First Time Felon (1997)

Faced with five years in prison or four months in boot camp, a young gangster takes what he thinks will be the easy road. Brutal Marine-style discipline teaches him lessons that change his life - but can he resist temptation when he's back on the streets? ' 'An experience not to be missed. ' ' (Hollywood Reporter)

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I never recieved the FIRST TIME FELON DVD.

It is now more than one month I have not recieved the First Time Felon DVD. It is either my money back or AMAZON & PAYPAL to find another seller to send for me a new DVD.

Thank you. July 26, 2008

First Time Felon Delivers!

I have to admit, from the first time my uncle introduced me to this movie I was HOOKED! Watching it over a second time, the movie never fails to disappoint! Omar Epps and Anthony "Treach" Criss both deliver their best performances in their careers to date. The best part of the movie for me was when the boot camp inmates had to help the town. It showed me that even in the face of adversity, people from all walks of life can come together and overcome any obstacle and circumstance, no matter how heavy they may be. This movie was so good I damn near cried. February 3, 2008

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of prison

First Time Felon shows us that it doesn't seem like enough for society for someone to pay their fines and do their time--we want to punish them for life for a crime they might have commited when they were young and dumb. In this way we "label" and "stigmatize" and drive people into adopting a Master Status of "criminal" or "loser." The movie also shows how hard it is to get out of a "birds of a feather" lifestyle when someone is released from prison and has to go right back to where they learned and practiced their criminal craft. Omar Epps and Delroy Lindo have a "pivotal moment" in one scene which I think is the best in the movie. I'm not crazy about the sub-plot of Delroy Lindo's character and think that could have been written or handled more effectively. I also think the atmosphere in the local jail (where Charles Dutton briefly appears as one of the gang leaders) is a bit overdone. All in all however, this is a good movie. It is instructional for teenagers and doesn't have a fairy tale ending. Fairy tale endings are happiness without struggle. Greg Yance, the real life person's life who this movie is based on, did finally get his chance but many don't. Perseverance is the message. Unfortunately, in today's economy and with many receiving such inferior educations, a lot of former inmates aren't going to find as happy an ending as Yance did. If this movie helps one person see that if we help others find meaningful employment then we help our whole society, it will be worthwhile. However, it would be even better to help someone BEFORE they end up in prison. Good flick. Watch it with a teenager. March 9, 2007

Excellent Movie... You wont be sorry that you spent time watching it.

This is a type of movie someone usually looks at on the shelf and then passes it up for something else because they've never heard of it and it isnt one of those highly advertised block busters. If you fall in that category and cant make up your mind about spending a little money and time on this movie... stop thinking and go for it! You wont be sorry. This is a VERY good movie especially if you like heart warming and inspirational themes.

Basically, this movie is about a young adult(Age between 17 and 21) that gets into trouble for selling drugs. He is given the choice of going to jail for five years or going to a military style boot camp for I think three months.... Of course he chooses the bootcamp. The movie shows a great example of how behavioral bootcamps are ran. The bootcamp part of the movie takes up only half of the play time though. The other half shows the struggles of how hard it is to go back to the same problematic environment and use what was learned and how easily it is to fall back into old behaviors due to poverty and lack of opportunity due to being a felon. For example, it shows how hard it is to get a "second chance" in the job market being a ex-convict.

I agree with the past posters that this movie would be great to show in an educational setting especially college.... maybe even a high school psychology/sociology class. With that said dont take that as this movie being like a documentary... its not. With out a doubt this can be watched for just pure entertainment.

So give this a try if you can't make up your mind. Again you wont be sorry.
August 3, 2006

First Time Felon

Good movie that shows the struggles someone faces when going down the wrong path and having to make the nessary changes to over come mistakes from their past. February 21, 2006

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