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1991 seems like a long time ago now, but Boyz N The Hood is still one of the most thoughtful and realistic dramas about life in the ghetto that I’ve seen.

The film tracks the lives of three friends growing up in South Central, Los Angeles. Tre, Ricky and Darrin all have different aspirations. Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) wants to go to college, Ricky (Morris Chestnut) is hoping for a football scholarship, while Darrin (Ice Cube) sits on his porch all day drinking forties. They, however, have primarily one thing in common: The violence in their neighbourhood.

As the film's title card states, one in every twenty-one black males will die of gunshot wounds. Director John Singleton uses this statistic to prove a point: It isn't a question whether an individual's aspirations will see him develop a successful career in life, but whether or not he will be able to escape from the hood alive.

Boyz N The Hood depicts realism. The power of its direction, script and performances make it a very dramatic tale, which never fails in captivating my attention despite the numerous times that I've seen it. The ugliness that surrounds the characters is particularly effective as it contrasts the seemingly "normal" lifestyle of the everyman. Forget the banter with the opposite sex, or frustrations that you may with your boss for not realising your potential at work; Boyz N The Hood raises the real human issues of poverty, violence and racism, and how some people barely have a chance to overcome them.

With these important subjects considered, the film could've easily adopted a "preachy" persona, in an attempt to appeal to the more fortunate ones; wisely, though, Singleton is patient in his build-up to the violent action scenes. This allows the viewer to study each unique character individually beforehand so that when the violent situations do arise they feel significantly dramatic, evoking our sympathy. The film speaks to our hearts, as well as our minds.

An absorbing, intelligent drama that depicts the reality of American-Americans living in the ghetto, Boyz N The Hood thoroughly deserves its place in the National Film Registry as one of America's most powerful films. If this isn't enough of an example to prove that radical action is needed than I really don't know what is. Everyone, regardless of colour, should watch this movie.

(C) Andy Carrington, 2009.