If you were around in 1996, you remember the posters. Four women. Dark leather. Sunglasses. Shotguns. It looked like a standard action flick, but when people actually sat down in the theater to watch jada pinkett smith set it off, they didn't just get a heist movie. They got a gut-punch of reality that most of Hollywood was too scared to touch back then.
Jada Pinkett Smith played Lida "Stony" Newsome, the literal heart and soul of the crew. Honestly, it's the role that proved she could carry a heavy dramatic load while still being a believable action lead. She wasn't just "the girl" in the group; she was the one trying to hold a broken life together with Scotch tape and sheer willpower.
The Role That Changed Jada's Trajectory
Before 1996, Jada was mostly known for A Different World and Menace II Society. She was the "It Girl," sure. But jada pinkett smith set it off was the vehicle that allowed her to show real, raw grief. Remember the scene where her brother, Stevie, gets gunned down by the cops? That wail she lets out? It’s haunting.
Casting director Robi Reed actually built the movie around Jada. The studio knew they wanted her, and everyone else—Queen Latifah (Cleo), Vivica A. Fox (Frankie), and Kimberly Elise (T.T.)—was cast to complement that energy. Jada was even the one who pushed director F. Gary Gray to cast Queen Latifah. Imagine the movie without Cleo’s lowrider or that "Thelma & Louise" style ending. It’s impossible.
The chemistry wasn't an accident. Gray made them hang out. Like, actually go to dinner and just be friends before cameras even rolled. You see it on screen. They don't look like actors reciting lines; they look like women who have lived in the same projects their whole lives and are tired of being stepped on.
Why Stony Was Different from Your Typical Lead
Stony isn't a hero. Not in the cap-and-cape sense. She’s a survivor. The writing by Takashi Bufford and Kate Lanier was smart because it didn't make these women "born criminals." They were pushed into a corner by a system that didn't give a damn about them.
- Motivation: Stony wasn't robbing banks for the thrill. She did it to get her brother out of the hood. After he was killed, she did it to escape a life of cleaning toilets for a boss (Luther) who was a straight-up predator.
- The Romance: Usually, in a movie like this, the guy is the savior. But Blair Underwood’s character, Keith, is just... there. He represents a world Stony could have had, but the movie makes it clear she chooses her sisters over a "happily ever after" with a rich guy.
- The Sacrifice: Jada plays Stony with this quiet desperation. She has to sleep with a guy just to get money for her brother’s college. It’s a messy, uncomfortable scene that highlights the "survival tax" Black women often have to pay.
The Production Magic Behind the Heist
New Line Cinema took a gamble on this. A $9 million budget was tiny, even for the 90s. But it made over $41 million because it tapped into a specific kind of rage. This was post-Rodney King L.A. People were angry. The movie didn't shy away from police brutality or the way the banking system treats people with nothing.
F. Gary Gray, fresh off the success of Friday, wanted things to feel lived-in. They shot on location. They didn't use many backlots. When you see the girls on the rooftop drinking and talking about their "office," that's real L.A. air they're breathing.
The soundtrack was also a monster. "Missing You" by Brandy, Tamia, Gladys Knight, and Chaka Khan? It basically became the anthem for the whole era. It added a layer of soulful mourning to the violence that kept the movie from feeling like a cheap exploitation flick.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Ending
People always talk about Cleo’s final stand. It’s iconic. The cigars, the guns, the "Set It Off" song blasting. But the real emotional climax is Stony on that bus to Mexico.
She’s the only one who makes it. But is it a win? She lost her brother. She lost her best friends. She’s literally cutting her hair off to start a new life, but you can see in Jada’s eyes that she’s carrying the ghosts of Frankie, Cleo, and T.T. with her. It’s a pyrrhic victory.
The Lasting Legacy of jada pinkett smith set it off
Decades later, people are still talking about a remake. Issa Rae’s name has been attached to one for years. But honestly? It’s hard to capture that specific 1996 lightning again. The social climate has changed, but the core issues—poverty, systemic bias, and the power of female friendship—are still there.
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Jada's performance remains a masterclass in "acting through the eyes." She didn't need a lot of dialogue to show you Stony was breaking inside. If you haven't revisited the film lately, it’s currently a huge hit on streaming platforms like Tubi for a reason. It holds up.
Next Steps for Fans and Cinephiles
- Watch the "Setting It Straight" Documentary: If you can find the special features on the Blu-ray or certain streaming versions, F. Gary Gray breaks down the rehearsal process that created that legendary chemistry.
- Listen to the Soundtrack in Order: The album was curated to follow the emotional arc of the film. It's one of the few 90s soundtracks that works as a cohesive story.
- Analyze the Cinematography: Pay attention to the lighting in the "office" (the janitorial scenes) versus the bank scenes. The contrast between the dingy, dark cleaning shifts and the bright, sterile banks explains their motivation better than any script could.