New Jersey Drive
Tags: cult, dark, murder, violence

Plot synopsis:
Jason Petty (Sharron Corley) is a young teenage boy living with his working-class family in the violent and poverty-ridden housing projects of Newark, New Jersey. He and his troublemaking friends have a hobby of stealing cars and joyriding. Soon some of the teens, including Jason, begin to convert their hobby into a part-time job as they steal cars and sell them to a sleazy chop-shop owner for pennies on the dollar. Eventually they are caught in a police sting and one boy, Ronnie Lambs Ron Q, is shot by the crooked Officer Emil Roscoe (Saul Stein) and other police officers. They begin to run for cover and they end up at Ronnie's house whose relatives take him to the hospital. Jason informs his friends that the police ambushed them but he refuses to come forward and report the crime.
The next day, Jason, along with Midget and Tiny are riding in a stolen car when Officer Roscoe spots them and a police chase ensues. The crew manage to get away and go to the block when they are confronted by Midget's brothers and their friend, Bo-Kane (played by rapper Heavy D) for riding fast on their street. Later on that night, while outside a Chinese restaurant, Tiny Dime attempts to break away from the police in a stolen car, but his car is hit by one of the officers and he is killed instantly from the impact. The rest of the crew goes to Tiny Dime's funeral. Outside the funeral, Tiny Dime's mother slaps Midget for being a bad influence on Tiny Dime.
One night while walking home, Jason is pulled over by the police. While he is being held in the back of a police car, he is approached by Officer Roscoe. Roscoe warns Jason not to tell a soul and he punches Jason in the eye as a warning to stay away from grand juries. Jason's mother tries to steer him away from a life of crime but he continues to hang out with his friends from the neighborhood who are involved in the street life. After becoming fed up with his mother and her boyfriend's home rules, Jason leaves their house and moves into Midget's apartment in the projects. Later on, Jason, Midget and their friend, Richie, decide to steal a police car parked in the neighborhood and joyride. They see a truck full of white men and decide to pretend that they are the police, and pull them over as a prank. The next day, Jason & Midget, along with another group of friends, Jamal & Peanut, are arrested for boosting the police car. While Jason is waiting to get processed, Officer Roscoe decides to put him in a room, where he beats him up & tell him not to talk to any jurors.
One day, Jason and his friends are relaxing on the strip and a car drives past. Jason's sister, Jackie, and a friend of hers are in the back seat of a stolen vehicle. Jason pulls her out of the vehicle and sends her home. Officer Roscoe drives down the street, greets the guys, and calls for backup. Midget says a few words, then throws a 40-ounce bottle at the windshield of Officer Roscoe's vehicle. As the boys run their separate ways, Jason and Midget are approached by two cops, one being a female police officer. She questions them, since they are minors drinking alcohol, and fit the description of the suspects they were looking for. Midget insults the female officer for calling for backup, while Jason pours out the liquor bottle. She rips the bag Midget was carrying, and the boys take off running, with police in pursuit. The police lose Jason, but catch up to Midget. They corner him near the back of an apartment building, and take turns brutally beating him. Some time later, Midget awakens from the beating, grabs his 40-ounce of malt liquor, and Jason catches up with him. Midget gets hold of a gun, and he points it a police squad car from the roof top of a housing project building. Midget immediately fires three shots, and the crew flees the scene. Later that day, after visiting a crooked chop shop owner, Midget robs a man of his Lexus in a grocery store parking lot. Jason, who is in the previous vehicle, was unaware of Midget's actions, and they both speed away in their separate vehicles. Jason later confronts Midget for not telling him about his actions, while Midget is seen feeding his elderly grandmother.
Meanwhile, Roscoe is looking at a video camera, which caught Jason at the scene of the robbery at the grocery store, which now makes him a suspect. Next, Jackie is seen hanging out in the parking lot in the housing projects with a crowd of Jason's peers, who are car thieves. Jason confronts Jackie once again & Richie tries to intervene. Jason tells Richie to stay out of it, but a friend of Richie's instigates the argument to the point where Richie hits Jason in the face. Jason responds by beating Richie up in front of everybody until a group of guys including Midget break up the fight. After that, the police go to Jason's mother's home in search of him, but she informs the police that he is not home. Jason's mother drives around in search of Jason. When she finds him, she tells Jason that the police are on the hunt for him. Jason & Midget return to Midget's home, only to find that the police are waiting in the hallway. Jason runs, while Midget stays put. As Jason is walking down the street, Richie pulls up in a vehicle. As he calls for Jason, Jason ignores him. Richie pulls out a gun, and chases after Jason, firing shots at him while in pursuit. Jason was able to get away unharmed. Later, he is taunted by his friends for almost getting murdered on the street by Richie. Jason scolds his friends for trivializing the situation, which could have been resulted in his death at the hands of Richie. The crew drive around the city until night time.
