to do this you are gonna *
to have to shoot me first.
He turns to look at Brandi behind him.
FURIOUS (CONT'D)
He's alright go home. He'll call
later.
Furious closes the door on Brandi.
FURIOUS
Tre listen to me I understand
about your friend and all, my
heart goes out to his mother but
that is their problem. You are
my son, my problem! Now give me
the gun! Give me the muthafuckin
gun!
Tre does not look at his father in the eye. He gives Furious
the g.un.
FURIOUS
Unloads the gun and throws it harmlessly on the couch. He then
goes over to his son and hugs him with fatherly force. Tre
·begins to cry heavily.
FURIOUS
You are my ·only son ..• I love you
and I'll be damned if I'm gonna
·lose your ass to this bullshit.
There is a KNOCK at the door.
THE DOORWAY
Where Furious opens it to reveal Brandi. He indicates that she
can come in.
BRANDI
Runs into Tre's arms and they both cry together. Tre tries to
wipe his tears away. He leads Brandi away into his room. While
in his room Tre and Brandi sit on the bed.
BRANDI
I gotta go to the bathroom.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 110.
104 · CONTINUED: 104
Tre sits up and begins to pace the room. He stops at his CLOSED
window.
10.4A THE PORCH 104A
Where Furious stands.
THE CURB
Where Dough Boy has pulled his car up. He gets out and walks
up to Furious on the porch.
DOUGH BOY
Where's Tre'?
FURIOUS
I heard about Rick. I'm sorry.
DOUGH BOY
Yeah. Where's·Tre'?
FURIOUS
He can't come out right now ••• What
you gonna do?
DOUGH BOY
What do you.think I'm gonna do?
FURIOUS
I guess you gonna do what you feel
you have to do .•. You think It'll
make ·you feel better?
DOUGH BOY
Yeah. Yeah it will.
Dough turns around to walk away.
FURIOUS
Darin!
DOUGH BOY
What?!
FURIOUS
Just remember this! That's what
~ want you to do!
DOUGH BOY
Who is they?! *
Dough Boy turns back down the walkway towards his car.
CUT TO:
Revised 9/24/90 111.
105 INT. BATHROOM - DAY 105
Where Brandi is exiting. She goes back into Tre's room where
he's nowhere to be seen. The window is open. She comes closer *
and she can see Tre jumping into Dough Boy's Impala. Brandi runs *
out of Tre's room and into the living room. *
CUT TO:
106 EXT. FURIOUS HOME - DAY 106
Where Furious closes his front door arid turns to face Brandi. *
Their eyes meet and he knows something is wrong. *
CUT TO:
Scene 36 - Loss and Retaliation
- Overall: 10.0
- Concept: 9
- Plot: 10
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 8
SLOW MOTION
Where Mrs. Baker and Shanice stand on the porch as covered
Ricky's body is being rolled away. The lights of a coroners
wagon wash against the house. Furious's voice can be overheard.
FURIOUS (V .O.)
What they couldn't do to us in
slavery they are making us do to
ourselves ..• The best way you
destroy a .pe·ople is to take awa.y
their ability to reproduce.
CUT TO:
108 EXT. BURGER STAND - NIGHT 108
SLOW MOTION
Where Ferris's .car is parked. He and the two knuckleheads can
be seen talking laughing and having·a good time. They get out
and walk towards the stand. Celebration of murder.
FURIOUS (V .0. )
Who is it we see getting killed
out here every night?! The men!
Nothing but brothers!
109 INT. DOUGH BOY'S CAR - DAY 109
Where Dough Boy, Tre, Monster and Dooky ride along in silence. *
Monster is preparing the hardware. Loading up an AK-47 assault
rifle. Our attention is drawn towards Tre. He looks at Dough
Boy, who doesn't look back.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 lllA.
CONTINUED: 109
FURIOUS (V .0.)
Can't you see?! That's exactiy what
they want you to do! You have to
think about the future my brother.
