Poetic Justice (1993) on Netflix
Justice mourns her boyfriend Markell by writing poetry and working at a South Central Los Angeles salon. When her car quits, she rides to Oakland with Lucky, the mail carrier she dislikes.
- Netflix3.7/5
- IMDb6.2/1018,725 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes34%
Trailer
Plot summary
Justice lives in South Central Los Angeles in the house her grandmother left her, with her cat Whiteboy for company. Her boyfriend Markell was shot while the two of them were at a drive-in movie, and she has kept mostly to herself since, writing poems and working at a beauty salon. Lucky, a postal clerk, tries to charm her at the salon, and she and her boss Jessie send him away. Justice's friend Iesha persuades her to come along to a hair show in Oakland, so, with her own car broken, she shares a postal van with Iesha's boyfriend Chicago and with Lucky.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Poetic Justice (1993)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Cineplex Odeon did not release the film at the Universal CityWalk Hollywood theater for fear of violence, a decision Rita Walters called racist, and the chain agreed to delay the release until July 28. Five violent incidents occurred around theaters nationwide on the opening weekend, including a killing outside a Las Vegas theater.
- John Singleton told Essence magazine that Janet Jackson's now iconic box braids were a collaboration between himself, Jackson, dance choreographer Fatima Robinson and dancer Jossie Harris, who had worn the braids in Michael Jackson's Remember the Time video.
- Rapper and actor Ice Cube was offered the lead role of Lucky but declined to play it, saying he was not at a point in his career where he would appear in romantic films.
- The song Definition of a Thug Nigga, recorded by Tupac Shakur for the film, later appeared on his 1997 posthumous album R U Still Down? (Remember Me).
- Critic Bilge Ebiri noted with amusement that Janet Jackson was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for the film, despite what he called her standout performance.
