Jason's Lyric

Jason's Lyric
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Doug McHenry
Written by	Bobby Smith, Jr
Produced by	Doug McHenry George Jackson Marilla Lane Ross
Starring	Allen Payne Jada Pinkett Smith Bokeem Woodbine Anthony 'Treach' Criss Eddie Griffin Suzzanne Douglas Lisa Nicole Carson Lahmard Tate Forest Whitaker
Cinematography	Francis Kenny
Edited by	Andrew Mondshein
Music by	AR
Production companies	PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Propaganda Films Jackson/McHenry Company
Distributed by	Gramercy Pictures Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Release date	September 28, 1994 (1994-09-28)
Running time	120 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$7 million
Box office	$20,851,521

Jason's Lyric is a 1994 erotic romantic drama film, written by Bobby Smith, Jr, and directed by Doug McHenry, who co-produced the film with George Jackson and Marilla Lane Ross. Both Jackson and McHenry have been notably successful as producers with films that include New Jack City.

Jason's Lyric features an ensemble cast of African American actors that includes Allen Payne, Jada Pinkett Smith, Bokeem Woodbine, Treach, Eddie Griffin, Lahmard Tate, Lisa Nicole Carson, and Forest Whitaker. Set in Houston's Fifth Ward, the film is a story about young African American adults learning how to deal with love and maturity.

Plot

Jason (Allen Payne) is a responsible young man who has a job in a television repair shop and lives at home with his hard-working mom (Suzzanne Douglas). Joshua (Bokeem Woodbine) is the younger brother just released from prison. He is a volatile, disturbed ex-con who is obviously bound for a violent end. Joshua deals drugs for short-term cash and joins a crew plotting a bank robbery.

When Lyric (Jada Pinkett Smith) walks into the shop to buy a television, Jason meets his perfect match. She has dreams of escape, and inspires Jason to do romantic things like borrow a city bus to take her on a date. Their relationship continually grows and blossoms into love. The height comes when Jason and Lyric take a romantic ride in a rowboat, then make love in the woods.

In a series of flashbacks, Forest Whitaker plays the boys' father, Mad Dog. Throughout the film, Jason has nightmares about a tragedy in his childhood. Either Jason or Joshua killed Mad Dog while he was drunkenly attacking their mother. After being comforted by Lyric, he learns to deal with his past. Alonzo tells his gang and Joshua about the bank robbery plan. Lyric, eavesdropping on their conversation, tells Jason about the bank robbery.

The robbery does not go as planned; Joshua comes late. Most significantly, he causes bedlam by independently terrorizing and beating the customers of the bank, nor promptly gets in the getaway car when the heist is over. As punishment, Joshua is flogged by the rest of his gang. Joshua returns home. Jason realizes how badly he's been beaten, so he confronts the leader of the gang, Alonzo (Treach), who is Lyric's brother, and the two have a vicious fight in a public restroom.

Jason then meets Lyric at the bayou and tells her that he can't leave with her. His nightmares occur because Jason took a gun from Joshua and accidentally shot Mad Dog in the chest, which is why he feels obligated to his family.

Things get worse when Joshua hears his mother tell Jason to leave town with Lyric because he doesn't owe her or Joshua anything. Joshua believes that Jason is leaving not only because of Lyric, but because Alonzo may take revenge. Joshua plans to kill them all in order to keep his brother from leaving.

Jason hears about Joshua's plan and heads to Alonzo/Lyric's house, but he's too late. He sees what has happened and rushes upstairs looking for Lyric. He finds that Joshua has a gun pointed at her neck. He draws a gun as well and is able to convince Joshua not to kill her. However Joshua's arm moves, causing him to accidentally pull the trigger and shoots Lyric. Jason carries her out of the home to a growing crowd outside the house. Lyric is injured, but still alive. Joshua is fed up with his life and decides to end it all by killing himself (off screen), in earshot of everyone outside. The film ends with Jason and Lyric riding a bus, leaving town; however, some versions do not show this part.

Cast

• Allen Payne — Jason Alexander
• Jada Pinkett Smith — Lyric
• Bokeem Woodbine — Joshua Alexander
• Anthony 'Treach' Criss — Alonzo "A-1"
• Eddie Griffin — Rat
• Suzzanne Douglas — Gloria
• Lisa Nicole Carson — Marti
• Lahmard Tate — Ron
• Forest Whitaker — Maddog
• Wayne Dehart - Street Preacher

Reception

Jason's Lyric received generally good reviews from movie critics. It currently has a 67% rating from Rotten Tomatoes and it was a modest box office success.

See also

• Jason's Lyric (soundtrack) — soundtrack to the film.

External links

• Jason's Lyric at IMDb
• Jason's Lyric at Box Office Mojo