Revised 9/28/90 112.
INT. BAKER FAMILY HOME - NIGHT 110
Where Shanice holds Little Ricky in her arms. She rocks him back
and forth. Mrs. Baker walks by with a letter in her hand. We~
that it is from the Testing Bureau.
CUT TO:
110A BACK TO CAR 110A
Where Tre looks in deep thought. He looks at Dough Boy.
TRE
Stop._ Let me out.
Everybody looks.at Tre. His eyes and Dough Boy's meet.
DOUGH BOY
Let him out.
111 EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT 111
Where Tre gets out of the car and runs over to the bus stop.
CUT TO:
112 INT. BAKER FAMILY KITCHEN - NIGHT 1:12
Where Mrs. Baker sits at the table with the letter in hand. She
decides to -open it. Inside are the test results from Ricky's
SAT. It indicates that he received a 710 total. Mrs. Baker puts
the letter down.
CUT TO:
113 EXT. BURGER STAND - NIGHT 113
SLOW MOTION
A TABLE
Where Ferris and his friends sit eating their food. In the
background, Dough Boy's .car looms.
FURIOUS (V.O.)
Do you realize that in twenty
years the population of black
people in this country is expected
to decline?!! Not move up! But down!
What you have to do is think about
what your doing to prevent that
from happening!
DOUGH BOY
As he looks over at Monster indicating Ferris and his friends.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 113.
CONTINUED: 113
BACK TO TABLE
As they look up and begin to run.
THE CAR
Cruises past. Monster sprays them with gunfire from the car
window. *
KNUCKLEHEAD fl
Goes down with seve.ral bullets in the back.
•·KNUCKLEHEAD i2
Gets it in the legs.
FERRIS
Gets it in the side and legs. *
DOUGH BOY
Gets out of the car with a .45 and walks into the PARKING LOT *
where we see the Ferris and the knuckleheads grouping with their *
arms trying to get away. He shoots each of the Knuckleheads as *
he passes them by. *
THE ASPHALT
Where Ferris crawls with his arms and shot up legs. Dough Boy *
begins kicking him in ther ass. *
DOUGH BOY *
(halfway crying) *
Get up. muthafucka! Turn your ass *
over! *
FERRIS
Please! Please! Please!
DOUGH BOY *
Shoots him at point blank range. He unloads the entire clip.
Then he turns and runs back to the car.
114 INT. DOUGH BOY'S CAR 114
Where we ..s..e.e. his face. He has a blank almost dead look in his
eyes. Monster now at the wheel. *
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/24/90 113A.
CONTINUED: 114
MONSTER
(almost comically)
Let's roll.
CUT TO:
115 EXT. FURIOUS STYLES HOME - NIGHT 115
Where we™ Tre walking along. We follow him until he comes *
to the outside of Brandi's house and pauses. We see his POV of *
her house as some lights go off inside. Tre then keeps walking *
down -to his own house. He is almost reluctant to enter his own. *
yard. He musters up some energy and goes into his house. *
-----------~--
Revised 9/28/90 114.
INT. FURIOUS STYLES HOME - NIGHT 116
THE LIVING ROOM
Where Tre enters. He looks around the house as though he has
been gone for a million years.
THE HALLWAY
Where Furious enters to see Tre. He catches himself and turns
back and goes into his room.
117 INT. TRE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT- 117
Where he enters. He goes to sit on his bed. Looking around his
room his eyes settle o~ the growth chart on the wall. Tre gets
up and walks to the chart. He measures himself and makes a NOTCH
on the wall for his current height.
DISSOLVE TO:
118 INT. FURIOUS STYLES KITCHEN - NIGHT 118
THE TABLE
Where Tre is sitting eating a hamburger he has prepared. Furious
comes in and looks into the refrigerator. He says nothing to
Tre. The silent treatment. Pouring a glass of chocolate milk
Furious settles down and sits opposite his son. They look each
other in the eye. Furious takes a drink of chocolate milk and
points towards Tre.
