New Jersey Drive


New Jersey Drive is a 1995 crime drama film about joy riding black teenagers in 1990s Newark, New Jersey, then known as the "car theft capital of the world".
The film was written and directed by Nick Gomez. The executive producer was Spike Lee.
Roger Ebert gave the film three stars.

Cast

Production

Director Nick Gomez originally pictured the film taking place in Boston or Washington Heights in Manhattan. But he later set his sights on Newark after reading about teenagers and joyriding in several articles by The New York Times. In an on-location interview, he stated that he himself used to steal cars for Joyrides as a teenager in a working-class neighborhood in Boston, where he previously lived.
Upon seeking permission to shoot the film in the city of Newark itself, city officials would not give permission to film in the city limits. Therefore, locations in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Glendale, Queens, New York were chosen. Ironically, director Gomez stated that even if he had been granted permission, he still would have shot some scenes in Brooklyn since it was more conveniently located near his home and film studio in Manhattan.
Filming commenced in late March 1994 and concluded on May 16 of that year.