New Jack City (1991)

It's the late 1980's, the crack cocaine epidemic has hit New York City, and one rising drug kingpin is taking over the market - his hame is Nine Brown and he's played Wesley Snipes in what would be his breakout performance.  On his trail and trying to stop him is NYPD Detective Scotty Appleton played by Ice-T in what would be his first major on-screen perfomance.  And what results is a violent war to win the city in this heightened crime drama directed by Mario Van Peebles (Posse, Panther) who also co-stars among a stacked cast including Allen Payne, Judd Nelson, Bill Nunn, Vanessa Williams, Bill Cobb, and Chris Rock in an unforgettable performance as Pookie, a recovering crack addict who Scotty takes under his wing.  This film was a suprise box office hit upon release also featuring a very popular soundtrack with songs by Color Me Badd, Queen Latifah, Levert, and Keith Sweat among several others.  

Host: Geoff Gershon
Edited By Ella Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon 

Transcript

NEW JACK CITY - 1991

Directed by Mario Van Peebles     

Starring Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Allen Payne, Judd Nelson, Mario Van Peebles, Michael Michele, Bill Nunn, Russell Wong, Bill Cobbs, Christopher Williams, Vanessa Williams, Tracy Camilla Johns, Anthony DeSando, Nick Ashford, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, and Chris Rock

Genre: Crime Thriller (Audio clip)

1991 was a vintage year for cinematic villains, just a damn impressive crop of bad guys: you had Max Cady, the T-1000, Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter, Gaston, Bodhi, Patrick Bergin's abusive husband in Sleeping With the Enemy, John Lithgow's bat-shit Earl Talbot Blake from Ricochet, and.....NINO Brown!

Nino Brown (as played by Wesley Snipes in probably his breakout role) was a '90's comic book version of Tony Montana as the film loves to remind us in none too subtle moments. Infact, NONE of this movie is remotely subtle - director Mario Van Peebles isn't going for subtle or did you not also notice his supporting role looking model-handsome as the impeccably dressed police captain? :) Of course he is....as he's delegating most of the action to Ice T's Detective Appleton and Judd Nelson playing his point men designated to take down the infamous Nino Brown.

Van Peebles' handsomeness aside, he did direct a very handsome film...this film is LOADED with gorgeous helicopter shots of Manhattan, sweeping overhead shots of foot chases, and nicely composed Dutch angles of every character looking his most determined or suave....depending on the circumstance. This film is definitively NOT a gritty street-level take on the crack epidemic - how could it be with cameos from Flavor Flav and Keith Sweat?? 🤔

But what it is happens to be is a highly entertaining, briskly paced '90's music video version of Scarface with a lot of the talkier scenes removed. 😄 There are valid reasons why this film was able to make such a big splash coming out amidst what seems like were DOZENS of landmark crime/gangster dramas at the time ('90-'92) from Goodfellas to Boyz N the Hood to King of New York...because unlike most of those other films, it wasn't even trying to be real. But it works well on a pretty heightened level, as a big screen comic book of course....replete with all of Nino's employees sporting "CMB" logo merch a la Joker's gang from Batman a couple of years prior. ;) 

I couldn't tell you if there was ever an actual crackhead who carried himself like Chris Rock's Pookie...he's pretty much a crackhead Bugs Bunny. 😮 But he holds the screen and I can't look away and I'm even feeling affected when his character meets his end. Everyone is doing the most with the material they're given...Ice T makes a compelling determined cop, the late Bill Nunn brings more depth than is on the page to his stuttering henchman.

