MovieChat Forums > Juice (1992) Discussion > Why Should We Like Any Of These Characte...

Why Should We Like Any Of These Characters...?

posted 12 years ago by Steyr808
21 replies | jump to latest

Besides the fact that they are a bunch of losers who ditch school to play video games(way to plan for your future guys) and don't seek any kind of meaningful employment so they might build a future.

Bishop is a psychotic murder. That pretty much covers it. He's not really insane, he just doesn't care. He places no value on any human life and the only way he could make the world a better place is if he killed himself as soon as soon as the movie started.

Raheem is just another criminal who planned to rob an honest businessman rather than go to school, get a job or anything like that. On top of all that he gave a gun to a psycho like Bishop which led directly to his own murder, the shooting of a friend and the murder of an honest businessman. In a small way that he contributed to his own death is justice and would be a redeemable part of Raheem except he didn't plan it and it shows he was truly too stupid to live.

Steel is a brain dead fat ass who hangs out with scumbag criminals thinking they are actually his friends. They don't respect him in any way and break his families stuff and complain about the food he makes them. Yet he is still dumb enough to consider them his friends and does anything they tell him to do including robbing an honest businessman which leads to the store owners murder. The only good thing about Steel is he is so stupid that he manages to get himself shot which is a kind of justice, except for the fact that he lives.

Q is the one we are supposed to like. The reality is he is probably the worst one. Unlike the others he isn't insane or incredibly stupid, but because he can't stand on his own or think for himself he goes right along with the stupidity parade and engages in criminal activity that leads to the death of an innocent businessman, the murder of his friend Raheem and the shooting of Steel. He is smart, if not educated, and has a talent and a means to do something with that talent. That means of everyone he had opportunities that didn't exist for the rest of them. And he puts it all at risk, including his own life, because he can't tell his loser homeboys that he isn't a criminal and doesn't want to be involved.

Basically Q knows right from wrong and chooses wrong anyway. He also has a supportive girlfriend that could probably get him a decent job and help him build a future. Instead he gets involved in a hold up that leads to the death of an innocent man and hinges his entire future on a DJ contest which he blows because he can't be his own man. At the end he apparently "makes it" as DJ Red Alert talks about the hot new DJ and we are supposed to cheer his success. The reality is he is an accomplice in a murder and a robbery and rightfully belongs in jail.

I'd have had some respect for him if he told Raheem and Bishop to f off and never talk to them again and at a minimum focused on his DJ opportunities or at best went to school, got a job and worked on the DJ thing as a sideline until it became a sure thing. And if he was a true friend to Steel he would have told him he was a stupid fat ass and should stay the hell away from Raheem and Steel if he had any sense at all.

Sadly that didn't happen and all of them were scumbags.

[–] thepoet21 12 years ago

Well said.

However, if you got off your moral high horse you could see it from the characters perspectives.

Consider this, in the neighborhood there were gangs who would prey on the people there. So, to assure protection, they have to roam in packs. Not only that, these guys seemed to know each other since childhood. The pressures of life just made their lives screwed up that way.

The fact that they didn't want to plan for the future or get jobs, well, that's a given. Back then, in the early 90s, to be a young black male was an immediate setback. The thinking was, why bother?

Also not telling on their friend was a natural response, part of the dilemma.It is not uncommon. You should check out the movie "River's Edge". That is the part white trash equivalent to this movie, set in California among 80s era metal heads. In the movie, there was a similar code of silence towards somebody who was part of the group who murdered his girlfriend, another member of the group.

Goes to show that some people don't have all the answers to life that you do. Must be nice!

[–] Steyr808 12 years ago

You'll have to pardon my moral high horse but I grew up in just those kinds of conditions. Most of my friends grew up in just those kinds of conditions.

And long before we entered junior high we knew who the scumbags were and avoided them. We also had a pretty good read on which one of the kids our age were going to become scumbags.

Now it took me a looooong time to figure out my life and get my *beep* together. And it wasn't easy, there were plenty of times when I wondered what I was going to do for basic stuff like food. But I never thought "Hey get a gun and takes somebody else's stuff."

I'm nothing special, neither were my friends. And if we can figure that out, ANYBODY can figure that out. The difference is I'm not going to become an apologist for scumbags.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] Hater_Is_Here 9 years ago

"Well, that's all fine and well."
It's actually more than that; it's logical and correct.

"But the saying goes, 'a good friend will call a lawyer but your bestfriend will help you bury the body.'"
And you'll both go to prison, making you a pretty shytty friend to begin with.

Shyt, my dad grew up in the hood and there were gangs at his high school but he still went and got a respectable job and raised me and my sisters and put us through college. This attitude of "why bother" was nowhere near universal in lower socioeconomic and ethnic communities. It was only preferred by lazy people who had no drive to better themselves or be a productive member of society. Same people that have a kid every year to collect welfare or rob hard working people at gunpoint so they can buy tattoos or their next high.

Oh wait never mind, I'm on a high horse because I don't like paying taxes to support bullshyt.

[–] MrsMonroe74 12 years ago

they were low lives. but Rademez was even lower than them. lol did I spell his name correctly? oh well. u know who I mean. the Puerto Rican gang leader.

___________________
uh huh dot com

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] everydayboredom1980 11 years ago

I don't think you necessary have to like any characters to enjoy a movie.

I liked it for the most part.

[–] manofsteel4455 11 years ago

I can't believe some of you guys are actually trying to rationalize Bishop's actions.