As they ponder upon a red SUV, Midget and Peanut try to steal the vehicle, while Jason watches. It appears that their carjacking attempt is taking too long, as the car alarm goes off. Suddenly, the car alarm stops, & the police immediately surround them. Jason is arrested, Midget successfully gets away, & Peanut tries to drive away from the police with the red SUV in reverse. The police shoot at the car, killing Peanut, later describing the shooting as self-defence by claiming that the carjacker tried to overrun a policeman. Jason finally realizes that his luck has run out on him as Officer Roscoe arrives & advises Jason that he was caught on video tape committing the crime (alluding to the carjacking at the grocery store with Midget earlier). The neighborhood residents are later seen outraged, protesting the police for shooting a teenage carjacker, as the emergency medics try to revive him. The scene returns to the present, with Jason doing time at a juvenile hall. While washing clothes, he gets into an argument with another inmate who has a vendetta against his friend, Midget. As Jason is sitting watching the news, it is revealed that the officers involved in the shootings of Ronnie Lambs & Peanut have been suspended from active duty, with Officer Roscoe being brought up on criminal charges.
Jason is released from jail, & receives a ride from his female friend. She takes him to his old stomping grounds on Avon St., and he sees Midget with his friends. Apparently, Midget nor any other of his friends came to visit Jason while he was in jail. Midget and Jason have a long talk, & it appears that the neighborhood is changing for the worse. and that Midget suggests that Jason figure out what he wants to do with his life. Later that evening, Jason and his female friend begin to have a talk while sitting in her mother's car. Suddenly, they are carjacked at gun-point by the men who had an argument with Jason when he was incarcerated. Midget and his crew arrive on the scene to try to figure out what happened, but Jason has grown tired of the street life. Midget and Jason get into an argument, and Midget informs Jason that this is how life on the streets is. Midget and his friends get inside of a van & drive off. While Midget is driving, the police pulls up behind them. The next scene shows Midget's van flipped over, & on the news. Later, a police dispatcher performs a voice-over during events in which it is revealed that Midget and a pregnant woman who were joyriding in a stolen van are killed in an accident during a police chase, while the others were injured. Midget's gun was in the van, but it was not the weapon used to steal the car. Jason sees this on the news while eating cereal. The next scene shows Jason walking down the street with a bookbag on his way to school, while a group of kids drive past him joyriding. He looks at a mural dedicated to the memory of Midget & Tiny Dime, & a flashback goes to the beginning of the film, with the friends all hanging out together. The final scene features Jason sitting in a classroom, earning his education, and reflecting on the past.

Review: Best True-to-Life Movie, even still...
Being from eastern PA, right on the border of Northern New Jersey, I still get a feeling like this was a documentary more so than a movie.
I have friends from New York and New Jersey and this film represents the kind of lifestyle that "still" exists today in lower income area's outside of the "Big City" lifestyle.
If you have not seen this movie and ever wondered what REALLY goes on in the urban jungle, check this movie out.
No really big name actors, its as if they just pulled these guys off the street and said act, which adds to the realism of the movie, the performances are FANTASTIC none the less!
"New Jersey Drive" keeps it real..
I just wanted to inform anyone who may be interested that the the movie "New Jersey Drive" was my personal favorite off alltime.
I admire the work Nick Gomez and Spike Lee put into this masterpiece of a movie.
This movie made quite an impression on me because of its realness and its appreciation of detail of life in urban New Jersey.
It struck a chord with me, personally, because I grew up with friends like those depicted in the movie.
It further made an impression with me because I used to spend time in Teaneck several years ago, so some of the characters were kept "real".
At times, this movie seemed like a documentary because you didn't know whether or not these were real events taking place.
Although movies like "Boys in the Hood" and "Menace II Society" grab more attention, I personally feel these movies were somewhat "enhanced" to appeal to a broader audience.
