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Friday

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Friday

R

Released Apr 26, 1995

1h 31m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

It's Friday and Craig Jones (Ice Cube) has just gotten fired for stealing cardboard boxes. To make matters worse, rent is due, he hates his overbearing girlfriend, Joi (Paula Jai Parker), and his best friend, Smokey (Chris Tucker), owes the local drug dealer money -- and that's all before lunch. As the hours drag on, Jones and Smokey experience the gamut of urban life, complete with crackheads, shoot-outs and overly sexual pastors, concentrated into one single, unbelievable Friday.

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Critics Consensus

What Friday might lack in taut construction or directorial flair, it more than makes up with its vibrant (albeit consistently crass) humor and the charming, energetic performances of its leads.

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Michael Rechtshaffen

The Hollywood Reporter

While the character-driven script has a weakness for toilet humor (Mel Brooks would be proud), its inhabitants are given some oddball quirks and tics that keep things percolating when the plot development runs a little thin.

Apr 26, 2019

Full Review

Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

I knew the picture was in trouble when its first gag involved an old lady spewing obscenities.

Rated: 1/4

Aug 16, 2017

Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Friday has energy, and sass, and the nerve to suggest that the line between tragedy and comedy may be in the bloodshot eye of the beholder.

Rated: B

Jul 6, 2010

Full Review

Chance Solem-Pfeifer

Willamette Week

Friday soars every time John Witherspoon (as Craig’s dad) is on screen, embarking on unstoppable improv jags about his job as a dog catcher.

Jan 22, 2025

Full Review

Sheila Reid

Women in the Life

This film is a laugh a minute and portrays realistic characters each of us can relate to.

May 16, 2022

Full Review

Anderson Jones

Philadelphia Daily News

Director F. Gary Gray chooses to develop tension in this often over-the-top farce in a very unfunny, almost baffling way.

Rated: 1.5/4

Apr 26, 2022

Full Review

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Audience Member

Absolute banger of a movie...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/24/25

Full Review

DennisFeinsteinCEO

A straight classic. Highly recommend for ANY comedy fan, new or old. ☝️

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/15/25

Full Review

Mark J

Small set film done really well. People coming in and out with enough randomness to keep you watching a film, that if done wrong, would have been very boring. Brilliant cast.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/29/25

Full Review

Audience Member

30 years old and it’s still one of Ice Cube's best next to Chris Tucker A stoner comedy with so many funny scenes and quotable moments Moves at a very breakneck pace not overstaying it’s welcome It’s got quite the soundtrack being a throwback to the 1990s For a movie with virtually no plot it’s a chill, relaxing watch A lot can happen on one day and Cube even breaks the fourth wall on occasion Cube stars and writes with Director F. Gary Gray before ‘The Negotiator’ and ‘Fate of the Furious’ to tell the story of Craig and his buddy Smokey Craig has no job and needs to provide for his family living in the poor part of Los Angeles black community, Smokey just smokes all day but is his best friend They deal with weed, girls, and hustlers mainly a man named Deebo collecting on a debt but anyone who’s grown up being low-income like these characters can relate especially with all the guns and gang violence With Craig he has his own gun for protection but maybe his father has a point that he’s afraid to take a hit by anyone, he has a choice to raise his fists to be brave or end up like a statistic, maybe the kids are just punks not criminals, you win some you lose some but you get to live, you can still be a man without using a gun So this takes place entirely on a porch outside Craig’s house but the funny banter of the two leads sells it all This has gained quite the cult following too with two sequels and a third on the way (hopefully returning to form) It’s a welcome comedic view of south central living even after all this time

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/27/25

Full Review

Audience Member

F*k the AI overview. The only thing cringe worthy about Friday is their trash a$$ review.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/26/25

Full Review

Jake S

Classic movie with a great story and funny jokes. Many iconic lines.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/26/25

Full Review

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F. Gary Gray

Director

Ice Cube

Craig Jones

Chris Tucker

Smokey

Nia Long

Debbie

Tommy Tiny Lister

Deebo

John Witherspoon

Mr. Jones

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Synopsis

It's Friday and Craig Jones (Ice Cube) has just gotten fired for stealing cardboard boxes. To make matters worse, rent is due, he hates his overbearing girlfriend, Joi (Paula Jai Parker), and his best friend, Smokey (Chris Tucker), owes the local drug dealer money -- and that's all before lunch. As the hours drag on, Jones and Smokey experience the gamut of urban life, complete with crackheads, shoot-outs and overly sexual pastors, concentrated into one single, unbelievable Friday.

Director: F. Gary Gray
Producer: Patricia Charbonnet
Screenwriter: Ice Cube, DJ Pooh
Distributor: New Line Home Video [us], New Line Cinema
Production Co: New Line Cinema
Rating: R (Drug Use|A Brutal Fight|Pervasive Strong Language)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 26, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $27.4M
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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