Friday (1995)
86%RT Audience Score: 91%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Friday, directed by F. Gary Gray, is a film that has been both praised and criticized for its use of crude humor and portrayal of street life. While some critics found the characters to be relatable and iconic, others found the jokes to be crass and lacking in substance. Despite its flaws, Friday manages to keep things percolating with its oddball quirks and tics, and its suggestion that tragedy and comedy may be in the bloodshot eye of the beholder. However, Gray’s direction is painfully flat and lacking in any interesting visual style, making it a ruder, cruder version of the hip-hop movie House Party. Overall, Friday is a badly, stupidly enjoyable farce that will have you crapping and cussing with laughter.
Friday is a movie that’s so bad, it’s good. Critics may say it’s lacking in plot development and visual style, but who needs that when you have crapping jokes and cussing jokes and an old lady spewing obscenities? It’s a ruder, cruder version of House Party, and it’s hilarious. The characters are what make this movie, from Deebo’s iconic status to the oddball quirks and tics of the other inhabitants. It’s badly stupid, but that’s what makes it so enjoyable. If you’re looking for a laugh a minute and some realistic characters to relate to, Friday is the movie for you.
Production Company(ies)
Buddy Pic, New Line Cinema, Warner Bros.
Distributor
New Line Cinema, New Line Home Video [us]
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Los Angeles, California, United States
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1995
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 31m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 26, 1995 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 2, 1999
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Tommy “Tiny” Lister, John Witherspoon, Anna Maria Horsford, directed by F Gary Gray, written by Ice Cube, DJ Pooh, comedy, R rating, box office gross $27.4M, reviewed by Michael Rechtshaffen, Gene Siskel, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Todd McCarthy, Joey O’Bryan, Caryn James, Anderson Jones, Eve Tushnet, Brandon Collins, Justin Brown, Kam Williams, drug use, strong language, Patricia Charbonnet produced, New Line Cinema production, stereo sound mix, urban life, drug dealer, crackheads, shoot-outs, toilet humor, vibrant humor, energetic performances, rent due, overbearing girlfriend, Craig Jones, Smokey, Deebo, Mr Jones, Mrs Jones
Worldwide gross: $27,467,564
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $27,467,564
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $3,500,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $7,308,268
Production budget ranking: 1,777
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $3,935,502
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Chris Tucker – Smokey
Nia Long – Debbie
Tommy “Tiny” Lister – Deebo
John Witherspoon – Mr. Jones
Anna Maria Horsford – Mrs. Jones
Director – F. Gary Gray
Producer – Patricia Charbonnet
Writers – Ice Cube, DJ Pooh
Director(s)
F. Gary Gray
Writer(s)
Ice Cube, DJ Pooh
Producer(s)
Patricia Charbonnet
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (29) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (22) | Rotten (7)
While the character-driven script has a weakness for toilet humor (Mel Brooks would be proud), its inhabitants are given some oddball quirks and tics that keep things percolating when the plot development runs a little thin.
April 26, 2019
Michael Rechtshaffen
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
I knew the picture was in trouble when its first gag involved an old lady spewing obscenities.
August 16, 2017 | Rating: 1/4
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Friday has energy, and sass, and the nerve to suggest that the line between tragedy and comedy may be in the bloodshot eye of the beholder.
July 6, 2010 | Rating: B
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
A crudely made, sometimes funny bit of porchfront humor from the ‘hood.
July 25, 2008
Todd McCarthy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Gray’s direction is painfully flat, and curiously — especially for a popular music video director like Gray — lacking any interesting visual style.
November 6, 2003 | Rating: 2.5/5
Joey O’Bryan
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
This is a ruder, cruder version of the hip-hop movie House Party, and it offers a fascinating glimpse at the way street life enters pop culture.
May 20, 2003 | Rating: 3/4
Caryn James
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
This film is a laugh a minute and portrays realistic characters each of us can relate to.
May 16, 2022
Sheila Reid
Women in the Life
Director F. Gary Gray chooses to develop tension in this often over-the-top farce in a very unfunny, almost baffling way.
April 26, 2022 | Rating: 1.5/4
Anderson Jones
Philadelphia Daily News
Crapping jokes and cussing jokes and look at that lady in her skimpy clothes jokes. I enjoyed this badly, stupidly, as it was meant to be enjoyed.
June 21, 2019
Eve Tushnet
Patheos
The characters are what make this. Deebo is iconic.
January 28, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Brandon Collins
Medium Popcorn
Really funny, filmed great, with a lot of heart to it.
January 28, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Justin Brown
Medium Popcorn
The original installment in the outrageous slacker trilogy starring Ice Cube.
September 7, 2009 | Rating: 2/4
Kam Williams
NewsBlaze…
Plot
Craig Jones and his friend Smokey experience a wild day in the hood, dealing with drug dealers, crackheads, and shootouts in the comedy film Friday.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t have anything goofy or funny or odd to say about the film Friday.
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