“Friday” is a classic comedy film that was released in 1995, directed by F. Gary Gray, and written by Ice Cube and DJ Pooh. The movie is set in South Central Los Angeles and follows the story of Craig Jones, played by Ice Cube, who is a young man living in West Athens. Much of the movie was filmed at true-to-life locations in the inner city of Los Angeles.
The movie is a hilarious portrayal of life in the inner city, complete with quirky characters, absurd situations, and a lot of humor. Have you ever asked, “where was Friday filmed?” If you’re a fan of this movie and are keen to see the various locations around Los Angeles where the movie was filmed, keep reading to learn more.
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The Plot
The events of the story, the first movie in a series of movies, take place over the course of a single day, beginning on a Friday morning when Craig wakes up to discover that he has been fired from his job. He passes the day hanging out with his buddy Smokey, a character portrayed by Chris Tucker, engaging in a variety of misadventures while smoking weed and running about.
The film introduces the audience to a colorful cast of characters throughout the course of the movie. Some of these characters include Deebo, portrayed by Tommy Lister Jr., and Craig’s father, portrayed by John Witherspoon. The movie was notably filmed in many areas of the city where many of the filmmakers grew up. So where was the movie Friday filmed?
Some Iconic Spots
Craig’s House – 1418 W 126th St Los Angeles, California
The majority of the events in the film take place in and around Craig’s house, which is located in West Athens, and is actually where these scenes were filmed. The house that served as a setting for the movie is a modest residence with a single story that is very similar in appearance to the majority of the other homes in the neighborhood. The filmmakers decided to shoot at this particular location because it best exemplified the kind of community they envisioned being featured in the movie.
Ice Cube and others in the film had the goal of depicting the day-to-day challenges and victories faced by people who lived in the inner city and spent the day on the street, and they believed that shooting scenes in an actual neighborhood would be the best way to achieve this. To this end, they set Craig’s house in this location.
Smokey’s house – 1433 W 126th Street, Los Angeles, California
In addition to shooting at Craig’s residence, the filmmakers shot in a number of other locations all over the Greater Los Angeles Area. Compton is the location of Smokey’s house, considered to be one of the most memorable settings in the movie. It was a real house that DJ Pooh had lived in when he was a kid, filmed on the same street on which he grew up, and that’s why they decided to film here instead of elsewhere to drive home the setting.
In order to infuse the movie with the sense of authenticity and realism that Ice Cube wanted, it comes as no huge surprise that the filmmakers aimed to use real locations and inner-city streets as much as possible in the production.
This important location in the movie is at W 126th St, Los Angeles. The filmmakers and director Gary Gray wanted to show the audience what life was like in this part of Los Angeles, known for its poverty, crime, and gang activity. They wanted to show that even in the midst of all of this, there are still people who are trying to live their lives and make the best of their situations.
The “Store Scene” – 1208 W 135th St, Gardena, California
Filmed at a real-life corner store, this is the location of the “store scene,” in which Smokey, played by Chris Tucker, and Craig, played by Ice Cube, met Ezel at a store owned by an Asian clerk. Here, Ezel attempts to fake a slip-and-fall accident while stealing liquor. The store is still at its original location and is indeed an operational convenience store open for visits.
Enduring Legacy
One of the most remarkable things about the movie Friday is the way in which it strikes a healthy balance between comedic moments and more weighty discussions. The movie deals with issues like poverty, drug addiction, and police brutality, but it does so in a way that is both funny and poignant.
The talented cast of the movie is a big reason for the movie’s success because they bring their characters to life in a way that is both entertaining and believable at the same time. So accurate was the movie in detail that many have asked “is Friday based on the real lives of two friends in Los Angeles, California?”
In its entirety, Ice Cube and Chris Tucker’s “Friday” is a timeless comedy and stoner tribute that has been able to endure the passage of time, so much so that it sparked a sequel, Next Friday. Its portrayal of life in the inner city is both realistic and humorous, and the movie’s talented cast makes the characters feel like real people. It is a testament to the power of humor to help us deal with even the most serious of issues, and it continues to be a beloved favorite of moviegoers all over the world.
If you have ever asked “where was Friday filmed” and want to schedule your own tour and visit the shooting locations of “Friday,” look no further than the Nug Hunt’s Dispensary Crawl Bus Tours! Imbibe in some legal herb while visiting the iconic locations of one of the most notable stoner movies of all time!
