Friday

Thousands of films are made each year from around the world. Blockbusters, independents, art films, and everything in between. Some of these films are so well done and so influential that they extend out of the screen and seep into society and culture. Lines we quote, characters we love, and moments that stay with us. Our subject today is one of those types of films. One that has not just affected cinema since its release, but also provided us with some great quotes, characters, moments, and welcomes us back to visit any time. A film still influencing our culture to this day, twenty seven years after its release.

So if you're like me and you enjoy film and the impact and emotions they convey, then grab a glass of your preferred liquid and join me for the next little while. For me that's a glass of Jim Beam Black, from our friends at Jim Beam in Kentucky. So sit back, relax, and let's talk about the love of film. Welcome to Glazed Cinema.

In honor of Black History Month I wanted to talk about a film that I love that celebrates black culture in America. A film that changed the landscape of cinema and opened new doors to African American creators and performers alike. The first time I saw our subject today it was in the summer of my years in high school. While at home I was flipping through the channels when I saw our subject today on the guide. I had heard about it from friends, but had never seen it to that point, so I decided to tune in. I didn't really know what to expect other than that I heard it was funny, but I loved what I saw. It's a well rounded adventure with a lot of character and laughs within its ninety seven minute duration. Alongside leads Ice Cube and Chris Tucker is a cast with several great performers including Bernie Mac, Nia Long, Regina King. and Faizon Love to name a few.

Friday is a film written by Ice Cube and DJ Pooh about two friends, Craig and Smokey living in South Central Los Angeles. Recently unemployed, Craig is home for the day when he's visited by his best friend Smokey. Smokey is a small time drug dealer, selling marijuana supplied by a local dealer named Big Worm. Instead of selling it however, Smokey enjoys it himself on his own time. Owing the Big Worm $200, Smokey enlists the help of Craig in coming up with the money before Big Worm comes calling. What ensues are events on a street on one hot Friday.

Friday is directed by F. Gary Gray, a man who started his career directing music videos in the early nineties. Videos he directed included those for artists like Usher, Cypress Hill, and Ice Cube. He also directed the videos for Waterfalls by TLC and Ms. Jackson by Outkast. With Friday, however, Gray burst onto the film scene in 1995 with his first full length feature film. Today, we know it as a great and influential film, however making the film came with risks for both Ice Cube and Gray alike. However, before we get into those, I think it’s important to step back in time, just over thirty years ago.

Up to the point of the 80’s there weren’t too many African American directors making films in Hollywood. Where directing jobs lacked however acting spots for lead roles seemed to grow, particularly in the comedy genre. Stars like Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor starred in several blockbuster films throughout the decade. Other stars came to rise as well like Denzel Washington, Danny Glover, and Samuel L Jackson to name a few. A film came along in 1989 that would have a tremendous impact on cinema, creating a ripple effect. A film set in Brooklyn, called Do the Right Thing. Spike Lee’s film left a lasting impression on its audience and through that impact helped open doors to other African American filmmakers.

By the time the 90’s came around Spike Lee had made several successful films. As the decades turned over, new African American directors began to rise, with something to say. By the time 1994 began films like Boys N the Hood, Juice, Poetic Justice, and Malcom X had hit the scene and impressed audiences around the world.

When it came time for Gray to begin filming Friday he was entering a realm of relative unknown. This came with risks for him and Ice Cube. If the movie was a flop it would mean career suicide for F Gary Gray as he didn't have any other movies to fall back on, though he was a successful music video director. A flop would have also hurt Ice Cube's movie career and his hopeful rise to film stardom. If they were successful however it could present more opportunities in the industry. Thankfully for both men the film became a hit and has gone down as an absolute classic by its fans.

Friday takes place almost entirely around Craig’s house as he and Smokey volley visits from friends and neighbors while they think about how they’ll handle the situation with Big Worm. Throughout the day we meet several other people from the neighborhood. There's Deebo, played by Tommy Lister Jr., a very large and strong man who is the neighborhood bully, making others do what he wills. There's the Pastor Clever, played by Bernie Mac, who visits his parishioners to spread the word among other things. There's Debbie, played by Nia Long, the neighborhood beauty and the girl Craig fancies. Of course, who can forget, her sister? I guess all I can say is "Bye Felicia". My favorite character is Craig's dad, played by John Witherspoon. His character is a lot of things including wise, funny, stern, yet caring. He's the rock of his family and I really enjoy what he brings to the screen and to the other characters.

