| 1992 | |
| Director: | Ariel Vromen |
| Story: | Sascha Penn |
| Cinematography: | Frank G. DeMarco |
| Editing: | Danny Rafic |
| Music: | Gilad Benamram |
| Distributor: | Lionsgate |
| Runtime: | 93 minutes[1] |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Budget: | $6.5 million |
| Gross: | $2.9 million[2] [3] |
1992 is a 2024 American heist thriller film directed by Ariel Vromen and written by Sascha Penn and Vromen from a story by Penn.[4] The film stars Tyrese Gibson, Scott Eastwood, and Ray Liotta. Producer Dot da Genius makes a cameo appearance in the film as his film debut. The working title of the film, April 29, 1992, refers to the first night of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which is when and where the film is set; the title was later simplified to 1992.
The film was released in the United States on August 30, 2024. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $2.9 million worldwide, making it a box office bomb.[5]
In 1992, Mercer endeavors to restore his life and relationship with his son during the unrest following the Rodney King verdict. Meanwhile, in another part of town, a father and son confront their troubled relationship by planning a perilous heist at Mercer's workplace. As tensions in Los Angeles escalate and chaos ensues, the two families cross paths.[6] A man named Dot meets a police officer that talks to him about the 1992 incidents.
In August 2015, it was reported that Ice Cube and O'Shea Jackson Jr. would star in the film, then titled April 29, 1992, with Will Packer producing, Donovan Marsh directing and Lionsgate serving as distributor.[7] However, Cube's publicist released a statement confirming that Cube and Jackson have no involvement with the film.[8]
In March 2021, it was announced that Vromen would direct the film.[9] In July 2021, it was announced that Gibson, Liotta and Eastwood were cast in the film.[10] In September 2021, it was announced that Beasley was cast in the film and that filming was underway in Bulgaria and Los Angeles.[11] In February 2022, it was announced that Ammanuel and Arnold were cast in the film.[12]
Collider reported that Liotta completed the filming of his scenes before his death in May 2022.[13]
1992 was given a limited theatrical release in the United States on August 30, 2024.[14]
In the United States and Canada, 1992 was released alongside Reagan, Slingshot, AfrAId, and City of Dreams, and was projected to gross around $2.5 million in its opening weekend.[15] It debuted to $1.8 million over the four-day Labor Day weekend.[16]
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A-" on an A+ to F scale.[17]
Randy Myers of the San Jose Mercury News said, "Genuine scenes between Gibson and Ammanuel, aid in making “1992” a genre exercise with much more on its mind than you might suspect."[18] Jeremy K. Gover of the Untitled Film Project Podcast said, "Remove the historical context and 1992 still encompasses a remarkable story about race relations, intergenerational empathy, socioeconomic divides, moral navigation and family dynamics, all while being a solid heist film."[19]
Ben Kenigsberg of The New York Times wrote that "The look is drab, the action is barely coherent, and Liotta deserved to go out with a better line than 'I did the best that I could, son. I’m sorry it wasn’t enough'." A sentiment echoed by Roger Moore of Movie Nation, who felt that the film "was even straining to get to the label 'solid'."
Richard Whittaker of the Austin Chronicle in a mixed summary noted the "feel" of the period, but was disappointed that Vromen's attempt to revive '90s Americana only really succeeds at resurrecting the "mediocre amoral crime flick", while other reviewers bemoaned the "glaring plot holes" and "Formulaic plotting".