FURIOUS
I thought I taught you better.
Furious then gets up and walks away.
TRE
(mumbles)
You did.
DISSOLVE TO:
119 EXT. FURIOUS STYLES HOME - DAY 119
THE PORCH
Where Tre sits. He eating a pomegranate fruit. The seeds make
his hands blood red.
Revised 9/28/90 115.
EXT. BAKER FAMILY HOME - DAY 120
THE PORCH
Where Dough Boy comes out to sit on his porch a forty ounce
bottle of beer in hand, his breakfast. Sighting Tre he gets up
and walks across the street.
THE STREET
Where a skinny DOPEHEAD MAN, asks Dough Boy if he has any crack
to sell. Dough Boy makes a quick business transaction and comes
into Tre's yard. He joins him on the porch.
j
Scene 37 - Loss and Reflection
- Overall: 9.0
- Concept: 8
- Plot: 8
- Characters: 9
- Dialogue: 9
THE PORCH
Where Tre and Dough Boy sit. For some time neither of them
speaks. Dough Boy breaks the ice.
DOUGH BOY
Ya know he used ta run that ball
up the street all day. Twenty-four
seven, three-hundred and
sixty ..• We gonna have the funeral
tomorrow .•• My momma want you say
some words since y'all was so
tight ... Y'know this is the first
time I been up this early in a
long time. Turned on the T. V.
this morning, news was on, they
had this thing on living in a
violent world y'know? Showed all.
these pictures of these foreign
places y'know where foreignei:s
live and all?
TRE
"You mean like Lebanon and Israel?
DOUGH BOY .·.
Yeah shit like that. ~·. and I
started thinking y'know ... they
either. don't know, don't show,
and don't care what be going on
in the hood. They had all that
foreign shit instead ... They didn't
show nothing about my brother.
Dough Boy starts to cry. All of the pent up emotion and
aggression flows through his eyes. Tre hands him a napkin. The
red juice from the fruit is on it. Dough Boy rubs his eyes.
(CONTINUED)
r
i
I
Revised 9/28/90 116.
121 CONTINUED: 121.
! DOUGH BOY (CONT'D)
.•• I don't even have a brother
l
11'
no more. Don't have no momma
i
either-- she loved that fool
more'n me anyways .•. Shit.
' THE SIDEWALK
Where Sheryl, the crack addict mother looks towards Dough Boy
on the porch. Indicating she wants some crack.
SHERYL
Got some blow?
DOUGH BOY
(through his tears)
No bitch!! Get the fuck outta my
face!! And keep that baby out the
motherfuckin street ••• shit!
TRE
I was crying all last night. Cried
so much, it's almost like I ain't
no more tears left. Ya know?
DOUGH BOY
You .•. you •••• ya know cuzz I
understand why you got out da ride
last night. You didn't even need
to be in there in the first place.
You gonna be moving up and all.
Don't want that shit to come back
to haunt your ass.
TRE
Y'all got 'em?
Tre looks at his friend.
DOUGH BOY'S EYES
Tell Tre the answer to his question.
-DOUGH BOY
I don't even know how to feel
about ·that now either •.• It just
goes on. Next thing you know
somebody might try to smoke me.
It don't matter though, cause we
all gotta go some time. Seem like
somebody punched the wrong clock
on Rick though ..• ! :gotta go cuzz.
(CONTINUED)
Revised 9/28/90 117.
CONTINUED: 121
TRE
Yeah.
He gets up, gives Tre a grip and turns to walk away. Tre catches
him before he does.
TRE
Yo man.
DOUGH BOY
(rubbing his eyes)
What'?
TRE
You still got one brother left.
DOUGH BOY
(smiles)
I'll remember dat.
THE SIDEWALK
As Dough Boy walks away. As he walks we see a message under this
image.
MESSAGE: Dough Boy lived to see his brother buried the next day,
two weeks later he was murdered.
