Coming of Age and Individual Vs. Society

Julian Gabrielli

Mr. Caruolo

Film Analysis P.8

May 15, 2006

“Coming of Age” and “Individual vs. Society”

In the movies A Bronx Tale, Boyz in the Hood, and The Graduate there is a distinct role on the culture and the environment of the setting. In the movie A Bronx Tale the setting was a in a city called Bronx, New York during the turbulent era of the 1960’s. Bronx wasn’t a very pleasant area at the time. There was a lot of gangs and of course there were the wars between them. During this time it was not accepted to be in relation with the African Americans in the area. Calogero was the main character in this film. Calogero witnesses a local mafia boss, Sonny, kill a man, but doesn’t snitch. Sonny begins to like Calogero, and Calogero begins visiting Sonny and his posse everyday. He starts to adapt some of there life styles and soon becomes Sonny’s “boy”. Calogero knows that he is going against his fathers trust every time he hangs out with Sonny, but does it anyway. Calogero not knowing that the resolution of his story isn’t going to be pleasant he continues against his fathers will anyway. Ultimately, Calogero loses all of his friends, along with his best friend Sonny. Calogero is forced to choose between the love of his life, who happens to be an African American woman, and his friends. He experiences white supremacy against himself while his friends are black supremacies. The final message of this film is, stay out of the mafia because the conclusion is always bad. Also, it shows how interracial couples were immensely thought down upon during the 1960’s. These messages are conveyed through the childhood of Calogero and how he grows up with his mafia crew.

The movie Boyz in the Hood film depicts life in crime-ridden South Central, Los Angeles. This film deals largely with the seemingly unstoppable violence that plagues urban life. In this environment local residents must protect