Straight Out of Brooklyn
Encyclopedia
Straight Out of Brooklyn is an 1991
independent film
directed by Matty Rich
in his directorial debut. The film
is a gritty story about Dennis (played by Larry Gilliard Jr.
), an African-American teen living in a housing project with his sister, mother and abusive, alcoholic father. Fed up with his family's seemingly hopeless future, he plans with his friends to rob a drug dealer.
Dennis and two friends come up with a plan to rob a local drug dealer and split the money. One of the friends asks his uncle to borrow his car, and then a connection he has gives him a shotgun for the operation.
Dennis keeps telling his girlfriend that they will soon have money and be able to move out of Brooklyn, but he does not actually tell her of the plan. When he does eventually explain what he is about to do, she leaves him and tells him the relationship is over. Meanwhile, his mother loses her job due to the bruises on her face as a result of the ongoing domestic violence.
On the day of the robbery, they wait in the car for the dealer to come out with a briefcase full of cash. As they drive up to him, Dennis points the gun in his face and tells him to hand over the bag, yet he doesn't actually shoot him like his friends were talking about just before. As a result, the dealer sees their faces, and after being ordered to get the money back from the gangster he works for, goes out looking for the three.
When Dennis and his friends take the briefcase back home and realise that it contains much more than they expected, the other two get scared and realize that they will be targeted for stealing the bag in the first place. After an argument with Dennis, they leave all the money with him and say they want nothing to do with it.
The same night, Dennis brings the money home to show his family and tell them they can move out of the projects, but his father is less than happy about what his son has done. This causes an argument in the house which leads to more violence and Dennis's mother having to go to hospital.
The next day at the hospital, Dennis' father goes out for some air when the drug dealer who was robbed sees him and recognizes who he is. They chase him and he is blocked on both sides and shot dead. At the same time, in the hospital Dennis' mother dies with her son and daughter by her side.
when he was 17. The film was made over a period of two years with an amateur cast working for free. Rich himself plays Dennis' friend, Larry. He financed much of the budget with credit cards and donations from family members. Rich also raised money by going on a New York City
radio station and asking listeners for donations. Listeners donated a total of $77,000. The total budget was $450,000. Upon release, the film was critically acclaimed and grossed $2.7 million at the box office. He was just 19 years old when the film was released.
, Rich won the award for Best First Feature. George T. Odom was nominated for Best Supporting Male for his portrayal of the father. Composer Harold Wheeler
was nominated for Best Film Music.
The film won a Special Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival
.
1991 in film
The year 1991 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*April 28 - Bonnie Raitt marries actor Michael O'Keefe in New York* Terminator 2: Judgment Day, became one of the landmarks for science fiction action films with its groundbreaking visual effects from Industrial Light & Magic.*November...
independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
directed by Matty Rich
Matty Rich
Matty Rich, born Matthew Statisfield Richardson , is a film director and screenwriter who broke into the film world with the 1991 film Straight Out of Brooklyn which was financed by credit cards and donations. Rich also plays a major character in the film...
in his directorial debut. The film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
is a gritty story about Dennis (played by Larry Gilliard Jr.
Larry Gilliard Jr.
Lawrence "Larry" Gilliard, Jr. is an American character actor who has appeared in films, television series and theatre. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of D'Angelo Barksdale on the HBO drama series The Wire, a role which earned him much critical acclaim.Gilliard was born in New York City...
), an African-American teen living in a housing project with his sister, mother and abusive, alcoholic father. Fed up with his family's seemingly hopeless future, he plans with his friends to rob a drug dealer.
Synopsis
Dennis, living in a housing project in Brooklyn, New York has had enough of poverty, and witnessing his alcoholic father beat his mother. His father is depressed and troubled from working hard for 'the white man' for so many years, yet having nothing to show for it.Dennis and two friends come up with a plan to rob a local drug dealer and split the money. One of the friends asks his uncle to borrow his car, and then a connection he has gives him a shotgun for the operation.
Dennis keeps telling his girlfriend that they will soon have money and be able to move out of Brooklyn, but he does not actually tell her of the plan. When he does eventually explain what he is about to do, she leaves him and tells him the relationship is over. Meanwhile, his mother loses her job due to the bruises on her face as a result of the ongoing domestic violence.
On the day of the robbery, they wait in the car for the dealer to come out with a briefcase full of cash. As they drive up to him, Dennis points the gun in his face and tells him to hand over the bag, yet he doesn't actually shoot him like his friends were talking about just before. As a result, the dealer sees their faces, and after being ordered to get the money back from the gangster he works for, goes out looking for the three.
When Dennis and his friends take the briefcase back home and realise that it contains much more than they expected, the other two get scared and realize that they will be targeted for stealing the bag in the first place. After an argument with Dennis, they leave all the money with him and say they want nothing to do with it.
The same night, Dennis brings the money home to show his family and tell them they can move out of the projects, but his father is less than happy about what his son has done. This causes an argument in the house which leads to more violence and Dennis's mother having to go to hospital.
The next day at the hospital, Dennis' father goes out for some air when the drug dealer who was robbed sees him and recognizes who he is. They chase him and he is blocked on both sides and shot dead. At the same time, in the hospital Dennis' mother dies with her son and daughter by her side.
Production
Rich wrote the screenplayScreenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
when he was 17. The film was made over a period of two years with an amateur cast working for free. Rich himself plays Dennis' friend, Larry. He financed much of the budget with credit cards and donations from family members. Rich also raised money by going on a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
radio station and asking listeners for donations. Listeners donated a total of $77,000. The total budget was $450,000. Upon release, the film was critically acclaimed and grossed $2.7 million at the box office. He was just 19 years old when the film was released.
Awards
At the 1992 Independent Spirit AwardsIndependent Spirit Awards
The Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit...
, Rich won the award for Best First Feature. George T. Odom was nominated for Best Supporting Male for his portrayal of the father. Composer Harold Wheeler
Harold Wheeler
Harold Wheeler is an orchestrator, composer, conductor, arranger, record producer, and music director. He has received numerous Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominations for orchestration, and won the 2003 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations for Hairspray.-Biography:Wheeler was named...
was nominated for Best Film Music.
The film won a Special Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
.