The image of Dough Boy dissolves away. We ..:i2 empty sidewalk.
THE PORCH
Where we~ Tre. A message appears under this images also.
MESSAGE: Tre went to Morehouse, where he is majoring in
communications.
FADE TO BLACK:
TITLE CARD: BOYZ N THE HOOD INCREASE THE PEACE!!!
1 •• . . . - , •1• I , ... .,. .. , • . " • . ':•• • . .• •• & • • •• • ~ • • • •• •• _' • .""
Characters in the screenplay, and their arcs:
| Character | Arc | Critique | Suggestions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tre | Tre goes through a coming of age arc, as he navigates the dangers and pressures of growing up in a violent urban environment. He tries to avoid violence and trouble, but is often caught in the middle of the danger in his neighborhood. He witnesses the arrests of his friends, and is deeply affected by the gang-related shooting and the systematic oppression of black people. Tre is torn between loyalty to his childhood friends and the desire to pursue a better life through education and hard work. He is conflicted about his relationship with Brandi and dealing with his custody arrangement between his parents. Ultimately, Tre makes the decision to pursue a better life, leaving LA to start a new life with Brandi after graduation. | The character arc is well developed, but could benefit from more focus on Tre's emotional growth throughout the story. While the arc touches on his struggle with his identity and place in the world, it could be further explored in a more nuanced way. Additionally, the arc could benefit from more emphasis on the specific challenges Tre faces in navigating his environment, and how he learns to overcome them. | To improve the character arc, more attention could be given to Tre's inner emotional journey and how he changes and grows over time. The arc could also benefit from more exploration of Tre's specific challenges and how he learns to overcome them, such as navigating the pressures of gang violence and systemic oppression. Additionally, the arc could be strengthened by giving more focus to Tre's relationships with other characters, and how they impact his growth and decision making. |
| Furious | Furious experiences a transformation throughout the movie where he initially tries to bond with his son over cooking and teach him about responsibility. As the movie progresses, he becomes more protective of his son and willing to do anything to keep him safe. He serves as a mentor to Tre and advises him on sexual health. In the end, he is actively trying to control the custody arrangement between himself and Tre's mother. | The character arc for Furious is decent and emphasizes his protective nature and willingness to mentor his son. However, it could be improved by showing more of his initial struggles with teenage fatherhood and how he grew into the wise and reflective father we see in the movie. | To improve the character arc, the screenplay could show more flashbacks of Furious's teenage fatherhood struggles and how he learned from them. This could give the audience a better understanding of his reflective nature and why he values education and sexual health. Additionally, the custody battle could be made more emotionally impactful by showing the toll it takes on Furious as a father. |
| Dough Boy | Dough Boy's character arc follows a tragic trajectory: he starts off as a playful troublemaker, but as he grows older and more embroiled in gang culture, he becomes more violent and unpredictable. He is arrested for stealing but later honored at a backyard barbecue party, a clear sign of his status within the gang. At first, he still has some remnants of his former warmth and humor, but as the movie progresses, he becomes increasingly hardened and violent, with a desire for revenge that ultimately perpetuates the cycle of gang violence. By the end of the movie, he is a grieving brother, overwhelmed with emotion and fear for his own safety. His arc is a cautionary tale about the dangers of getting caught up in gang culture, and the ultimately tragic consequences of that choice. | Overall, the arc of Dough Boy's character is well-executed, and his tragic downfall is poignant and powerful. However, there are some areas where the arc could be improved. Specifically, there could be more exploration of Dough Boy's internal struggles and the events that lead him to embrace gang culture so fully. Additionally, the movie could do more to explore the impact that Dough Boy's decisions have on those around him, particularly his family. Lastly, while his arc is largely successful, it might feel a bit rushed or overly compressed at times, which can detract from the emotional impact of his character's tragic trajectory. | To improve Dough Boy's character arc, the movie could spend more time exploring his inner turmoil and the events that lead him to embrace gang culture. This could help the audience understand his choices and ultimately make his downfall even more tragic. Additionally, the movie could show more clearly how Dough Boy's decisions impact those around him, particularly his family. This could increase the emotional stakes of his character, as well as make the themes of the movie more resonant. Finally, the arc could benefit from a longer runtime or more careful pacing, which would allow for more time to develop Dough Boy's story without feeling rushed or compressed. |