"New Jersey Drive" was an uncompromising piece of "in your face" reality.
Lee and Gomez covered every detail in this urban drama from the music, clothing, slang, and location.Unlike some of the movies I mentioned earlier, the actors performed as if they weren't "actors".
Nothing was compromised in order to make good "theater".
The only misfortune to come from this movie was the fact that many people "slept" on it.
I look forward to more works of art from Nick and Spike in the hopefully near future..
Bad boys, bad cops, decent movie.
This movie brings to mind "Boys 'n the Hood," "Menace to Society," "South Central" and others of its ilk and even shares actors with some of them.
The film's "us vs.
The film's "us vs.
the law" mentality is underscored by the all-black neighborhood vs.
the nearly all-white police force.
Here the cops are so bad they seem like caricatures and in one scene they even ambush the boys as they drive by in a car they've just "liberated" from its owner.
It's like a bushwhacking from an old Western, but the contemporary setting makes it look all too real.The story centers on young Jason Petty and his buddies, to whom school is just an inconvenience that takes time away from their "real occupation" of boosting cars.
This happens to be Newark, N.J., a rust-belt city low on jobs but notoriously high on crime.
In fact the problem is so severe that the cops all have "Car Theft" written on their backs, to show that an entire unit must be devoted to this particular crime.The boys use a "slim Jim" to gleefully break into cars and go joy-riding, as if it's no big deal.
They only run into real trouble when the police ambush them.
The vicious, Nazi-like Lt. has a vendetta against the boys, seeing them not as human beings who might be worthy of redemption, but as human targets.
In fact, he's a little reminiscent of that sadistic Nazi officer of the Warsaw ghetto, who shot down Jews for pleasure in the film "Schindler's List." When the boys steal a police car in retribution for the ambush, things predictably go downhill fast.
They are severely beaten by the cops and Jason finally ends up in prison.
Clearly these are "bad boys," who'd steal your car in a minute, but the film wants us to see them as anti-heroes, showing Jason protecting his sister and his friend taking care of his own grandmother.
The film left us wondering whose side to take and who to feel sadder for: the boys whose lives are going down the drain, the honest citizens whose cars are being stolen left and right and who could be caught in the crossfire of a shootout at any moment or the city of Newark itself, the spirit of whose law is being betrayed by brutal, soul-dead cops.In spite of the over-the-top portrayal of the latter, the film offers a realistic-looking rendering of the ghetto, of the protagonists and their families and of the culture of car theft in a city where there appears to be only 2 career paths - law enforcement and crime.
Strangely, the entire subject of drugs is never mentioned.The filmmakers (including producer Spike Lee) are obviously biased against the Newark police, who, we hope, are not as bad they are portrayed here.
Nevertheless, they've given us yet another a strong, affecting story about the inner city and black youth gone awry and Sharron Corley is fine as Jason..
a successful car-jacking if you ask me....
New Jersey Drive is a very underrated movie to put it quite bluntly.
As it's supposed to in urban movies, the street atmosphere was definitely there.
The script was good because it showed a crrosroad as Jason's crew and the cops lives crossed paths, I don't wanna give this away though.
Sharron Corley gives a good performance as the humble but tough Jason, as does Gabriel Casseus as the knucklehead Midget and Don Faison as Tiny Dime, etc., etc.
It was also wonderfully directed by Nick Gomez and also stars Heavy D and Michele Morgan.authentic street movie 10/10.
The most entertaining `Growing up in the hood movie` ever made!.
This film is explosive!Probably the most entertaining `Growing up in the hood movie` ever.Its made very realistic and has a brutal story of survival and police brutality against juvenile offenders.You never get board because there's something going on every time,from start to finish,and the sound track makes it even better.Its like a documentary of juvenile delinquency,mostly car thefts,and life in the toughest black suburbs in New Jersey.Based on reality,true in every way!.
True to life flick.
New Jersey Drive is one of the most true to life flicks about urban life ever made.
Nick Gomez carefully winds his tale into car thieves almost into greek tradgy.
In the lead role as Jason, Shannon Corley shows great leading staus.
Jason is played as a chratcer who wants a better life but is caught up with the street life.
Gaberial Cassius as Midget is almost believeable.
If you haven't seen this flick you should.
I lived in that area (Hoboken and Jersey City)for about ten years.
This film certainly captures the feel of that time and place.
