New Jack City
New Jack City

New Jack City

1991Movie97 minEnglish

A gangster, Nino, is in the Cash Money Brothers, making a million dollars every week selling crack. A cop, Scotty, discovers that the only way to infiltrate the gang is to become a dealer himself.

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Insights

IMDb6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes53%
Metacritic54/100
Google Users85%
Director: Mario Van PeeblesGenres: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Plot Summary

Nino Brown, a charismatic and ruthless drug lord, rises to power in 1980s New York City, building a vast crack cocaine empire. He ruthlessly eliminates rivals and corrupts those around him, facing increasing pressure from an undercover detective determined to bring him down. The film chronicles Nino's ascent and the inevitable downfall that accompanies his unchecked ambition and violence.

Critical Reception

New Jack City was a critical and commercial success, praised for its gritty portrayal of urban crime and its energetic direction. While some critics noted its violence and melodramatic elements, many commended Wesley Snipes' electrifying performance as the antagonist Nino Brown and the film's exploration of the crack epidemic's impact on inner cities. It became a defining film of its era and a significant entry in the crime genre.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its intense energy and Wesley Snipes' commanding performance.
  • Critiqued for its graphic violence and sometimes formulaic plot.
  • Seen as a vivid, if sensationalized, depiction of the crack cocaine era.

Google audience: Audiences generally found the film to be a gripping and intense crime drama, with many highlighting Wesley Snipes' iconic portrayal of Nino Brown as a standout element. The film's fast pace and realistic depiction of urban drug culture were also frequently cited as positives.

Fun Fact

The film's title comes from the 1990 album of the same name by American hip-hop group Guy, whose members Teddy Riley and Aaron Hall also contributed to the film's soundtrack.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
tmdb28039023

tmdb28039023

New Jack City is convoluted, contrived, and heavy-handed, ending with a caption warning us to “confront the [drug] problem realistically, without empty slogans and promises”. Well, the characters in the movie certainly eschew empty slogans ...