| Ricky | Throughout the film, Ricky's character arc is one of growth and sacrifice. He starts off as a carefree teenager who takes risks and has dreams of playing college football. However, as he becomes more aware of the dangers of gang violence and the limitations of his environment, he begins to question his choices and his dreams. In a pivotal scene, Ricky chooses to give up his football dreams in order to provide for his family and protect them from harm. This decision ultimately leads to his tragic death at the hands of gang members. Through his sacrifice, Ricky becomes a symbol of the tragic loss caused by senseless violence and the need for change in his community. | The character arc for Ricky is well developed and provides a clear contrast between his carefree youth and his tragic end. However, his decision to give up his football dreams feels abrupt and could benefit from more foreshadowing or build up throughout the film. Additionally, Ricky's impulsive nature is somewhat inconsistent with his role as a responsible father and could be explored more in depth to showcase the internal conflict he faces. | To improve the character arc, the filmmakers could show more of Ricky's internal struggles and the life-changing events that lead him to question his dreams. They could also explore more of his impulsive nature and how it affects his relationships with his family and friends. Adding foreshadowing or hints throughout the film could make his decision to give up football feel more organic and impactful. |
| Brandi | Brandi's character arc centers around her struggle to reconcile her Catholic beliefs with her desire for intimacy with Tre. At the beginning of the film, she is portrayed as someone who is strict about her beliefs and wants to wait until marriage. As the film progresses, she becomes more open to the idea of having sex with Tre, but still struggles with the guilt and shame that comes with going against her Catholic beliefs. In the end, she decides to have sex with Tre but also discusses the possibility of marriage. Her character arc is about coming to terms with her desires and figuring out how to reconcile them with her beliefs. | While Brandi's arc is interesting, there could be more development into her character beyond her love for Tre and her struggle with her Catholic beliefs. It would also be helpful to understand more about why she holds these beliefs in the first place and how they impact her life beyond her relationship with Tre. | To improve Brandi's character arc, it would be helpful to have more scenes that explore her beliefs and how they impact her life. It would also be helpful to have more scenes where she interacts with characters other than Tre, which would give her the opportunity to show more aspects of her personality. Additionally, giving her a more defined motivation or goal beyond her relationship with Tre would help to flesh out her character and make her more dynamic. |
Top Correlations and patterns found in the scenes:
| Pattern | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Tone and Emotional Impact | There is a strong correlation between the tense or serious tone of the screenplay and its emotional impact. Higher tone scores tend to correspond with higher emotional impact scores. |
| Plot and Conflict | There is a positive correlation between the quality of the plot and the level of conflict present in the screenplay. Higher scores in plot tend to correspond with higher scores in conflict. |
| Character Changes and Emotional Impact | The emotional impact of the screenplay tends to increase when characters undergo significant changes. Screenplays with higher character change scores tend to have higher emotional impact scores. |
| Dialogue and Move Story Forward | There is a positive correlation between the quality of dialogue and the ability to move the story forward. Screenplays with higher dialogue scores tend to be better at moving the story forward. |
| Tone and High Stakes | Screenplays with a high tense tone tend to have higher stakes. There is a positive correlation between the tone of the screenplay and the high stakes of the plot. |
| Characters and Emotional Impact | Well-developed characters tend to have a higher emotional impact on the audience. There is a positive correlation between character scores and emotional impact scores. |
| Dialogue and Character Changes | Good dialogue can lead to greater character development. Screenplays with better dialogue tend to have characters who experience greater changes throughout the story. |
| Concept and Overall Grade | The strength of the underlying concept is strongly associated with the screenplay’s overall grade. Screenplays with better concepts tend to have higher overall grades. |
| Tone and Move Story Forward | Screenplays with a tense or serious tone tend to be better at moving the story forward. Higher tone scores tend to correspond with higher scores for moving the story forward. |
| Tone and Conflict | A higher tense or serious tone is associated with more conflict in the plot. Screenplays with higher tone scores tend to have higher conflict scores. |
| Plot and Move Story Forward | Screenplays with a well-constructed plot tend to be better at moving the story forward. Higher plot scores tend to correspond with higher scores for moving the story forward. |