The dialogue is very good, the music is right and scenarios realistic.
As another poster said, it looks almost like a documentary.I like the way it humanizes these kids, who probably would have rather have been born in Westchester, but fall into what kids fall into.
It just so happens that area is pretty rough.They over-demonize the cops quite a bit, but that's to be expected.
I'd say the acting is good all-around, too.It gives the viewer some sense of how this idiocy is caused and gets blown out-of-proportion.
Hopefully, the new mayor of Newark is making progress..
For real.
This is a very realistic movie.
It's the most realistic I've seen on urban youth.
The actors were great.
I will look out for more films by Gomez.
I had never heard of the film until someone mentioned it recently.
I bought it on DVD.
I was impressed.
I haven't seen anything come close to life as I know it in Philadelphia.
This comes real close - in fact, one scene where there is an accident (I won't spoil and give details), reminded me of a nearly identical situation in Philadelphia.
At first I thought Gomez took the scene from that real-life event, but then I realized that he made the film a few years before that situation.
I also agree with the point that this film didn't try to broaden its appeal by putting in Hollywood crap.
Gomez also directed "Laws of Gravity" - I am eager to see it..
Decent, with beautiful cinematography and one fine performance.
This film is pretty good, it actually is like a good wine, it gets better the more you watch it.
The pace is pretty slow for such a high octane topic, but the cinematography is beautiful and surreal.
There is a cool blue tint that "rides" the whole film.
There is also one great performance in Gabriel Casseus' performance of the character "Midget".
Why doesn't this guy work more.
If the film got better support, he probably would have..
A great underrated gem of a movie.
I thought Nick Gomez's look at the gritty streets of New Jersey, where car-jackings are at an all-time high, was both thought-provoking and entertaining.
This is just as good as movies like Boyz n the Hood or Menace II Society or Above the Rim. I thought the actors and the scenarios were suitable, it had a gritty realistic feel to it and was very atmospheric, whether on purpose or by raw coincidence.
I liked this movie a lot, an underrated gem i found on TV and glad i caught it.
Go watch this movie if you get a shot.
If they don't have a DVD, they should release one.
Well done Nick Gomez.
IMDb Rating: 5.9.
My Rating: 9/10.
Tales From the Hood.
Jason and Midget are two young, black teenagers living in Newark,New Jersey, the unofficial car theft capital of the world.
Their favorite pastime is that of everybody in their neighborhood: stealing cars and joyriding.
The trouble starts when they steal a police car and the cops launch a violent offensive that involves beating and even shooting suspects.Mayor Sharpe James refused to allow filming of New Jersey Drive within the city limits; therefore, the filming locations were in the surrounding locations of Newark rather than the city itself.
I am surprised they would turn down the shooting...
but, hey, I guess if you're known for being a car theft city, you don't want to support that claim.Some have called this the best "hood" movie.
I don't know.
I liked it, and thought it seemed fairly accurate to how I imagine life in the streets to be.
But it lacked a solid plot or story arc, and I think it suffers from that.
I do like how it has no real hero -- both the thieves and the police come off as less than perfect..
Great insight on street life in the 90s.
In this 1995 film, writer/director Nick Gomez brings to the screen a wonderful film that captures the essence of inner city life and crime in Newark, New Jersey.
Car theft and joyriding is a thrilling experience for many teens as they courageously face the mean streets while trying to survive and overcome many obstacles.
The story begins by introducing us to Jason Petty, a tough yet decent teen who, like many of his friends, gets his kicks out of stealing cars and having fun.
As he tells the story from his point of view, Jason exposes us to how he and most of his friends deal with the unfortunate, every day occurrences in their neighborhood.
From gun violence to police corruption to juvenile detention and the death of close friends, there is nothing positive for these kids to look forward to.
The acting is incredibly believable if not downright brilliant.
Since the film is set in the New Jersey ghetto, the urban vernacular and the overall dialogue is truly fantastic.
The cast includes Sharron Corley, Gabriel Casseus, Donald Faison of "Scrubs" and a cameo appearance of the late hip hop artist Heavy D.333.
It was "right in your face"!.
On the one hand, I felt that the movie glorified "car-jacking", but on the other hand - it kept it real and gave you a look into "the joy of the ride".
The leading actor was quite convincing (not to mention, handsome as he could be) and his role showed both his desire to do something positive with his life, as well as throw caution to the wind and do his own thing!.
