pshemee I was really impressed by this movie. This film is not like others where everything is black and white. It has a very very good story. I can say it is much better movie than you usually can see in cinema. ...storyline goes about Fortlow Socrates. He is poor guy bat he want to get job and to have a normal life. He is very moral and proud man... he was in jail for killing to peoples an for rape. One day he found am kid...when he ask him why he killed chicken, kid become very nervous...they become very good friends. At the end almost everything turns out OK, except one big thing! His best fried dies...this doesn't do a lot of bad thing on Socrates soul because his friend did what he want in life...same as Socrates want.If you like watching a touching movies this is good choose for you!

joyce2cats-1 Socrates is a man of inner strength and depth. His life experience has not hardened him to the simple needs of others, young and old. He's masterfully portrayed by Fishburne...subtley acted. He lets him be very human...not always right, but of strong conviction.The movie is poetically mounted with narration by the accomplished actor Bill Cobbs who is riveting as the old man dying of cancer. I hung on every word of his character, I followed every movement of his body. He also portrayed a strong man, somehow strengthened even more while facing pain and death.The friendship merged by these two characters was so intimate, they touched the screen so gently. The lives that these two touched were made so much the richer, given so much more hope...for living.All characters joined together to bring a most worthwhile story to fruition. A story of black people touching, caring, sharing, loving one another from deep within, with heart.What's always outnumbered? Evil and despair. They are outnumbered here by this representation of generations of a people that reaches back to yesterday for wisdom, reaches out to today for experience and reaches forward to tomorrow for future life, hopes and dreams.I, very simply, loved this film.

encyclpedia What was the purpose of this film? To show us what it's like for a poor black man to live...? Lawrence Fishburne is a good actor, and he always will be, but this movie was just plain boring and never got my attention as "moving". The plot was nowhere to be seen. This movie began and ended with no sense to it. No thought was put into the movie, only how a poor can-collecting black man can hassel a grocery store into getting him a job. My suggestion of course is to not see this movie, but if your a huge Fishburne fan, go right on ahead, you might enjoy it. The only enjoyment I recieved was how Fishburne took no BS from anyone and how he taught a bad kid a lesson. That was really it, and this was my score: 5/10

crodley-2 This is a compelling story of a man and his efforts in having principles in an unprincipled world. Socrates Fortlow is an ex-con released and struggling with a variety of issues in Watts. The different threads to this story range from heart breaking to downright thrilling. The interesting thing about Lawrence Fishburne's character is that while he is a hero in his attitude, he is not an unblemished creature. He let's his emotions take him where he'd rather not be at times, much like most of us. He reflects feelings like anger, frustration, loneliness, and regret in very realistic fashion. Bill Cobbs is also captivating as Socrates elderly friend. He does double duty as the infrequent, and unobtrusive, narrator. The scene where Socrates confronts a flashy thief who shows contempt for his average ways is a movie classic. This is a must see movie in my opinion. You need not be an African American to relate to this movie, just someone who fights with right and wrong in his or her own life. I wish Hollywood would put out sequels to fine movies like this instead of only action movies.