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Just Another Girl on the I.R.T.

Play trailer Poster for Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. R 1993 1h 32m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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69% Tomatometer 51 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A hip, intelligent Brooklyn teenager dreams of escaping life in the projects to go to college and eventually become a doctor. Things go awry when she meets a cute dude with a Jeep, a brownstone, and a mom who spends a lot of time at her boyfriend's.
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Just Another Girl on the I.R.T.

Critics Reviews

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Peter Bradshaw Guardian Mar 22
4/5
This is a political film about race, sex and class, and it’s a reminder that nothing brings all these political issues into sharper focus than the question of having a baby. It’s a film with the power of youth. Go to Full Review
Sheryl McCarthy Newsday 01/11/2023
Harris’ movie shows that girls like Chantel realty do struggle against the forces that seek to trap them, and that they are for more than just victims or statistics. Go to Full Review
David Hinckley New York Daily News 01/11/2023
3/4
Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. isn't just another anything. It's a snapshot of a scene most people think they know, only as the camera gets closer, the picture changes. Even when the viewer laughs, which is often, the ground is subtly shifting. Go to Full Review
Marya E. Gates Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack) 02/13/2024
A firebrand debut performance from star Ariyan A. Johnson. Go to Full Review
Michele Meek Ms. Magazine 02/23/2023
"Just Another Girl on the IRT," directed by Leslie Harris, won the Special Jury Prize at Sundance for its depiction of Black teen Chantel Mitchell who navigates the pressures of sex, parental expectations, friendship and eventually teen motherhood. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Steve D 09/11/2023 Not bad but a product of its time. See more 03/20/2023 Director Leslie Harris shows the story of a woman not being limited to her dream and that adolescent problems are so painfully true Chantel is a young black girl living in the city She's a hip intelligent teenager in Brooklyn but many people refuse to take her seriously Here she narrates her life story to the viewer Her dream is to go to college and become a doctor Chantel then meets a cute guy with a Jeep, a brownstone, and a mom who's more interested to spend time with her boyfriend Chantel makes it clear she can be her own person without worrying about judgement Yet she has one foot caught in the realities of systemically limited opportunity Even her principal says she's not ready Nobody can judge you by the way you dress, you can get your life together, our decisions are our own This is a cautionary tale and filmed almost like a documentary with lots of break-the-fourth wall moments Very explosive and hard to watch at times But it packs a rocking soundtrack and a real 90s vibe Ariyan Johnson plays this woman testing the boundaries set for her and reveling in her pockets of freedom when she can The movie clicks with fast-paced dialogue as well as a refreshing frankness about race, trials of motherhood, and childbirth The last scene is the most difficult to watch not knowing how things will work out Harris' only film might've fell under the radar but feels just as effervescent today being she's a filmmaker that dared to go against the Hollywood system Plus it defies many white perceptions of blacks Stories like this don't have to be an uphill battle This expertly shows the struggles of young girls against forces that seek to trap them and breaking away from being statistics See more 11/28/2017 I can not believe this movie has such low tomatoes. The acting was ok, yes, but the story (the message), creative direction and teaching factor outweighs most dependent and independent films as a whole. I enjoyed using this film as a motivational and educational tool to young urban girls. It worked for me in 1996 when I had to find a way to cope with a teenage miscarriage; and, it worked for those young woman I helped to teach almost 20 years later. See more 04/25/2014 I just seen this movie recently, and I really enjoyed it. Chantel reminds me when I was young, but thank God we grow up, and learn from are mistakes. Kevin Thigpen was great too! See more 02/03/2014 Watched it back in the early 90s when it was released. An interesting tale that hasn't aged too badly. Great soundtrack and some terrible fashion flash backs... See more 11/27/2013 I saw This Movie When it first came out and I loved it See more Read all reviews
Just Another Girl on the I.R.T.

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Movie Info

Synopsis A hip, intelligent Brooklyn teenager dreams of escaping life in the projects to go to college and eventually become a doctor. Things go awry when she meets a cute dude with a Jeep, a brownstone, and a mom who spends a lot of time at her boyfriend's.
Director
Leslie Harris
Producer
Erwin Wilson, Leslie Harris
Screenwriter
Leslie Harris
Distributor
Miramax
Production Co
Miramax
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 19, 1993, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$211.4K
Runtime
1h 32m
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