Poetic Justice
Brief Synopsis
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The loss of her lover to gang violence and her alcoholic mother's suicide has made Justice a recluse whose singular form of expression and survival is her poetry. Abandoned and alone, Justice's tough-talking persona masks her insecurity and distrust of people. Lucky is a stalwart postal carrier who has successfully resisted the temptations of a seemingly natural existence on the streets. Dedicated to raising his daughter while her mother spends her days on crack, Lucky's ambition to transcend the limitations of life in the hood compels him to spend weekends in Oakland in his cousin's eight-track garage studio, recording rap songs that enable him to creatively voice his inner rage and build hope for his future. Both Justice and Lucky are recluses and dreamers pushing through the status quo to make their own destinies. Against the backdrop of urban despair and loneliness, they struggle to find love, hope and, ultimately personal transformation.
Cast & Crew
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John Singleton
Director
Janet Jackson
Tupac Shakur
Regina King
Joe Torry
Miki Howard
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Drama
Romance
Release Date
1993
Distribution Company
Sony Pictures Releasing
Location
Oakland, California, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 50m
Synopsis
The loss of her lover to gang violence and her alcoholic mother's suicide has made Justice a recluse whose singular form of expression and survival is her poetry. Abandoned and alone, Justice's tough-talking persona masks her insecurity and distrust of people. Lucky is a stalwart postal carrier who has successfully resisted the temptations of a seemingly natural existence on the streets. Dedicated to raising his daughter while her mother spends her days on crack, Lucky's ambition to transcend the limitations of life in the hood compels him to spend weekends in Oakland in his cousin's eight-track garage studio, recording rap songs that enable him to creatively voice his inner rage and build hope for his future. Both Justice and Lucky are recluses and dreamers pushing through the status quo to make their own destinies. Against the backdrop of urban despair and loneliness, they struggle to find love, hope and, ultimately personal transformation.
Cast
Janet Jackson
Tupac Shakur
Regina King
Joe Torry
Miki Howard
Patricia Y Johnson
Anthony Wheaton
Mike James
Kelly Dugan
Mark Miller
Tone Loc
Daoud Spencer
Al Murray
Ernestine Reed
Dion Blake Vines
Kahlil Gibran Nelson
Omar Ben Hassan
Jeff Cantrel
James Deeth
Maia Campbell
Denney Pierce
Dina Bunn
Jenifer Leigh
Baha Jackson
Crystal A Rodgers
John Cothran
David Villafan
Rene Elizondo
Kirk Kinder
Roger Guenveur Smith
Special K Mccray
Sarena Mobley
Billy Zane
Eugene Tate
Robi Reed-humes
Michael Rapaport
Rose Weaver
Lori Petty
La Keisha M Jones
Judd Dunning
Renato Powell
Jalal Nuriddin
Jimmy Jay
Suliamen El Hadi
Vashon Lecesne
Khandi Alexander
Shannon Johnson
Dedrick Gobert
Ricky Harris
Benjamin I Ellington
Kimberly Brooks
Yvette Wilson
Norma Donaldson
Keith Washington
Mikki Val
Che Avery Ii
Susan Falcon
Randall C Heyward
Maya Angelou
Clifton Collins Jr.