New Jack City will never be recognized as being one of the premiere crime dramas from this era but it's pretty memorable nonetheless....This is big business, This is the American Way. 🫡

Best Needledrop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film): 

The soundtrack for this film was just SUCH a key driver of its success and likely remains one of the more popular and influential soundtracks of the early ‘90’s – it was just an irresistibly catchy collection of songs blending R&B and hip hop, even cementing a subgenre of pop music at the time known as “New Jack Swing.”  So many acts at the time which were already popular or already popular including star Ice-T, 2 Live Crew, Johnny Gill, Guy, and probably the soundtracks most POPULAR song which is featured during a key scene of one character putting on….a bit of a dance show for others….from Oklahoma City….Color Me Badd, remember them?  This alluring track is called, “I Wanna Sex You Up. “ (Audio clip) 

But for me the overall musical highlight remains the EPIC hip-hop collaboration which bookends the film during the opening AND closing credits….playing over helicopter shots of Manhattan no less.  It’s a really potent brew sampling intensely catchy hooks from two VERY iconic songs no less…..The O’Jays “For the Love of Money” AND….a truly iconic needle-drop for previous episode Jungle Fever SO good it would also inspire the title of this very podcast, Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City.” (Audio clip) 

It would also quote that song as well throughout…..vocals are performed by a murderer’s row of artists including Troop and Levert….and the LEAD vocals are from Dana Elaine Owens born out of Newark, NJ.  A truly top-flight performer who has been nominated for Oscars while also winning Emmy’s, Grammy’s and Golden Globes….she’s generally known by her stage name, I’m referring to Queen LATIFAH – this track is “For the Love of Money/Living For the City.” No not the most CREATIVE title but it works…. (Audio clip) 

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film): 

Bender from The Breakfast Club….JUDD NELSON is doing.....his Judd Nelson thing as the on-the-edge partner to Ice-T’s Appleton named Peretti.  Now thanks to The Rewatchables podcast, I’m not the FIRST to point out that his character feels like he’s coming in from a different movie because he does.  But at the very least, he LOOKS cool in this role….and he’s given ONE pretty good monologue in the middle of the film, so I guess he serves his purpose. (Audio clip) 

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

There can only be one, it has to be….THE most iconic scene of course, it occurs around the half-way point RIGHT after The Carter has been taken down….I’m referring to….The Boardroom Scene of course.  It’s kind of akin to that round table/baseball bat scene with Al Capone from The Untouchables but arguably even better…..all of the heads of the CMB have gathered in a very elegant darkly lit boardroom with a MASSIVE fireplace alongside kind of providing the only real light.  WHERE is this located?  Who knows but it looks cool and Snipe’s Nino enters very menacingly with a pitbull on a chain and a black cane which apparently features a sharp, nasty surprise within it.  The most startling point of this meeting is when Nino unexpectedly stabs the hand of Christopher William’s polished money man Kareem, not only nailing him to the table but starting to strangle him with the chain…..just as few others stop him. (Audio clip)  

Though right before this is DEFINTELY this film’s most quotable line delivered by Nine to G-Money during a pretty tense exchange to kick off this meeting….it’s all about the money of course.  This whole sequence is just a fun acting showcase for Snipes as in lesser hands, this line would come off as downright cheesy. Great line, great threat!(Audio clip) 

MVP (person or people most responsible for the success of this film):

Snipes gives a pretty fearless performance as Nino Brown...he's got the look and swagger of an intimidating drug lord but you can often see how under the surface, it's all an act: Nino's a coward who's often in over his head and the swagger wears off as the film progresses. One scene that highlights this of course is the moment late in the film when he has to decide whether to kill his long-time partner G-Money also played nicely by Allen Payne - Snipes just acts the shit out of this moment as some one who clearly doesn't have the stomach to be hands-on with his own dirty work but still has to push himself to do it like a young, scared kid trying to psych himself up his first time jumping off a diving board.  For delivering what MIGHT best his best career performance and one of the best villains of the ‘90’s, Wesley Snipes is the MVP.  (Audio clip) 

Final Rating: 3.25 stars out of 5

No it’s not quite on the quality level of a Clockers or Heat or Miller’s Crossing or King of New York – ALL previous episodes by the way - but this still remains a hell of a watch featuring a slew of memorable performances AND music.  Happy 35th Anniversary to one of the more entertaining crime dramas of the 1990’s!

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And that ends another THIS IS BIG BUSINESS…THIS IS THE AMERICAN WAY review!