Year: 2001
Runtime: 130 min
Language: English
Director: John Singleton
Budget: $16M
Jody is a young African-American man grappling with the unexpected responsibilities of fatherhood. Having fathered children with two different women, he finds his carefree lifestyle challenged as he confronts the difficulties of adulthood. Forced to re-evaluate his priorities, Jody must learn to balance his personal desires with the needs of his children and navigate the complexities of his chaotic life.
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Jody Summers waits for his girlfriend Yvette at an abortion clinic after pressuring her to go, and what follows is a tense, unsettled clash over commitment. He dodges the question of whether he will ever move in with her and their son JoJo, drifting in and out of their lives as he pleases rather than building a steady life with them. The argument sours the air, revealing a pattern: Jody continues to chase other women, exercising his freedom while leaving responsibility behind.
His infidelity deepens when he mirrors his pattern with a young woman named Peanut, with whom he has a daughter, Lil’ Nut. The web of flirtation and secrecy grows as he nearly crosses a line with Pandora, Yvette’s colleague, only to pull back at the last moment. When Yvette finally uncovers the cheating, the confrontation escalates into a heated, bruising dispute that ends with her kicking him out of her home, signaling a break in their fragile trust.
In the neighborhood, Rodney, Yvette’s gangster ex-boyfriend, is released from San Quentin and returns with intentions that unsettle the already fragile balance. Rodney moves back in, but he makes his own violent plans, hoping to impregnate Yvette himself. His audacious misogyny culminates in an attempted rape in front of JoJo, a moment he backs away from only out of guilt. The night’s revelations deepen Yvette’s awareness that she may still love Jody, complicating her sense of safety and loyalty.
Meanwhile, Juanita, Jody’s mother, discovers marijuana in her garden and looks to Jody for blame, which he redirects toward Juanita’s new boyfriend Melvin, an ex-convict. The argument spirals as Melvin comes home, admits planting it, and apologizes. The escalating tension erupts into a brutal exchange: Jody quarrels with his mother and ends up in a physical fight with Melvin, who ends the confrontation by punching him and smashing a table.
Frustrated and unsettled, Jody leaves to seek refuge with his friend Sweetpea. In the meantime, Yvette ejects Rodney and his crew from her apartment. The couple eventually reunites at Sweetpea’s house, where Yvette reveals the full extent of Rodney’s attempt to rape her in front of JoJo. The trouble intensifies as Rodney steals Yvette’s money and keys and drives away in her car, intent on tracking down Jody and ending him, a plan that ultimately fails in a desperate drive-by.
That night, Jody and Sweetpea confront Rodney as he tries to flee. Jody fires at him, shooting him in the back of his legs, but Sweetpea urges Jody to finish him off. Jody refuses, and Sweetpea takes the life with four decisive shots. The aftermath shocks Jody, who contemplates suicide, but Melvin intervenes, stopping him from pulling the trigger. The two men face the consequences of the day’s violence, and Jody begins to rethink his path, realizing that his absence had endangered Yvette and JoJo.
With the immediate danger behind them, Jody comes to terms with the stability of Juanita’s relationship with Melvin and commits to protecting his own family. A new chapter begins as Jody and Yvette choose to marry and look forward to the arrival of their unborn child. In a quiet counterpoint to the chaos, Sweetpea decides to leave his former life behind, choosing baptism and a new path away from crime. The story closes on a note of cautious optimism, with a family formed out of struggle, forgiveness, and a shared hope for the future.
Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:58
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