Straight Out of Brooklyn (1991)

86% of critics liked it
(7 reviews)
53% of users liked it
(907 ratings)

Matty Rich's Straight out of Brooklyn is an unflinching portrait of an African-American family struggling to survive in a Brooklyn housing project. The family's oldest son (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) decides that the easiest way to get his family out of the projects is by robbing a local drug dealer,… More Matty Rich's Straight out of Brooklyn is an unflinching portrait of an African-American family struggling to survive in a Brooklyn housing project. The family's oldest son (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) decides that the easiest way to get his family out of the projects is by robbing a local drug dealer, but that plan turns disastrous when the pusher and his gang track the boy and his family down. Rich was only 19 years old at the time he wrote and directed Straight out of Brooklyn (he also appears as Larry in the film). ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By: Matty Rich
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1991 Wide
On DVD: Oct 7, 2003
Studio: HBO Video

Critic Reviews

Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
Awfully difficult to watch outside of its 1991 womb, with its limitations cringe-inducing, reducing a powerful statement of frustration to no-budget After School Special.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Though amateurish and technically raw, the film offers a fresh insider's view of the disintegration of one black family, serving as a microcosm of the entire inner-city black community
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Probes the struggles to keep hope alive in an inner city ghetto
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A gritty realistic look at life in the black ghetto.

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Cast

            Lawrence Gilliard Jr. as Dennis Brown

            George T. Odom as Ray Brown

            Ann D. Sanders as Frankie Brown

            Barbara Sanon as Carolyn Brown

            Reana E. Drummond as Shirley

            Matty Rich as Larry

            Mark Malone as Kevin

            David Belgrave as Grocery Clerk

            Dorise Black as Ms. Walker

            Lawrence Clifford Jr.
            
            Krystal Davis as Luther's Girlfriend

            William Erskine as Man in Bar

            J.R. Hill as Bartender

            Soraya Hyppolite as Woman in Grocery Store

            Booker T. Matthews as Uncle Scotty

            James Arnold Mayes as Man in Bar

            James McFadden as James

            Albertha Moody as Secretary in Employment Office

            Robert N. Nash as Skeet

            Joseph Pillonia as Gas Station Manager

            Billy R. as Gas Station Customer

            Ulysses Rivers as Voiceover

            Fran Sperling as Sarah

            Joseph A. Thomas as Saledene

            Ali Shahid Abdul Wahha as Luther

            Walter Meade as Man in Grocery Store
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