GTA - New Jersey Drive.
WOW I Love this movie.
This is definitely added to my list of Ghetto Movies.Juice - Starring Tupac 'I don't giva F***' Menace II Society - O-Dawg 'I'll smoke Anybody, I just don't giva F****' New Jersey Drive - Hey they steal cars in broad daylight they obviously don't giva f***New Jersey Drive is the best hood movie ever.
It is at the top of the list, menace II society is second, and juice is third, Clockers is really stupid.The soundtrack for New Jersey Drive is Pwnage too Mac Mall & Young Lay - All about my fetti is heard through out the movie.Lords of the underground - Burn rubber, another good song, and so is Ill & Al Scratch - don't shut down on a playerIf your a fan of GTA-SA you'll freaking love this movie, AND The amazing soundtrack.
The soundtrack is basically Rap about stealing cars ^_^ SWEETTTT Movie!.
New jersey drive little insight.
This movie is a good over cap of what happened in Newark.
I'm young so around the time that this may have happened I was a baby.
This movie gives of a realistic Vibe like your watching a documentary of the main characters life.
What people don't know is some of the things in the movie is true other then Newark being the highest place of car theft.
In the end when the news dispatch about the van with midget in being shot n two people being killed was true.
Well the pregnant teen being shot and killed what's crazy is things like showing true action makes this movie one that keeps your eyes glued on the screen and not want to miss any part.
This movie is great and is a must see..
Just remember who your friends are!.
***SPOILER*** Life on the mean streets of Newark New Jersey is brutally depicted in "New Jersey Drive" that at the time, and even now, was among other things what Newark's Mayor Sharpe James wanted to keep out of the film in it being the car theft capital of the world.
In fact Mayor James refused to have any footage of the movie shot within Newark city limits taking away a good part of the movies authenticity!The movie starts with a carjacking gone bad that ends up putting one of the carjackers Ronnie Lambs, Koran C.
Thomas,in the hospital on life support.
Lambs and his fellow carjackers unknowingly carjacked tough take no BS Newark cop Emil Rosco's, Saul Stein, car.
It was Officer Rosco who just happened to be on the scene when Ronnie and his friends were ambushed in a police string.
Shot four times by Rosco Ronnie now in the hospital and no gun found on him has Rosco in deep trouble with the only witness to the shooting fellow carjacker Jason Petty, Shannon Corley, slated to testify against him before the grand jury!This all sets the stage for Rosco hounding Jason all throughout the movie to get him to change his testimony.
As for Jason he gives Rosco and the Newark Police all the rope they need to hang him by continuously going out with his friends carjacking cars thus putting his and their lives as well as freedom in jeopardy.
Jason's mom Rene Petty, Gwen McGee, knows that her son is out stealing cars instead of going to school but try as she does Rene can't convince him that he'll end up either dead or behind bars as a result of his actions.
It's later when his straight as an arrow sister Jackie, Samantha Brown, starts to hang out with the same crowd that Jason does that he throws a fit that almost has him gunned down by her new found "Gangsta" boyfriend Ritchie, Andre Moore.
Ritchie feels that Jason "dists" him by trying to keep Jackie from ending up like him: Out of luck out of work out of school and nothing in life to look forward too!
Stealing cars together with his friend Midget, Gabe Casseus, Jason tries to make a few bucks for his troubles by selling them to this chop-chop junk yard operator, Arthur J.
Nascarella, in what looks like the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn for pennies on the dollar.
Despite all the business they give him the junk yard man almost throws Midget out of his place when he comes unannounced with his latest steal not wanting the cops to connect him, by buying stolen merchandise, to Midgets & Jason's criminal activities!
it's later when the law finally catches up with Jason that ends with one of his many carjacking friends being gunned down that he finally realizes that this life is not for him.
****SPOILERS**** Spending 90 days behind bars in a juvenile dentition center Jason finally saw the light and decided to go back to school and put his life of crime behind him.
The fact that Officer Rosco was indited in the Ronnie Lambs shooting helps also in Jason now not having to worry about Rosco framing or working him over, which he did a number of time in the movie, to keep him from talking.
It was in fact Midget's fiery death is a stolen car chased by police that finally convinced Jason that he was right in his decision to go straight!
It was Jasons refusal to join Midget and his friends in this latest carjacking caper that ended up saving his life!