WE GROWN NOW (2023)

 

Written & Directed By: Minhal Baig 

Cinematography: Patrick Scola

Editor: Stephanie Filo

Cast: Blake Cameron Jones, Gian Knight Ramirez, Jurnee Smollett S. Epatha Merkerson, Lil Rel Howery, Avery Holliday, Ora Jones 

Two young boys, best friends Malik and Eric, discover the joys and hardships of growing up in the sprawling Cabrini-Green public housing complex in 1992 Chicago.

This is an empowering movie about the positivity of black youth and black families growing up in the so-called hood of poverty. 

The film shows the strength of family imagination and wonder by focusing on the innocence of the young children involved. How can we grow in places that we’ve been told are the most dangerous. How communities formed in these places in the past for a community and culture of solidarity.

Over the years, the resources have been taken and swindled away. Also how it seems that every time that African-Americans or the so-called poor people try to do right and lift themselves up

The upper class or those in power seemed to punish them or make things harder so that they could never truly lift themselves up the way that many say they should.

While it deals with that and generations and legacies of families, its wide scope is Mohr seeing this world through the children’s eyes especially the two leads who are best friends from different families but are like a tag team and help each other through when their family is it necessarily there or can’t they’re an inspiration to one another.

It’s an uplifting adventure of life seen through the eyes of children for the most part. 

Grade: B+