Crooklyn

**Crooklyn** is a 1994 American semi-autobiographical film directed & co-written by Spike Lee which was released on May 13, 1994 by Universal Pictures.

## Plot

As her teacher mother, Carolyn (Alfre Woodard) and jazz musician father, Woody (Delroy Lindo), worry over monthly bills, 9-year-old Troy Carmichael (Zelda Harris) banters & bonds with her four brothers: Clinton, Wendell, Nate & Joseph (Carlton Williams, Sharif Rashed, Chris Knowings and Tse-Mach Washington).

During the summer, Troy is sent to her aunt's southern home for a visit, but when she returns to her bustling Brooklyn neighborhood, she learns that a family member is gravely ill. Already mature, Troy is forced to face to some very grown-up facts about life and loss.

## Cast

* Alfre Woodard as Carolyn Carmichael
* Delroy Lindo as Woody Carmichael
* Zelda Harris as Troy Carmichael
* Carlton Williams as Clinton Carmichael
* Sharif Rashed as Wendell Carmichael
* Chris Knowings as Nate Carmichael
* Tse-Mach Washington as Joseph Carmichael
* David Patrick Kelly as Tony Eyes / Jim
* José Zúñiga as Tommy La La
* Isaiah Washington as Vic Powell
* Spike Lee as Snuffy
* N. Jeremi Duru as Right Hand Man
* Norman Matlock as Clem
* Frances Foster as Aunt Song
* Joie Susannah Lee as Aunt Maxine
* Vondie Curtis-Hall as Uncle Brown

## Production

Spike Lee was signed to a multiyear deal with Universal Studios, giving them the first look at buying any of his films. In March of 1993 they approved production for "Crooklyn", which would be the first one made under this deal.

Cinqué Lee and Joie Lee originally wrote the script as a pilot for Nickelodeon and a test pilot was screened for inner city children who disliked it, so they converted their idea into a screenplay. Spike Lee co-wrote the script with two of his siblings, basing the story of the mother, Carolyn's illness on their own life experience.

Zelda Harris was cast for the role of Troy Carmichael through an open audition process. For the music in the film, Lee picked all the songs himself, choosing ones from his childhood.

Principal photography for "Crooklyn" began on June 30, 1993 and ended on September 14, 1993. The filming took place on location in New York (including Brooklyn, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Fort Greene Park).

During the scenes that take place in the South, the shots were filmed with an anamorphic lens in such a way to give a squeezed appearance, illustrating the alienated feelings that Troy was having in a place very strange to her.

During the original run of the film, audience members were confused by these squeezed images, assuming that there was some kind of technical error, so the studio put up signs in the theaters to explain the effect was intentional.

According to Delroy Lindo, he was very intimidated by working with children because he had not worked with them before and did not have his own children at the time.

None of the children on set had any idea how to play any of the street games in which their characters engage, so Spike Lee had to personally instruct them on how to play them before the scenes were filmed.

## Box Office

"Crooklyn" debuted at #3 at the box office, grossing $4,209,475 during its opening weekend. Domestically & worldwide, it grossed $13,642,861.

## Critical Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, "Crooklyn" has an approval rating of 77% based on 31 reviews with an average rating of 6.70\10. The site's consensus reads: *"A personal project that warmly reflects on Spike Lee's childhood, Crooklyn is an episodic celebration of family and the inedible facets of one's hometown."*

Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote: *"Messy as the semiautobiographical Crooklyn often is, it succeeds in becoming a touching and generous family portrait, a film that exposes welcome new aspects of this director's talent."*

Variety's Todd McCarthy called the film *"both annoying and vibrant, casually plotted and deeply personal,"* adding that it *"ends up being as compelling as it is messy".*

Roger Ebert gave "Crooklyn" a rating of three-and-a-half stars, stating: *"Crooklyn is not in any way an angry film. But thinking about the difference between its world and ours can make you angry, and I think that was one of Lee's purposes here."*

Writing for Rolling Stone, Peter Travers said: *"This remarkable movie will haunt you for a good long time."*

Marjorie Baumgarten from the Austin Chronicle called "Crooklyn" a *"remarkable movie that will haunt you for a good long time."*

James Berardinelli from ReelViews wrote: *"Crooklyn comes to the screen with an upbeat tone and a lot of heart. Beneath the surface of this deceptively simple motion picture lurks a keen insight."*

The Washington Post said: *"Modulating from heavy to light, from angry to lyrical, and so on, the movie's an enjoyable, emotional symphony."*

## Awards

**New York Film Critics Circle Awards** (1994)

* Best Supporting Actress: Alfre Woodard [*Nominated*]

**Young Artist Awards** (1995)

* Best Family Motion Picture (Drama) [*Nominated*]
* Best Performance by a Young Actress Starring in a Motion Picture: Zelda Harris [*Nominated*]