Hangin' with the Homeboys

Four friends spend a Friday evening cruising around New York in this offbeat comedy-drama blend. The plot on the surface is pretty simple, but the film has some unexpected dimensions, evidenced by the terrific opening scene in which see how the racially diverse friends play on the fears and prejudices of others for laughs. And with two Puerto Ricans in the group (one who likes to trick girls into thinking that he's Italian) and two African Americans (one of whom plays the race card whenever things do not go his way), they are certainly a mixed bunch. All four actors are great in their roles and have very well developed characters who we come to know as individuals as the film progresses, each with their own insecurities - though some more pronounced than others. As the movie pans out, each friend undergoes an awakening of some sort as their fun Friday night on the town turns out to be an evening that causes them to reflect on their lives. The film is not as serious as all that though and there are several excellent comedic moments as the friends bet on whether certain girls are hot, try to see a X-rated film together and conduct business with a mysterious Jamaican in an alleyway.