Drive by

LET'S HEAR WHAT STREET SAYS ABOUT STREET Latino Chicagoans tell their own story of a 1980s neighborhood which they perceive has declined from relative `brotherhood' to almost total distrust in one half of one generation: that's only 10 years! Entry level, brave indie effort, a few actors performing at level of high-school drama class. But this is not written/ produced/ directed by a bunch of Bimmer people with pools overlooking L.A. This is street talking street. So violence is minimalist (not minimal), unglamorous and brief; it comes out of nowhere like a thief in the night. Religion and family are strong influences. There is no strong, stylized rap lingo. Nobody wants to be a gangsta except the very stupid and the very dead. And fear is everywhere. Not sure the film proposes a solution; implied may be that the all we can do is be kind to one person at a time, make one decision for right at a time. Glad I saw it.

The DVD cover got my attention so I rent it at Blockbuster. This was a very good and interesting film. I can relate to Ceasar's pain and confusion as he starts to lose his friends one by one to gang violence. I grew up on the same streets where this film was made and I was really happy to see my neighborhood. The message I got from this film was HOPE. There is light after the tunnel for those who want to get out of a gang. Being in a gang doesn't take you nowhere but to an early death. The movie made an impact on me and I hope they can show it at schools as an educational tool. I was surprised to learn in the commentary that the director was raised in Little Village. This is very inspiring to see someone from the neighborhood working in Hollywood. Keep up the good work and don't forget us little people from your hood.

This was the absolute worst movie I have ever seen in my entire life. I sent my dad to the video store to rent Joy Ride and he shows up with Drive By! I have never seen acting so bad. My dad tossed it in and everyone in the room (5 people) was asleep within ten minutes. My advice to you is DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE!!!

When I rented Drive By on a lark, I was aware of its Chicago setting but bracing for the worst in terms of tired stereotypes like all Mexican-Americans say "ese" and "homes" and look like California cholos. I was very pleased to find the high level of authenticity in the portrayal of its characters, the two-flat residential settings, and the more realistic wardrobe of the main characters (3/4 leather coats). As a resident of Chicago, I felt they had most of the addresses right and the neighborhood flavors down. This is one of the first movies made for a Mexican-American/chicano/Latino audience that I felt I could identify with.

What a waste of time, and that's only after 15 minutes! There's nothing more irritating than seeing the fake high 10/10 ratings when the truth is, this movie is awful!