Jason's Lyric (1994)

67% of critics liked it
(15 reviews)
86% of users liked it
(8,645 ratings)

This drama, set in a gritty part of Houston's outskirts, pits brother against brother as the two men try to cope with their childhood family tragedy. Jason and Joshua are opposites. Jason, an ambitious young TV salesman, is the straight arrow. Joshua, an aimless coke-head and frequently jailed petty… More This drama, set in a gritty part of Houston's outskirts, pits brother against brother as the two men try to cope with their childhood family tragedy. Jason and Joshua are opposites. Jason, an ambitious young TV salesman, is the straight arrow. Joshua, an aimless coke-head and frequently jailed petty criminal, is the black sheep. Their father, Maddog was a bitter and maimed Vietnam vet with a penchant for battering his wife, Gloria. To protect herself and her sons from Maddog, she throws him out of the house. In the ensuing fight one of the brothers fatally shoots Maddog. Jason is in love with Lyric, a feisty waitress. As he courts her, his brother Josh plans a bank robbery with his gang. In the end both brothers must face their past and do so in a violent shoot-out. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 59 min.
Directed By: Doug McHenry
Genres: Drama, Romance

In Theaters: Sep 28, 1994 Wide
On DVD: Jan 18, 2000
Studio: PolyGram Video

Critic Reviews

Chris Hicks, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Overcooked and half-baked.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jim H

A man falls in love while attempting to curtail his brother's criminal behavior. If I recall correctly, this is John Singleton's fault. Though it's unfair to judge an artist based on his imitators, Singleton's Boyz 'n the Hood began a rash… More
A man falls in love while attempting to curtail his brother's criminal behavior. If I recall correctly, this is John Singleton's fault. Though it's unfair to judge an artist based on his imitators, Singleton's Boyz 'n the Hood began a rash of "hood" films that eventually culminated in the Wayans brothers' parody of the genre. Jason's Lyric "feels like" an imitation, stuck in a particular time, fitting all the generic requirements in, unable to breathe on its own. The abusive father, the aspirations of escape, and the burgeoning love are all things we've seen from Singleton, and there's nothing radically new here. What is more, the love story plot, which, during the first hour of the film, is evenly interspersed with the "hood" plot, is so excessively sappy. Every elevator song you ever heard underscores Jason's courtship of Lyric, and the idyllic landscape gives the plot a maudlin feel. He washes her feet for Christ's sake! Then, the film tries to be realistic in the "hood" plot, and when the two plots converge, I couldn't shake the feeling that the film had multiple personality disorder. Forest Whitaker's performance during the film's first ten minutes as the damaged Vietnam vet was fantastic; Whitaker set the bar so high that it's no wonder the rest of the actors could only disappoint. Jada Pinkett is alluring and beautiful, but there's not much of a character here. It doesn't help her that the script gives her the most expository lines, especially before Jason reveals the truth about his dreams. Overall, this is a poor imitation of John Singleton; see Boyz 'n the Hood and you can tell everybody that you saw Jason's Lyric too.
danny d

decent drama and love story. this film starred a few actors i dont care for but for some reason in this film they worked ok. the story was decent but the end was melodramatic and over the top.
Miriam K

Suprisingly well acted by EVERY actor involved. . . A sweet love story that will please those who want to see it and suprise those who find themselves watching it "against their will".
Leo L

A personal favorite.