Crooklyn: Life in '70s Brooklyn

With the exception of Malcolm X, I was not impressed with any of the Spike Lee films I had seen. Surprisingly, I enjoyed Crooklyn very much. Taking place in '70s Brooklyn, the film focuses on the life of a black couple and their five children. The mother is an outspoken, strict school teacher, in comparison to the jazz musician father's calm and easygoing manner, especially with the children. I think the film did an awesome job of developing each character and giving them their own unique qualities. For example, I remember the oldest brother who was really passionate about basketball and loved the New York Knicks. I also remember the brother who would never eat his dinner. These little details made me feel connected to the characters.

In general, the film centers around the only daughter, Troy, and her perceptions of the world around her. The setting of the film, Brooklyn, plays a very important role in telling the story. The intermingling of different cultures and poverty are  especially highlighted in this community.For example, Troy's family did not get along with the white tenant living next to them, which culminated into numerous heated altercations. Within Troy's home, the relationship between her parents becomes rocky, primarily over financial issues. Subsequently, her father moves out for a while. During the summer, Troy's parents decide to bring her down South to stay with her aunt and uncle. During her stay, Troy learns how to act more like a "proper lady" and sheds many of  her "ethnic" qualities, such as her braids.

When Troy returns home, she finds out that her mother has cancer. Subsequently, her mother dies. I found the moment when Troy's oldest brother comforted her at the funeral to be particularly powerful, as it showed the importance of family in supporting one another during hard times. I think the most important takeaway from this movie is Troy's transformation from beginning to end. In the beginning, Troy behaved like a girl her age typically would: immature and irresponsible. At the end of the movie, there was a scene in which she was combing the tangles out of her brother's hair like her mother did, and warned him to not stay outside too late. When Troy's mother died, in a way she passed the torch to her as the nurturer, caretaker, and protector of the family. I thought this passing of roles was incredibly powerful and integral to the story of this family. In general, I think this a great movie that positively portrays an urban black family, which in my opinion is few and far between nowadays.