Juice is a horror movie in disguise. Tupac Shakur fades in from the shadows like Michael Myers. In a high school re-imagining of the classic bathroom mirror gag, he materialises out of nowhere when a school locker door is closed. He stalks and kills, gagging for death and violence. He's a slasher with a gun. The horror vibes already mean I love this, but there's so much more to enjoy outside of Tupac's evil turn. There's a phenomenal score from Public Enemy's production team and a soundtrack filled with amazing tracks. The locations are grimy and shot with a slick early 90s touch. Samuel L. Jackson and Queen Latifah show up. There's a DJ battle. The dialogue is ridiculous and brilliant. Juice is something I can see myself returning time and time again. Maybe next year I'll save it for Halloween.
Directed by Ernest R. Dickerson
Juice
A gritty, acclaimed crime.
Four Harlem friends -- Bishop, Q, Steel and Raheem -- dabble in petty crime, but they decide to go big by knocking off a convenience store. Bishop, the magnetic leader of the group, has the gun. But Q has different aspirations. He wants to be a DJ and happens to have a gig the night of the robbery. Unfortunately for him, Bishop isn't willing to take no for answer in a game where everything's for keeps.
Where to watch
1Juice is showing in 1 cinema in Los Angeles — next screening Thursday 16 July at 19:30 at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Thursday, 16 July
Cast & crew
6What people say
Everybody wants the Juice, but in the end there can be only one. Early morning bullshit. Baby mama drama. Who the fuck talks shit to Tupac? Sam Jackson before he said mother fucker a lot. Street fuckin' Fighter. Running from the law. Sex, Money, Murder. The record store. Distracting the help. A pay phone. The cigarette machine. Armed fuckin' robbery. Older fuckin' women. Fuckin' Flex. The gun. DJ battles. Fab Five fuckin' Freddy. Emcee Queen. G fuckin' Q. The perfect alibi. The way Tupac wears his hat. Headshot! A holy-fuckin'-shit-I-still-can't-fuckin'-believe-that-crazy-fuckin'-shit-just-fuckin'-happened-even-though-I-first-saw-this-shit-twenty-plus-fuckin'-years-ago moment. Always hide guns under loose bricks. A game of bad cop / badder cop. Tupac's eyes. No man is above the crew. Bishop going all Westside on a mother fucker. CameFUCKIN'o. Cypress fuckin' Hill. The poolhall. Fuckin' Steel. Seeing death around the corner. Guess who has the fuckin' Juice now? Omar Epps shines as Q. Tupac is unforgettable as badass-mother-fuckin' Bishop. Featuring one of the greatest soundtracks ever, Juice is a well-aged hip-hop classic.
Ernest Dickerson is a great artist. All you need is one to prove it. Probably not overstating things to say that this movie changed my life.
What is Juice about?+
The film follows four friends growing up in Harlem whose lives begin to unravel after they decide to commit a robbery to gain respect and power on the streets.
Who directed Juice?+
Ernest R. Dickerson directed this 1992 film, which was his directorial debut following his career as a noted cinematographer.
Is the film's soundtrack significant?+
The film features an influential hip-hop soundtrack that is widely regarded as a defining element of its cultural legacy.














