Wow, what an unpleasant mess. Not ONE intelligent, moral or otherwise responsible character in the entire film. John Singleton is certainly a competent director as he has proven with Boyz In the Hood and well, Boyz in the Hood. The Actors were all good to Above average. Especially Ving Rames and surprisingly Tyrese. The film was well lit and in focus. Technically the production was sound. The actual Content of the film was very disappointing at best - disgustingly condescending at worst. The main character is a very unlikable, 20ish, lazy, obnoxious jerk. His friends and family are not any better. His mother tries and often comes close to being an actual, honest-to-goodness, responsible Adult Person, yet ultimately falls short. Rames has the most interesting character (Too bad the movie was not about him), a hard-boiled yet childish and irresponsible as a father figure. Believe it or not each character portrays the negative stereotypes that racists have been spouting on about for decades. Why Singleton chose to portray all of these African-Americans in the 'hood as dim, shallow, dishonest, foul-mouthed, materialistic, sexually amoral and completely irresponsible is beyond me. They are nothing like the wide variety of real-life African-Americans that populate my world. There are many scenes in this film that I could only imagine would make the KKK proud. Why indeed! And by the way, when a criminal moves into your home uninvited-CALL THE POLICE!! A sad commentary on the state of the depiction of African-Americans in film. If John Singleton is willing to depict his community this way-then what will mainstream Hollywood sink to in the future? My heart goes out to those who bother to care.