thurst Review of Hangin' with the Homeboys

Hangin' with the Homeboys (1991)

Hilarious and insightful look at one night on the town in NYC

[10/10 · 19 January 1999]

Joseph Vasquez' portrayal of the lives of four friends as they prowl the night in search of good times predates the ubiquitous Swingers by four years. Hangin' is similar to its more popular cousin in its sweetness and incisiveness as it deals with the heartaches and fatal flaws of its protagonists. However, these nocturnal wanderers also have to deal with some of the more sublime facets of race relation as Nestor Serrano as Fernando, aka Vinnie, a Puerto Rican gigolo tries to convince everyone, including himself, he's Italian, or Doug E. Doug as Willie blames every one of his problems on the fact he is black and moreover accuses other black people he meets of "selling out" or "ignoring {their} African roots" while he has never participated in one rally or learned a single fact about African Nationalism. The film also features one of the earliest hints at the talents of comic/playwright John Leguziamo as sweet, introspective supermarket stock boy Johnny, a subdued, endearing performance by a man who's now known for extravagance. It's just a matter of time before Leguziamo gets that role which will make him a superstar. Mario Joyner completes the foursome as a lovelorn, less confident than he tries to exude, struggling actor, nee telemarketer, in a solid, if not spectacular performance. While this wonderful film rarely lets up on the laugh, it's also intelligent and inspiring, while at times heartbreaking. What's most heartbreaking is what came after this film; after the promise of his debut, Vasquez was given a ton of money and backing for his next feature, but the film had to be shut down after a week of shooting as Vasquez was walking around the soundstage proclaiming himself Jesus, among other insane ramblings. Within a year, Vasquez died of AIDS in relative obscurity, a tragic end to a man who showed signs of genius. Who knows what that genius might have led to, but while this film will never balance off what might have been, at least he was able to leave his mark with one great film. Hopefully more people will get to see it.