The character of Smokey is one of Chris Tucker’s most beloved roles to date, but he wasn’t originally slated to play the part. Originally DJ Pooh was to play Smokey alongside co-writer Ice Cube. New Line, the studio funding the film wanted a more known actor in the role instead. Despite a few other names up for consideration Tucker was awarded the role and DJ Pooh instead played the role of Red.

The people within the film all feel real and so well rounded, I can't commend the film and the performers enough. What's also interesting is that Ice Cube, despite being co-writer was very free with the script and welcomed changes if they made sense. This presented opportunities for Tucker and others to be creative with dialogue. Gray estimates that by the end of filming about 65% was script and 35% was improvised material, which is pretty impressive in itself.

There are a lot of scenes that I love, some funny and some serious. One of the more serious scenes I love is when Craig's dad catches Craig with a gun after walking into his room. After an exchange of dialogue his dad hold up two fists in a fighting pose. He begins, "This is what makes you a man. When I was growing up this was all the protection we needed. You win some, you lose some, but you live...you live to fight another day." It's a great scene and it really shows how great a father Craig has and highlights their relationship.

I learned some other pretty interesting things in my research of Friday. For instance, the entire film was shot on location in twenty days from star to finish and the cast and crew couldn't wear any red as they were in Crip territory. I also learned that the street they filmed on was F Gary Gray’s childhood neighborhood. It’s a neighborhood in South Central Los Angeles and one of the houses shown on film is the very home Gray himself grew up in.

This film is quite different from other films depicting life in South Central Los Angeles Up to that point black neighborhoods were usually portrayed in poor light, concentrating on gang activity. Noted films to do this prior to ’95 include John Singleton’s Boyz N the Hood and Dennis Hopper’s Colors. Ice Cube and DJ Pooh wanted to go in a different direction with Friday however and depict the neighborhood with a bit more fun. In the words of Ice Cube:

“We wanted to put it in a movie and show that the neighborhood we grew up in wasn’t this terror zone, it was just this place that had good days, and it had bad days. It was very unpredictable, which made it dangerous – but for the most part, we had fun growing up”.

Navigating uncharted waters, the creators would constantly gauge their takes, asking each other questions. Is it funny? Is it real? Is it relevant? Is it true? These questions helped them to produce the film's end result of humor, poignancy, and heart.

We can't talk about Friday and not talk about the soundtrack. The music within this film is quite fantastic, comprising of songs from artists like Ice Cube, Rick James, Dr. Dre, and the Isley Brothers to name a few. The soundtrack was so good in fact that it hit number one on the Billboard music charts and kept the top spot for two weeks. Not bad for a time when radio was still the number one way to listen to music.

Friday was filmed on a budget of around $3.5 million dollars and ended up grossing $24 million dollars at the box office. The success of the film launched the careers of several cast members. In fact, it hosts the on-screen debuts of performers like Michael Clark Duncan and Megan Good. It also launched Gray's career of filmmaking and sine then he's released several critically acclaimed films like The Italian Job, Law Abiding Citizen, and Straight Out of Compton. Ice Cube went on to star in several other films and created two loved franchises in the Friday and Barbershop films. More importantly than launching careers however, Friday changed the perception of black life. I found a quote from Todd Boyd, professor at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts that says it perfectly.

“The film demonstrated that black life was not all drugs, violence, dysfunction, and pathology — yet instead of offering a Cosby Show-like fantasy, Friday put these issues in context, finding humor in the everyday lives of regular black people. Since the 1970s, Hollywood has always looked favorably upon low-budget black films that produce high profit margins at the box office. Friday expanded the representation of the hood into the realm of comedy and achieved box office success at the same time.”

The thing I love about Friday is how relatable the film is. Despite portraying a place and way of life I am unfamiliar with, I could relate to things like bullies, having a crush, getting into things with friends, and the family dynamic. I think that's what is so brilliant about Friday is that there's something for everyone to relate to. If you've never had the pleasure of seeing Friday I highly recommend giving it a try, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

If you'd like to watch Friday for yourself you can find it on a variety of streaming services. At the time of this recording you can watch Friday on HBO Max. HBO Max includes two pricing options which are with ads for $9.99 per month or ad free for $14.99 per month.

You can also find it on services like Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play, iTunes, and YouTube for $3.99 to rent.

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