Sem Medo no Coração

Okay, I'll be the first to admit that this is nowhere near as good as Boyz in the Hood, however, it's not as bad as some make it out to be. The acting is somewhat lacking, but the story as a whole is moving. If you're a diehard Singleton fan, or are just in the mood for a pretty decent movie, go for it, you've got nothing to lose.

Poetic Justice is the type of film that will sneak up on you. Some parts of the movie are a little slow, but as a whole the movie is very good. Director Singleton is able to bring a certain mood to this film; wavering between dark, funny and compassionate. Justice (Janet Jackson) is a directionless and lost female who expresses her wants and sorrows through poetry. Because of deaths in her family she is alone.

She reluctantly agrees to go on a mail trip with a friend (Regina King) and her male comrads. Little does she know that she would find her diamond in the rough in Lucky (Shakur). Although Lucky has a very hard exterior, Justice; through many trails and tribulations locates the good in him. It turns out that they (Justice and Lucky) are just what each other needs. Some may not be able to relate to this film, but if you can chances are you will really like the movie. This movie was not really made for mainstream audiences, just for certain people. I am one who was taken in by it, and it is one of my favorites. Great movie which probably appeals more to demographically urban viewers. Regina King and Joe Torry do a good job of providing support to the lead actors throughout.

Poetic Justice is an urban film but within this catgory it stands out from alot of them in its own way. The movie uses some very interesting elements that I was familiar with and like most urban films they use realistic characters. The camerawork is nothing new but some of it is really good to look at. Janet Jackson is good as the somewhat uptight poet/hairdresser who is mourning the loss of her lover while on a night out with him as is Tupac in a rather different role from the ones he has in Juice, Bullet and Above The Rim. Not only is the role different but as a man it's impossible to not relate to him as you see his struggles in his life including one powerful scene in which he catches his baby's mother smokin' crack and having other men in his daughter's presence - I thought this worked great because I know how I'd feel if I had a kid and my baby's mother is bringing other men around my kid: I wouldn't be too happy. The road trip is where you begin to see all the characters(Pac Shakur, Janet Jackson, Regina King and Joe Torry) develop and John Singleton wastes little time doing that during that time...

Poetic Justice is a movie deserving alot more credit than it's getting but too bad there are people out there with stupid stereotypical assumptions so idiotic it can get someone angry

8/10

John Singleton's "Poetic Justice" might be of interest nowadays for the presence of Tupac Shakur, who was shot dead three years after the release. But more than that, it's a soft, positive look at relationships in South Central. Janet Jackson plays the title character, who accompanies some friends to Oakland. While the movie does have some intense scenes, the poetry narration - hence the title - moves everything along.

Released the year after the Rodney King riots, it shows the desperate situation in which large numbers of people in South Central live, making efforts to get by without trouble (no easy task). These are complex characters, each with something to add. I recommend it.

I applaud John Singleton for being brave enough to film "Poetic Justice" -- it's a real triumph in presenting a story that looks beyond Hollywood's usual stereotypes of urban youth. If you are looking for a typical gang-bangin' shoot em up angry urban film...look elsewhere, because that genre is miles away from Singleton's storytelling. This film has precisely what black audiences say they are looking for - depth, real characters with a number of real layers....and yet people say they cannot get into this film. I say watch it and simply feel the messages being conveyed through the hearts of the characters. Tupac Shakur's performance saddens my heart....because he had so much potential as an actor as proven with his performance here. I was fortunate enough to actually meet and compliment him on this performance, which is at turns skillful and all his own. He had that quality that film actors envy in that the camera loved him. Janet Jackson gives a skilled performance as well, and the two have a natural chemistry that works here. This film is worth watching...it's one of my favorites.