Ice Cube/O'Shea Jackson plays down and out Craig who whilst still living with his parents manages to lose his job on his day off and subsequently ends up chilling with his reprobate pot head friend Smokey played here by the endearingly annoying Chris Tucker. What follows is essentially a series of vignettes of comedic antics that happen to these 2 guys as they sit and chill on their porch on a Friday in Los Angeles.

I had overlooked this film for a long time and is a very enjoyable light hearted watch featuring some very entertaining performances from Ice Cube playing against type here as the somewhat simple Craig and a breakout performance from Chris Tucker as stoner Smokey who would shoot to mega stardom shortly after the release of this movie. This is also F. Gary Grays directorial debut who had mainly done music video work at this point who would eventually bring us The Negotiator, an entry into the Fast and Furious franchise and Straight Outta Compton. A particular highlight for me was the performance turned in by the always intimidating Tom Lister Jr. Who serves the purpose of antagonist for the movie as the local bully Deebo who's mode of transport is a tiny stolen bike (evil them tune firmly in tow any time he's on screen).

Don't expect to be intellectually challenged and the plot is arguably a series of vignettes. However, if you can look past that this, what follows is an easy way to just relax, chill and spend time with these two likeable guys on a crazy sunny Friday in LA.

After listening to Ice Cube's song "Friday", I was very curious to know how good the actual movie was. Then when I finally bought the DVD of the film, I was very pleased. The movie was a great comedy, filled with laughs and an interesting story.

The whole movie's story takes place on a Friday. It's about two friends (played by Ice Cube and Chris Tucker) who try to get through a regular Friday in their urban neighborhood. Little do these two fellows know, this Friday will be anything but regular. This Friday will be the most different Friday they will ever experience.

The best thing about the movie is Chris Tucker. He gives a very comical and humorous performance as Smokey, the weed-addicted home boy. I've heard that Chris Tucker didn't star in the sequels to this film, so I refuse to watch the sequels. Ice Cube was pretty good in the movie too, but I wish he didn't have to star in the Tucker-less sequels, since Cube & Tucker go well together as buddies.

The soundtrack of the movie is great as well. There are lots of hip hop songs played in various parts of the film. I particularly like the songs from Dr. Dre, Cypress Hill, and Ice Cube himself.

The bad part about the movie is that the story itself seems to be over-simplistic. I think a way to improve the movie would have been to add more sub-plots, therefore making the movie contain many funny twists. But still, the movie is pretty good as it is.

To sum up, this is a great movie to watch on a day when you're in need of some good comedy. I'd recommend watching the movie on a good ol' Friday night!

I give this movie a 7/10.

(Re-review in 2015): It's interesting to see how this has been labeled the first "Hood" comedy. I'm sure there have been others - though written by, of all people, Joel Schumacher, I've always thought of 1976's Car Wash as the grand-daddy of them. It's also become a benchmark for stoners; for the 20th anniversary, it was screened for a special event on 4/20. Sadly, I couldn't attend full of the green stuff, but it was still an enjoyable experience seeing it again. Not great, but good.

For all of the comparisons to it being Boyz N tha Hood as a crude comedy, that it is in part. But it's also like the Watts equivalent of something closer Clerks, also by first-time filmmakers: it's mostly about two guys who don't have much going on with their lives or prospects or action, but they're surrounded by so many 'lively' personalities and moments that are meant to get BIG laughs, regardless of a story structure that is super-strong outside of the Day-In-The-Life thing. And both borrow of course from Do the Right Thing, though Cube actually goes for his own version of the violent climax with a fight. The lack of any cops shows this is a fairly insulated world. Works for me.

If it doesn't really have the same existential heft as Clerks, well, it's not fully trying to be that anyway. What we get here also, of course, is the breakthrough for Chris Tucker - an opportunity he'd only really pursue for another few years before spending his life, it appears, on Rush Hour checks (and a surprise guest spot in Silver Linings Playbook, of all things). His work here is still electrifying and high-charged, though maybe this time I saw more of the obvious "tics" of the character (like, we get it, the Angel Dust bit is one of the major highlights of the movie, but can't you move on?) And Cube is good as straight man for Tucker's foole, and has a few moments too.

This is one of those movies I watched a LOT 'back in the day' as one might say. It's really a movie, despite being rated R, for 13 year olds, black or white, and seeing it at 13 made as big an impression as seeing Clerks or Pulp Fiction or whatever. At the time I thought it was that good on the level. But some things do last better than others, and the seams in Friday show much more over time. Some bits don't work - the crackhead (?) hustler is hit or miss, mostly great in the "HEY, SMOKY BACk HERE TAKING A S***!" bit - though Tony Lister, DEEBO of course in capital letters, is still amazing. And I found myself laughing often through the film, in part due to things still working, like anything with Bernie Mac (and Tony Cox!), and sometimes just nostalgia. It surprised me just how much I remembered in terms of dialog - if only I remembered everything from school like this, I'd be probably a smarter man today... oh well.

Bottom line, enough of it holds up to recommend as a fun comedy, but the effect of 20 years of stoner/hood/black comedies have diluted some of its effectiveness; any time Craig narrated, or that quick montage of 'things that happened today' right before the fight, drag the movie down. And why do they go OUTSIDE knowing that the drive-by is going to happen? That they might shoot the houses whether or not they're there? Doesn't make sense.

Maybe I'm putting too much thought into it here. But, for what it was, and is, it's fun, dirty stuff.