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Baby Boy

Play trailer Poster for Baby Boy R 2001 2h 9m Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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72% Tomatometer 93 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
The story of Jody (Tyrese Gibson), a misguided, 20-year-old African-American who is really just a baby boy finally forced-kicking and screaming to face the commitments of real life. Streetwise and jobless, he has not only fathered two children by two different women-Yvette (Taraji P. Henson) and Peanut (Tamara LaSeon Bass) but still lives with his own mother. He can't seem to strike a balance or find direction in his chaotic life.
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Baby Boy

Baby Boy

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Critics Consensus

Preachy and repetitive in parts, Baby Boy still manages to exude authenticity, thanks to its competent cast.

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Critics Reviews

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Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 01/29/2010
The characters are so full-bodied and the feelings so raw and complex that I'd call this the best thing John Singleton has done to date Go to Full Review
Jane Crowther BBC.com 11/12/2001
3/5
Johnson and Rhames are superb as Jody's charming, hard-working mother and her ex-con boyfriend Melvin. Go to Full Review
Adam Nayman eye WEEKLY 08/02/2001
2/5
It's an intermittently powerful but deeply flawed film. Go to Full Review
Barbara Shulgasser Common Sense Media 08/26/2024
The movie may have a lot of truth, but it isn't much fun to watch for exactly that reason. Go to Full Review
Armond White National Review 07/07/2021
Singleton never asked for tears or trendy social reform but insisted on the honesty that politicians and the media shunt aside in favor of platitudes. Baby Boy remarkably withholds platitudes. Go to Full Review
Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com 07/04/2011
B
The film is a bold examination of an aspect of African American life. There's no shortage of sex, violence, or urban realism. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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HMF B Feb 11 This is very far from my small town culture but I enjoyed it very much and liked the characters with all their flaws and humour. And the music. See more Edima A 07/29/2023 This movie is the definition of a proper waste of your time ladies and gentlemen. There is no moral of the story basically they're just trying to say women should accept and really embrace the bare minimum in relationships. The level of toxic masculinity is absurd in this movie and tbh it's so sad because in reality this is what actually happens. Her love interest is so entitled, he's a proud serial cheat and a manipulator, and an assaulter while her ex is a rapist a felon and a thug it's crazy the movie is so useless it has no base. Like what's the lesson, what's the whole takeaway in the end. All you'd get from this movie is that ladies stay with your man even though he's toxic and entitled it's better than being with a rapist. Lol. See more thiago s @Thiagostone 08/17/2022 Filme foda, o roteiro é legal pra caramba, as cenas são excelentes, o elenco é muito bom, e a maioria ajuda a melhorar o filme, a história é bacana, os personagens sao bacaninhas, o filme tem cenas meio pesadas com um drama forte de família e de relacionamento que melhora muito o filme, e também o filme melhora com a excelente atuação do Tyrese Gibson junto com a atriz Taraji p. Henson, com tudo isso, eu recomendo muito esse filme, vale a pena assistir. See more georgan g 08/24/2021 Much better than I thought it would be, with heart and a real growth in character for a lost young man. See more jordan m 05/25/2020 The strongest emotion I felt watching this movie was flabbergasted once the movie reached the 90-minute mark with what felt entirely like exposition as there was a firm lack of crescendo or character arc for any of the characters really. The payoff at the end with Tyrese finally moving out was underplayed after watching him lament for two hours that his mom might kick him out. There were at least half a dozen preachy diatribes from nearly every character wanting to get ghetto-philosophical on him when really none of it was effective, their advice not really coming into play after the guy gets shot. That said, the acting was fantastic, as I had no idea that Ving had that kind of physique nor any idea that Tyrese had this wide of an acting range. Pre-fame Taraji was good to watch, and I wish Omar was more famous than he is after seeing him here. Ebert's notion that this provides a unique point of view into black culture definitely rings true. See more 05/15/2019 It is a great look at the hood in the 2000s its a great cast See more Read all reviews
Baby Boy

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Baby Boy

Baby Boy: Official Clip - Revenge in the Park Baby Boy: Official Clip - Revenge in the Park 3:42 Baby Boy: Official Clip - Drive-by Shooting Baby Boy: Official Clip - Drive-by Shooting 2:21 Baby Boy: Official Clip - Living Room Fight Baby Boy: Official Clip - Living Room Fight 2:10 Baby Boy: Official Clip - Selling Dresses Baby Boy: Official Clip - Selling Dresses 2:04 Baby Boy: Official Clip - This Is Just Between Us Baby Boy: Official Clip - This Is Just Between Us 2:25 Baby Boy: Official Clip - I Love You, Baby Baby Boy: Official Clip - I Love You, Baby 1:47 Baby Boy: Official Clip - Drive-Thru Drama Baby Boy: Official Clip - Drive-Thru Drama 1:38 Baby Boy: Official Clip - Mother vs. Son Baby Boy: Official Clip - Mother vs. Son 2:14 Baby Boy: Official Clip - Taking the Gun Baby Boy: Official Clip - Taking the Gun 1:57 Baby Boy: Official Clip - Taking Down Rodney Baby Boy: Official Clip - Taking Down Rodney 1:32 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis The story of Jody (Tyrese Gibson), a misguided, 20-year-old African-American who is really just a baby boy finally forced-kicking and screaming to face the commitments of real life. Streetwise and jobless, he has not only fathered two children by two different women-Yvette (Taraji P. Henson) and Peanut (Tamara LaSeon Bass) but still lives with his own mother. He can't seem to strike a balance or find direction in his chaotic life.
Director
John Singleton
Producer
John Singleton
Screenwriter
John Singleton
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Columbia Pictures, New Deal Productions
Rating
R (Some Drug Use|Language|Strong Sexuality|Violence)
Genre
Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 29, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$28.7M
Runtime
2h 9m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, SDDS, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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