Joe Dalu
Michael Colyar
Rico Bueno
Kina Cosper
Tyra Ferrell
Lloyd Avery
Crew
Gregory Allain
Office Assistant
Derek Allen
Song
Willy Allen
Sound Editor
Judy Alonzo
Assistant
Kokayi Ampah
Location Manager
Maya Angelou
Other
Apache
Song
Christopher Aud
Sound Editor
Dallas Austin
Song
George Baetz
Boom Operator
Bobbi Banks
Foley
Bobbi Banks
Adr Editor
Bob Beemer
Rerecording
Bill W Benton
Rerecording
T David Binns
Assistant
Ted Bishop
Song
Everton Bonner
Song
James Brown
Transportation Captain
Keith Brian Burns
Production Designer
Susan Cabral
Makeup
Bruce Cannon
Editor
Harry Cheney
Sound Editor
Stanley Clarke
Music
Peter Collister
Director Of Photography
Elisa Ann Conant
Assistant Location Manager
Coolio
Song
Coolio
Song Performer
J Davis
Song
John William Davis
Song
Kevin Deane
Song
Bryan Dobbs
Song
Bryan Dobbs
Other
Snoop Dogg
Song
Kevin Donen
Special Thanks To
Monet Donen
Special Thanks To
Joe Doughrity
Assistant
Sly Dunbar
Song
Robert Eber
Sound
Kenneth Edmonds
Song
Kenneth Edmonds
Song Performer
Alvechia Ewing
Makeup
Simone Farber
Assistant Director
Linda Folsom
Production Coordinator
Warren G
Song
Randy J Gaetano
Assistant Property Master
Kenneth Gamble
Song
Tony Gaudioz
Camera Operator
George Gershwin
Song
Tara Geter
Song
Dawn Gilliam
Script Supervisor
Evan L Gilner
Dga Trainee
Domenic Giorgio
Key Grip
Margaret Guinee
Assistant Editor
Bob Hall
Assistant Camera Operator
Julian Harker
Song
Cynthia R Harris
Office Assistant
James Harris
Song
Alison Harstedt
Production Accountant
Omar Ben Hassen
Song
Gregory A. Hedgepath
Sound Editor
Gordon Henderson
Special Thanks To
Randall C Heyward
Set Production Assistant
Rayniece Holmes
Set Production Assistant
Leon Huff
Song
Ernie Isley
Song
Marvin Isley
Song
O'kelley Isley
Song
Ronald Isley
Song
Rudolph Isley
Song
Andre Jackson
Song Performer
Janet Jackson
Song
Janet Jackson
Song Performer
Janice Jackson
Assistant Director
Chris Jasper
Song
Darryle Johnson
Costume Designer
Osagyefu Kennedy
Song
Pamela Lasean Williams
Song
Brian Legrady
Assistant Camera Operator
John K Lemons
Wardrobe
Pauletta Lewis
Hair Stylist
Terry Lewis
Song
Dan May
Set Decorator
Tom Mccarthy
Sound Editor
Gene Mcfadden
Song
Bob Minor
Stunt Coordinator
Ali Shaheed Muhammed
Song
Prince Nelson
Song
Steven Nicolaides
Producer
Steven Nicolaides
Unit Production Manager
Jim Ondrejko
Construction Coordinator
David Orr
Color Timer
Corey Penn
Song
Rex Perry
Special Thanks To
Kirk M. Petruccelli
Art Director
Peter Phillips
Song
Ellis Reed
Photography
Andrea Reed-elmore
Casting Associate
Robi Reed-humes
Casting
Antonio Reid
Song
Sean Reveron
Song
Sergio Reyes
Rerecording
Lise Richardson
Music Editor
Terri Robinson
Song
Pete Rock
Song Performer
Pete Rock
Song
Tim Roslan
Transportation Co-Captain
Jeanie Rucker
Special Thanks To
Eric Rylander
Special Effects
Stan Saffold
Craft Service
John Sandau
Lighting
Robbie Shakespear
Song
Winston Sharples
Song
Rodney Sharpp
Assistant Sound Editor
Billy Sherill
Song
Maria Lee Silver
Assistant Editor
Daryl Simmons
Song
John Singleton
Producer
John Singleton
Screenplay
C L Smooth
Song
C L Smooth
Song Performer
Sherri G Sneed
Other
Paul Stewart
Music
Yon-allyn Styles
Set Production Assistant
Darryl Swann
Song
Johnnie Taylor
Song
The Isley Brothers
Song Performer
Robert Thomas
Dolly Grip
Tim Thomas
Song
Rojai S Trawick
Song
James R Tynes
Lighting Technician
Dion Vines
Set Production Assistant
Cardell Walker
Song
John Whitehead
Song
Raphael Wiggins
Song
Darrell L Wight
Set Designer
Don Wilkerson
Assistant Director
D Alonzo Williams
Associate Producer
Maurice Williams
Set Production Assistant
Shirlene Williams
Wardrobe
Lloyd Willis
Song
Michael P Wilson
Property Master
Little Stevie Wonder
Song Performer
Little Stevie Wonder
Song
Syreeta Wright
Song
Tammy Wynette
Song Performer
Tammy Wynette
Song
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Drama
Romance
Release Date
1993
Distribution Company
Sony Pictures Releasing
Location
Oakland, California, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 50m
Award Nominations
Best Original Song
1993
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Summer July 23, 1993
Released in United States on Video February 2, 1994
Completed shooting July 4, 1992.
Began shooting April 14, 1992.
Released in United States Summer July 23, 1993
Released in United States on Video February 2, 1994
