Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in The Hood (1996)

29% of critics liked it
(24 reviews)
79% of users liked it
(61,451 ratings)

Much as Keenen Ivory Wayans' I'm Gonna Git You Sucka parodied the basic elements of 70's blaxploitation pictures, this film written by and starring his younger brothers Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans pokes fun at the gritty "reality check" films of the 1990's, such as Boyz N The Hood, Menace II… More Much as Keenen Ivory Wayans' I'm Gonna Git You Sucka parodied the basic elements of 70's blaxploitation pictures, this film written by and starring his younger brothers Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans pokes fun at the gritty "reality check" films of the 1990's, such as Boyz N The Hood, Menace II Society and New Jack City. When Ashtray (Shawn Wayans) moves to South Central L.A. to live with his father (who appears to be the same age he is) and grandmother (who likes to talk tough and smoke reefer), he falls in with his gang-banging cousin Loc Dog (Marlon Wayans), who along with the requisite pistols and Uzi carries a thermo-nuclear warhead for self-defense. Will Ashtray keep living the straight life or will he join up with Loc Dog's gangsta homeboys? And is his romance with self-styled poet Dashiki (Tracey Cherelle Jones) going to go anywhere? Big brother Keenen has a small role as a mailman. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By: Paris Barclay
Written By: Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans
Genres: Comedy

On DVD: Jan 15, 2002

Critic Reviews

Godfrey Cheshire, Variety
Full of very obvious spoofery, and funnier in concept than in execution.
Stephen Holden, New York Times
A free-for-all comic spoof that brings the 'hood' genre of Hollywood films full circle.
Susan Wloszczyna, USA Today
Rude, crude and outrageous.
Esther Iverem, Washington Post
Outrageous is the key word here. In many successful scenes, the Wayans deftly play on our assumptions and cliches.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Things might be bad, the movie suggests, but they're not so bad you can't laugh.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Strangely sour and ultimately wearisome.
Brent Simon, Now Playing Magazine
If you can't grin while cruising the carpool lane to nonsensical hedonism, then this isn't the movie for you.
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
If you really want to appreciate this film, go see all the hood movies from the 90s - good and bad.
Michael Szymanski, Wordmag.com
Parodying all the stereotypes imaginable, this DVD offers some even more outrageous outtakes and off-color jokes that make it more than the R it was released in the theaters.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...playing to the lowest common denominator among the viewing public doesn't necessarily make for the best possible movies. (Special Unrated Edition)
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...the Wayans use a sledgehammer to drive in a thumbtack.
Scott Weinberg, DVDTalk.com
There's maybe three or four half-decent chuckles to be found in this otherwise interminable 90-minute mega-chore.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
The thin plot is merely the frame for gags, and there are more a few good ones here.
Clint Morris, Moviehole
Laugh yourself stupid....Wayans classic!
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
[A] pleasant hour and a half.
Kevin Fiddler, Henderson Home News (Henderson, NV)
One of the funniest movies of all time
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
There are zero laughs in this stupid, stupid movie.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Eric A

Critics don't understand a movie like this. This is strictly made for the audience and for laughter at the outrageous things the Wayan bros do. I Liked it.
Manu G

Finally, the movie that proves that Justice isn't always Poetic, Jungle Fever isn't always pretty, and Higher Learning can be a waste of time. Just a laugh out loud movie filled with some dark humor. It's rude, it's crude, it's in-your-face - and it's… More
Finally, the movie that proves that Justice isn't always Poetic, Jungle Fever isn't always pretty, and Higher Learning can be a waste of time. Just a laugh out loud movie filled with some dark humor. It's rude, it's crude, it's in-your-face - and it's just a delight to watch. There's a couple of more Wayans in this movie besides the main characters Marlon and Shawn like Keenan the mailman and Kim Wayans as Mrs. Johnson, Damien Wayans as Cousin and Craig Wayans as Thug#1. Also appearances from the late Bernie Mac, Omar Epps, Vivica Fox and Faizon Love. Don't take it seriously people it's meant to be funny. "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking your Juice in the Hood" is a parody of a lot of Afro-American movies, for instance "Boyz N the Hood", "South Central", "Menace II Society", "Higher Learning" and "Juice". We follow Ashtray as he returns to the place he grew up in and meet his father and his basket-case friends. A lot of crazy stuff happens, for example, Ashtray is older than his father and his best friend Loc Dog's grandmother is a trigger-happy old lady who blames her eccentric-looking kid for not being tough enough.
Derek D

Another Wayans' movie, this time mixing up several different ghetto dramas as a kind of follow-up to 'I'm Gonna Git You Sucka', a true classic. Not much different than anything else they've ever done.
Anthony L

The only Wayans brothers films I actually like!
Daniel J D

It definitely effectively parodied its subject matter (and it was a hell of a lot better than White Chicks), but it kinda' dies in the second half. This movie is proof that the younger Wayans aren't totally bereft of comedic talent. It's equal parts poignant, biting… More
It definitely effectively parodied its subject matter (and it was a hell of a lot better than White Chicks), but it kinda' dies in the second half. This movie is proof that the younger Wayans aren't totally bereft of comedic talent. It's equal parts poignant, biting parody hilarity and unfunny goofiness.
Alexander W

Stupid film, and really not actually that funny. Just really stupid. But recommended
EightThirty .

...TOO FUNNY 4 YOUR HEALTH... WARNING: YOU WILL LAUGH YOUR BUMS RIGHT OFF : ) ;D :o :O
Nani V

Cheesy! But funny...
danny d

funny moments but over the top and mostly stupid
Jason S

Funny
Chris B

So over the top and insane that it's hilarious on most of it's attempts. A genre parody film about life in the hood, the Wayans brothers may offend some people but if you have a tolerance for such comedy it's worth a watch.
Ed Fucking H

Ughh... How many times have I been asked "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'VE NEVER SEEN DON'T BE A MENACE?!?!?!?" Well I just did and whatever. A few good laughs, but gets really old really quickly and is trying way to hard. Plus it feels like a skit show more so than a… More
Ughh... How many times have I been asked "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'VE NEVER SEEN DON'T BE A MENACE?!?!?!?" Well I just did and whatever. A few good laughs, but gets really old really quickly and is trying way to hard. Plus it feels like a skit show more so than a movie. Don't belive the hype!
Remi L

Gotta love the Wayans family!
Chosen 7

Classic. One of the funniest movies I have ever seen.