| Tone and Plot | Screenplays with a high tense or serious tone tend to have stronger plots. There is a positive correlation between tone scores and plot scores. |
| Emotional Impact and High Stakes | Screenplays with a high emotional impact tend to also have higher stakes. There is a positive correlation between emotional impact scores and high stakes in the plot. |
Stories Similar to this one
| Story | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Boyz n the Hood | This screenplay shares a number of similarities with the movie Boyz n the Hood, such as the setting in a crime-ridden neighborhood and the theme of violence towards Black American males. Additionally, both stories focus on the father-son relationship and the struggle to navigate a dangerous environment with limited resources and options. |
| Menace II Society | Similar to Boyz n the Hood, Menace II Society also deals with the issues of violence and survival in a dangerous inner-city environment. The themes of family, friendship, and fatherhood are also present in both stories, with the protagonists struggling to navigate their way through a world where violence and death seem like the only options. |
| The Wire | The Wire, a television show set in Baltimore, Maryland, deals with similar themes of poverty, crime, and survival in a complex and corrupt city. The show explores the lives of both police officers and drug dealers, and the blurred lines between good and evil. Similar to this screenplay, The Wire also deals with themes of family, fatherhood, and the struggle to escape one's own environment. |
| The Hate U Give | The Hate U Give, a novel by Angie Thomas, shares a number of similarities with this screenplay, such as the portrayal of systemic racism, police violence, and the struggle for social justice. Both stories focus on the experiences of young Black Americans and the impact of violence on their lives, as well as the importance of family, friendship, and community. |
| Friday Night Lights | Friday Night Lights, a television show set in a small town in Texas, deals with similar themes of identity, family, and the struggles of young people to find their place in the world. The show explores the lives of high school football players and the impact of football on their community. Like this screenplay, Friday Night Lights deals with themes of fatherhood, mentorship, and the importance of education to escape poverty and violence. |
Here are different Tropes found in the screenplay
| Trope | Trope Details | Trope Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Inner City Blues | The screenplay deals with the violence and struggles faced by black Americans living in the inner city. | The trope of Inner City Blues is prevalent in many films and TV shows dealing with black American culture, such as The Wire, Snowfall, and Boys n the Hood. |
| Absent Father | The main character, Tre, is without a father figure until he moves in with Furious, his estranged father. | The Absent Father trope is common in many coming-of-age stories, such as The Lion King, Harry Potter, and The Karate Kid. |
| Gang Violence | The film deals with the prevalence of gang violence in the inner city, as demonstrated by the violent altercation between Tre, Ricky, and Dough Boy's friends. | Gang Violence is a common trope in many films and TV shows dealing with inner city life, such as The Godfather, The Shield, and The Sopranos. |
| Father-Son Bonding | Furious and Tre bond over father-son time, with Furious teaching Tre about responsibility and imparting wisdom to him. | Father-Son Bonding is a common trope in many coming-of-age stories, such as Mrs. Doubtfire, Big Daddy, and Hook. |
| Ghetto Fabulous | The film deals with the hardships faced by residents of the Nickerson Gardens housing project, such as drug addiction, poverty, and violence. | Ghetto Fabulous is a common trope in many films and TV shows dealing with inner city life, such as The Wire, Friday, and Menace II Society. |
| Teen Pregnancy | Furious reflects on his experience as a teenage father and imparts wisdom to Tre about using protection. | Teen Pregnancy is a common trope in many coming-of-age stories, such as Juno, Superbad, and Dirty Dancing. |
| Violent Retaliation | Dough Boy goes on a violent rampage in retaliation for his brother's death. | Violent Retaliation is a common trope in many films and TV shows dealing with gang violence and revenge, such as Scarface, The Departed, and John Wick. |
Screenplay Rating:
Recommend
Executive Summary
Boyz n the Hood is a powerful and compelling screenplay that tackles the complex, gritty, and often violent realities of growing up in South Central Los Angeles. The screenplay excels in its ability to create a vivid and immersive world, with a strong opening that sets the stage for the central themes and conflicts. The character development, particularly the relationships between Tre, Ricky, Brandi, and Dough Boy, is a standout strength, and the screenplay features several emotionally resonant and impactful moments. While there are a few areas for improvement, such as the need for more exploration of the characters' educational and professional aspirations, the screenplay is a strong and compelling work that would be of great interest to its target audience and suitable for adaptation.
