The 1990s were filled with memorable crime thrillers that we still love today. Seven, The Silence of the Lambs, and The Bone Collector are a few that come to mind, as is a 1991 crime thriller that some critics referred to as “Scarface with hip-hop.” Indeed, the music genre was in its golden age by the time this one rolled around, which made it the perfect blend of pop culture and cinema. Now, 34 years later, it’s yours to relive for free on streaming.
Directed by Mario Van Peebles, New Jack City is an epic crime thriller packed with future stars who were still getting their feet wet in Hollywood at the time. Wesley Snipes, Chris Rock, Judd Nelson, and Ice-T are just a few of the notable names that appear in New Jack City, which traces the rise and fall of a New York City drug lord named Nino Brown. It’s a stylish crime thriller that’s also a throwback to 70s Blaxploitation movies, and one that famed critic Roger Ebert absolutely loved. Writing in his review, he said:
“The movie isn’t a comic book that’s been assembled out of the spare parts from other crime movies; it’s an original, in-depth look at this world, written and directed with concern, apparently after a lot of research and inside information.”
As a reflection of Urban America at the time, New Jack City works on so many levels. Unlike other movies that shied away from current events, this one tackled the issues facing so many of the day’s youth. It shined a light on poverty, addiction, and systemic racism, while at the same time sucking you into the drama with its powerful performances. Plus, even if you don’t like hip-hop and R&B tunes, you can’t help but be immersed in the world of New Jack City thanks to the music of 2 Live Crew, Color Me Badd, and Keith Sweat. It truly is a compelling film, the synopsis of which reads:
“Drug tycoon Nino Brown (Snipes) and his minions, known collectively as the Cash Money Brothers, have rapidly risen to the top of the New York City narcotics trade. Under Nino’s heartless leadership, the drug operation has grown into a multimillion-dollar empire. Scotty (Ice-T) and Nick (Nelson), two police officers who know their way around the streets of Harlem, aim to bring Nino and his cohorts down. To do so, though, they’ll have to play by Nino’s rules and go undercover.”
‘New Jack City’ Still Holds Up Today
Scoring an impressive 81% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, New Jack City is one of those 90s crime thrillers that still holds up today. It has an audience score of 80%, with recent reviews saying it’s “not for the faint of heart,” while others commented that it was their “gateway drug” to other great crime thrillers such as The Godfather, Casino, and Goodfellas.
If you’re in the mood for a compelling crime thriller this weekend and have never seen it, or perhaps just want a refresher on how good New Jack City really is, be sure to stream it for free on Tubi.
- Release Date
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March 8, 1991
- Runtime
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97 Minutes
- Writers
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Thomas Lee Wright, Barry Michael Cooper
