Compulsory Employee Movie Review #7

I Luv employee CP investigates the late 80's cops-and-robbers film COLORS.

COLORS :

Just as good today as it was when I was 14 and blasting “Straight Outta Compton” on my Walkman!! Dennis Hopper helms this timely vision of gang life in late 1980's Los Angeles with great performances from Sean Penn (still young enough to let a little of his inner “Spicoli” shine through) as arrogant rookie cop Danny “Pac Man” McGavin and Robert Duvall as the more level headed veteran officer Bob Hodges. Other memorable characters include a young Don Cheadle as O.G. thug “Rocket”, and Damon Wayans as his comic foil “T-Bone”. This is a true action film based loosely on the real wheelings and dealings of the L.A. Crips and Bloods (among others) that makes its point without resorting to overt exploitation or stereotyping. In their efforts to “keep it real”, the producers even hired actual gang members as actors, two of whom were shot during filming. This movie was hard as shit to my white suburban ass 20+ years ago, and it still holds it's ground in today's milieu of ultra-violent action films. And though the theme song (performed by the one and only Ice-T -forever pimpin' the industry!) is pretty cheap and dated, it will always be stuck somewhere in my brain. -cp