Strengths
- The screenplay opens with a powerful and impactful set of scenes that immediately establish the gritty, violent, and challenging environment that the characters inhabit. The use of statistics, sounds of gunfire and police sirens, and the contrast between Tre's peaceful home life and the realities of the neighborhood set the stage for the central themes and conflicts of the story. high ( Scene 1 (1) Scene 1 (2) Scene 1 (3) )
- The SAT test sequence is a well-crafted and revealing moment that provides insight into the characters' capabilities, motivations, and challenges. The way it is intercut between the different students highlights their individual struggles and the socioeconomic factors that impact their performance. medium ( Scene 11 (65) )
- The intimate and emotional love scene between Tre and Brandi is a powerful and well-executed moment that delves into the characters' desires, vulnerabilities, and the complexities of their relationship. The use of lighting and sound effectively heightens the intensity and intimacy of the moment. high ( Scene 29 (77) )
Areas of Improvement
- While the SAT test sequence is a strength, the screenplay could benefit from more development and exploration of the characters' educational and professional aspirations, particularly Ricky's decision to join the army and the implications of that choice. medium ( Scene 24 (65) )
- The sequence of Tre and Ricky's interaction with the lottery tickets and the subsequent encounter with Ferris and his gang feels a bit disjointed and could benefit from tighter pacing and more seamless integration with the overall narrative. medium ( Scene 33 (87) Scene 33 (88) Scene 33 (89) )
MissingElements
- The screenplay could benefit from more exploration of the college application and selection process for the characters, particularly Tre and Brandi, and how their educational and career goals shape their relationship and future plans. medium ( Scene 24 (65) )
NotablePoints
- The conversation between Tre and Ricky about their sexual experiences and Tre's hesitation to have sex with Brandi due to his fear of becoming a father is a well-written and insightful moment that delves into the characters' maturity and decision-making processes. medium ( Scene 20 (44) )
- Furious's impassioned monologue about gentrification, the impact of drugs and guns on the community, and the systematic marginalization of the Black population is a powerful and thought-provoking moment that highlights the screenplay's social and political commentary. high ( Scene 26 (70) )
- The final exchange between Tre and Dough Boy is a poignant and emotionally resonant moment that captures the characters' shared experiences, grief, and the bittersweet realization of the fragility of life in their community. high ( Scene 37 (121) )
Memorable lines in the script:
| Scene Number | Line |
|---|---|
| 5 | Furious: Ya know Tre, you're a prince. I'm king you're the prince. |
| 6 | Furious: You see that? You see how easy that was? You see how easy it is to take somebody's life? |
| 11 | Furious: Any fool with a dick can make a baby but only a real man can take care of his children. |
| 25 | Furious: The best way you destroy a people is you take away their ability to reproduce. |
| 35 | Shanice: Noooo! Noo God! Not Rick! Please God! Let me the fuck go!! |