You want to play the game, you'd better know the rules, love.
-Harry Callahan

[–] Mandingo609 9 years ago

I always found it strange how "Americans" always expect young black males to act like adults. If it were some white high school kids that did the same thing as Q and his crew did, the excuses would be "they're angry about something". "They're just kids". "They just need help". And my all time favorite white boy excuse is, "they just need proper guidance". Those are usually the excuses that are used whenever some white boy shoots up a school or murder their parents. In most cases, they're even called "intelligent" and "a good student".

[–] Hater_Is_Here 9 years ago

"I always found it strange how "Americans" always expect young black males to act like adults."
By going to school and not robbing stores or selling drugs? That's not being an adult. That's just called not being a piece of shyt.

"If it were some white high school kids that did the same thing as Q and his crew did, the excuses would be 'they're angry about something.'They're just kids'. 'They just need help'. And my all time favorite white boy excuse is, 'they just need proper guidance.'"
Sounds like exactly the type of shyt moms and school counselors say in court all the time no matter what the skin color of the offenders I see in court. And guess what? The judge and jury doesn't give a shyt. The *beep* still go to prison.

"Those are usually the excuses that are used whenever some white boy shoots up a school or murder their parents. In most cases, they're even called 'intelligent' and 'a good student.'"
Yes, mass murderers can seem normal and get good grades. It's part of what makes their stories so intriguing and *beep* up. The thought of someone throwing away their whole future because they felt the need to kill is interesting to learn about. In the eyes of society they are still monsters and on the fast track to burn in hell. In the same breath, these "intelligent good students" are also called "faces of evil," "cold blooded killers," and "sociopathic criminals." They aren't meant to by sympathized with unless their moms are talking on their behalf.

Sorry kids who do drive by shootings aren't called "intelligent good studnets" (they tend to skip school, sorry 'bout it but it's not a hard concept to figure out), but they ARE still called "good boys" who "never hurt nobody." Just look at Mike Brown's sympathizers. Not saying he deserved to die - just that he too was a piece of shyt. Sorry if that offends anyone but I guess the harsh raw truth can hurt.

[–] mindstamina3000 9 years ago

Brown was a POS because he left the store with a few cigars without showing his ID?

I usually hear of white frat boys doing way worst than what Brown did.

You are just a Noe-Conservative stingy dude who is afraid of black people. Funny how you all sound the same.

[–] Hater_Is_Here 9 years ago

"Brown was a POS because he left the store with a few cigars without showing his ID?"
No, because he committed theft and assaulted a small old man. What are you, stupid or something?

"I usually hear of white frat boys doing way worst than what Brown did."
And they're pieces of shyt too. So? I like how your defense of Brown is that a crime isn't so bad compared to other crimes. You should be a lawyer. "Your honor, my client may have beaten his wife...but at least he didn't kill her like that one white boy on the news did."

"You are just a Noe-Conservative stingy dude who is afraid of black people. Funny how you all sound the same."
Afraid? Huh. Sure, whatever. I can differentiate kids who make mistakes from kids who live their lives stepping over others to fulfill their selfish needs. And call me stingy all you want for wanting my money to be mine and not go towards people of all colors mooching off the system so they can get tattoos and use drugs. You sound like a typical "victim" of society who thinks you should be able to do whatever you want but shouldnt have to work for it and the best way to get what youn want is to be selfish. Oh wait no, I'm selfish because I work for my salary. Makes sense.

[–] Hater_Is_Here 8 years ago

That's what I thought, shut right the hell up.

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] jpkrunch 8 years ago

Not sure what race has to do with this and why you brought it up. As you said:

Sounds like exactly the type of shyt moms and school counselors say in court all the time no matter what the skin color of the offenders I see in court. And guess what? The judge and jury doesn't give a shyt. The *beep* still go to prison.

Bleeding hearts say that kind of stuff, perhaps even more so when a black person is involved. The rest of us just want them out of general society

I would say my memory is not what it used to be. But I don't remember what my memory used to be.

[–] Not_Afraid_of_snakes_or_spiders 9 years ago

That's interesting. Because the same thing could be said of the characters in that lomng ago HBO show The Wire. Yet, look at how big a hit that was.

"There is no reason to bring every cotton pickin book you own into this dadburn gym!"-Fall 1987

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] mindstamina3000 9 years ago

You are a suburban high horse rider so your lack of empathy combined with you being naive is apparent.

Kids do stupid *beep* no matter what age when they are fuel with testosterone in an adult body. That is what these teenagers were.

Suburban white kids do stupid *beep* that they later regret, especially in College.

However, it is much easier to do stupid *beep* when you live in an environment ruled by crime.

Q was caught up in that but quickly realized that he wanted to get out while also realizing the consequences of trying to portray a thug.

This is the point you miss.

Q grew up fast and went on to succeed as a well known DJ. If people like you continue to think all these kids just deserve to get killed off Darren Wilson style than it shows that you are no different than Bishop. You have no regard for life.

[–] triplegrim 9 years ago

Well, Bishop, 2pacs carachter had a father who had been a prison sex slave, which is why Bishop was so desperate for respect and power.

[–] MarkAntney 9 years ago

Many, many,...movies have Bad Guys, making Bad Decisions, as an ongoing premise,...:

GodFather (ALL OF THEM), GoodFellas, Juice, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Thelma and Louise, ScarFace, Black Caesar, even Saturday Night Fever...

Not seeing why that's a point of disdain of a Movie, which is there to tell a Story and/or to entertain.

I don't recall hating the GodFather(s) because they killed their enemies, abused animals, killed their friends, snitched on each other, lied to their wives, beat their wives, cursed in front of their kids, killed women, setup politicians, killed cops,...

Saturday Night Fever managed to do it with a Slammin Sound Track:):)

If I want to knowingly find Heroes in a Movie, I look for SuperMan or Batman.

If I want a hero that's Cool too; I look for Shaft or TroubleMan:):)