"Crooklyn" Turns 30 Years Old Today

A classic. Love that movie with all my heart.

Was it that long ago...I loved that film. The ending credit with the Soul Train scene was brilliant.

I AIN’T NO PUTA, I KEEPS MY PANTIES CLEAN!!!

LaGrandeDame said:

Despite being one of the hottest young directors out there, Spike Lee was in need of a change of pace from the adult fare he was used to creating. So he decided to make a movie for kids 30 years ago today:

Crooklyn is a 1994 American semi-autobiographical film produced and directed by Spike Lee, who wrote it with his siblings Joie and Cinqué. Taking place in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, during the summer of 1973,[2] the film primarily centers on a young girl named Troy Carmichael (played by Zelda Harris), and her family. Troy learns life lessons through her rowdy brothers Clinton, Wendell, Nate, and Joseph; her loving but strict mother Carolyn (Alfre Woodard), and her naive, struggling father Woody (Delroy Lindo).

Crooklyn - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

As a girl from Brooklyn who lost her mom as a child, this movie made me feel seen (20 years removed notwithstanding):


QUEEEENIIIEEEE (because you know I had to do it):

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One of my favorite Spike Lee Joints. I wish that there were more movies that centered around a young black girl. There are so few coming of age stories that feature us. Here is a picture of Troy "the boy" as a grown woman. I think she is a musician now. If you notice his filmography, he tends to have multilayer portrayals of women in his work. Which is rare for black men in Hollywood.

Stormy_Weather said:

I AIN’T NO PUTA, I KEEPS MY PANTIES CLEAN!!!

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It was so random lol

One of my all time favorite movies, I watch it at least 3x a year. Never knew it was supposed to be a movie for kids.

Stormy_Weather said:

I AIN’T NO PUTA, I KEEPS MY PANTIES CLEAN!!!

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You beat me to it!

It's one of my favorite movies. It used to make me wish I was raised in NY instead of Jersey. I see the brother who wouldn't eat them peas all the time when my baby watches YouTube clips of sesame Street. Makes me chuckle sometimes cuz I don't eat em either and remember them days of sitting there for hrs.

LitChick1 said:

One of my favorite Spike Lee Joints. I wish that there were more movies that centered around a young black girl. There are so few coming of age stories that feature us. Here is a picture of Troy "the boy" as a grown woman. I think she is a musician now. If you notice his filmography, he tends to have multilayer portrayals of women in his work. Which is rare for black men in Hollywood.

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You know, that's so true. It is rare for Black men in Hollywood to show a multilayered, sympathetic portrait of Black women. Might explain why some of my favorite movies of his back in the day were She's Gotta Have It and Girl 6. And of course Crooklyn. I wonder if it's because he was close to his sister Joie?

It's great to see Troy all grown up!

LaGrandeDame said:

Also, RIP, Clinton

I hope the other kids (who have to be at least 40 by now) are doing well.

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Aww..what happened?

Aww I didn't know Clinton had passed.

I love this movie! And Troy (Zelda), in general, for being a little brown girl like me.

I like how the kids had a mix of light and heavy issues going on around them. It was relatable. Adults forget that kids aren't idiots and experience complex situations.

I love Crooklyn but reading “so he decided to make a movie for kids” made me laugh

I get it tho but if I show it to someone who’s never seen it they’ll be shocked it’s for kids

Dont even get me started on talking about this movie. Just the best.