As part of our See Change initiative, we strive to showcase the work of women and non-binary individuals and their behind-the-scenes involvement in a production.
This film was written and produced by Joie Lee.
Despite a muted reception back in May 1994 — certainly compared to Spike Lee’s previous film Malcolm X — Crooklyn has endured for three decades as one of the director’s most treasured films. While fitting within Spike’s collected body of work about the Black experience in America, Crooklyn takes a detour in tone from his earlier, more overtly political films such as Do the Right Thing and Jungle Fever, resulting in a tender familial affair written largely by Spike's sister, Joie Lee.
As her teacher mother, Carolyn (Alfre Woodard), and her jazz musician father, Woody (Delroy Lindo), worry over monthly bills, grade-schooler student Troy Carmichael (Zelda Harris) banters and bonds with her four brothers. Against her will, Troy is sent to her aunt's southern home for a summer visit, but when she returns to her bustling Brooklyn neighborhood, she learns that a family member is gravely ill. Troy is forced to face to some very grown-up facts about life and loss.
Reviews
"This remarkable movie will haunt you for a good long time." – Rolling Stone
Film Stills
