Baby Boy

In this funny and fearlessly honest character study, John Singleton illuminates the pressures that Black men face as they make their way through early adulthood. Jody (Tyrese Gibson, in his feature-film debut) is a young native of South Central Los Angeles struggling to find direction in his life. At the same time, he tries to reconcile his volatile relationships with his loving but conflicted girlfriend (a revelatory Taraji P. Henson), who bears much of the burden of raising their son, and his strong-willed mother (AJ Johnson), whose imposing ex-con beau (Ving Rhames) is a thorn in Jody’s side. Confronting complicated questions about sex, violence, and parent-child dynamics, the final installment in Singleton’s Hood Trilogy showcases the deep humanism of a celebrated filmmaker working at the height of his powers.