We Grown Now

2023

Drama

4
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 82% · 75 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 82% · 50 ratings
IMDb Rating 6.8/10 10 1358 1.4K

chicago, illinois male friendship based on true story coming of age childhood 1990s

Plot summary

In 1992 Chicago, a story of two young legends in their own right begins. As wide-eyed and imaginative best friends Malik and Eric traverse the city, looking to escape the mundaneness of school and the hardships of growing up in public housing, their unbreakable bond is challenged when tragedy shakes their community just as they are learning to fly.

Director

Minhal Baig Photo
Minhal Baig

Top cast

Jurnee Smollett-Bell Photo
Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Dolores
S. Epatha Merkerson Photo
S. Epatha Merkerson as Anita
LilRel Howery Photo
LilRel Howery as Jason
Patrick Dunham Photo
Patrick Dunham as Police Officer #3
720p.WEB 1080p.WEB 2160p.WEB
866.12 MB
1194*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us   de   es   fi   fr   it   nl   pl   pt   sv   th   ar   bg   cz   dk   gr   et   il   hu   lt   lv   no   ru   sk   sl   tr   uk   vi   cn  
23.976 fps
1 hr 34 min
Seeds 2
1.74 GB
1792*1080
English 5.1
NR
Subtitles us   de   es   fi   fr   it   nl   pl   pt   sv   th   ar   bg   cz   dk   gr   et   il   hu   lt   lv   no   ru   sk   sl   tr   uk   vi   cn  
23.976 fps
1 hr 34 min
Seeds 4
4.17 GB
3840*2160
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
N/A
Seeds 2

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by MickyG333 7 / 10

Life of the slightly underprivileged

7.2 stars.This is the story about two young boys growing up in the projects. A Mom is holding a steady job, and grandmom lives with them. The other boy's father seems to be a very intelligent man, however, he does not appear very active in the community or as a wage earner. The two kids are quite precocious, and they hang out all the time, and we are brought on a journey through their eyes as they survive a year in the life of two minority best friends, growing up in the projects, in intelligent and levelheaded families.There isn't very much to the story, except that it shows us, perhaps what it would be like if we had grown up in this type of situation. I thought the story was told in a way that is palatable for all age groups and cultures. I'm still not absolutely certain what the theme is however, if I had to make an educated, guess it would be about the adversity of growing up in this environment. Perhaps this is an accurate portrayal, but I will never know.That's really all I have to say about it, it evokes some moderate emotions at times, but is nothing out of the ordinary, and certainly not controversial, or overly impactful when it comes to cultural gaps and diversity. It seems understated, but I have a hunch it's what the average life would entail.
Reviewed by EUyeshima 9 / 10

Deeply Affecting Coming-of-Age Tale Set in Chicago's Devastated Cabrini Green

Writer-director Minhal Baig has made this unexpectedly lyrical, heartfelt 2023 film set against a real-life tragedy that occurred in Chicago's ravaged Cabrini Green housing projects in 1992, the killing of 7-year-old Dantrell Davis amid rising gang violence and brutality from the Chicago police. Focusing her story on two ten-year-olds, best friends who depend on each other for survival, Baig draws out deeply affecting work from Gian Knight Ramirez as Eric and especially wide-eyed Blake Cameron James as Malik. It's their coming-of-age story that makes the surrounding plotlines and performances resonate. Jurnee Smollett plays Malik's hardworking mother with assurance even as her character sometimes comes across as a stereotypical trope. As the wise grandmother who brought them to Cabrini Green when it held more promise, S. Epatha Merkerson makes remarkable her few scenes. I only wish Eric's backstory was given as much depth, though the inevitable upheaval the boys face still packs an emotional wallop.
Reviewed by curtispeace 10 / 10

one of the best movies I've ever seen

This is a sleeper, is a story of childhood, of best friends, of family, of history, of life, of circumstances, of inequality, of color, of what it is to be real people, real good people, the best and the brightest, of struggle, of survival, of success, of meaning, of growing up, of innocence, of happiness, sadness and of sheer joy, the young actors are great!, their display of emotions is remarkable, pure, there is nothing to not like about this movie, it's about bringing out the best in us despite what life may bring, it's about hope, about the simple dignity of who we are as people, Eric and Malik exist!, WE EXIST!
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