Don't Be A Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (Miramax Collector's Edition)

Rating R Formats DVD Genre comedy Starring Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Bernie Mac, Tracey Cherelle Jones, Chris Spencer Directed by Paris Barclay Publisher Miramax Home Entertainment External Links Official Site

During the early 90's, moviegoers got their first look at the horrors of urban living. Boys in Da' Hood, Menace II Society, Juice. These films were honest portrayals of the hardships young African American people faced trying to grow up honest in a dishonest world. We shared their hopes that they would be able to get out of the hood, to pursue college and make something of their lives. These films were brutal in their honesty, violence, and message. And that message was simple: It takes a little brains, a little luck, and a lot of ambition to get out of the hood alive. The films were tragic and uplifting, and touched a nerve with the public as a whole.

It was only a matter of time before somebody made fun of them.

Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (Or D.B.M.S.C.W.D.Y.J.H. if you're into acronyms) is a 1996 film that takes a skewed look at that specific genre of film. In it, Ashtray (Shawn Wayans) has just moved back to the hood with his father so he can learn how to be a man. One of the many running gags in the film is that Ashtray's father is younger than him. The logistics of how this is possible are so mind-boggling that it would make even the greatest mind weep like a little baby.

Also populating the film is Loc Dog (Marlon Wayans), Ashtray's gun-crazy best friend; Dashiki, Ashtray's love interest from the film and a woman who has more kids than "Ms. Wayans"; Crazy Legs, one of the crew that runs with Loc and Ashtray who... well... he has crazy legs; Preach, the reformed gangster who is constantly trying to bring his uplifting message to his friends (When he's not hitting on white women); and everybody's favorite: Dave the Crackhead, who will do anything for money from selling you cheeseburgers he inexplicably has or... well... I won't say exactly what else he will do since this is a clean website, but it involves sucking dick.

Dammit. I didn't mean to say that. Sorry.

The gags in the film are pretty hit or miss (Keenan Ivory Wayans' "MESSAGE!" running gag kind of got old fast, no matter how many crazy places he showed up in), but luckily the movie is so full of them that it's never uninteresting.

Fans of this movie won't be disappointed with this release, especially considering the only other version of this available is a bare-bones disc. I was disappointed there wasn't a filmmaker's commentary on the disc, and I would have gladly sucked Miramax's dick to get one.

Dammit... I did it again. Sorry.